All of us at the Food Bank are working toward a future where no one goes hungry. It’s a big vision, and we know we can’t reach it through food assistance alone. We have to take action to address hunger at its roots — to prevent food insecurity from happening in the first place. 

This is what Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is all about, and why equity is at the center of our work. Because hunger is so much more than a single empty stomach or individual experience. It’s a community-wide symptom of not having enough — whether that’s enough nutritious food, enough income, or enough voice in the decisions that impact us. It’s a symptom of barriers to employment, education, housing, and healthcare. 

We all experience the effects of hunger in our communities, and together we can address these barriers and the systems and inequities that create them. Our Commitment to Equity is an internal and external expression of who we are and what we believe it will take to achieve this mission. It’s a statement of our dedication to the kind of transformative action we need to build a future where no one goes hungry. Where every voice matters. Where we all share responsibility for each other and our common good.  

People from across the Food Bank came together to make this commitment to ourselves, our communities and the broader fight to end hunger for good. We are together on this journey — investing the time and resources needed to make meaningful progress. Because no one should go hungry…no matter where we live, where we’re from or the color of our skin. 

Our Commitment to Equity 

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is committed to building solutions to end hunger across the diverse communities in our service area. We believe that food is a human right, and it is our job to ensure access to the nutritious and culturally meaningful foods our communities need to thrive. 

 We know that the root cause of food insecurity is poverty, spurred by unemployment and low incomes, lack of affordable housing, chronic health conditions and a lack of access to healthcare, and systemic racism and discrimination. Our vision for a future where no one goes hungry requires that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food — regardless of race, citizenship, religion, sex, ancestry, age, marital status, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. 

 We also know that existing laws, policies, and practices intentionally extend opportunities to some while withholding those same opportunities from others — and that historically marginalized communities experience the highest rates of food insecurity due to the impact of systemic barriers. These gaps, inequities, and exclusions have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and other societal factors. That is why now, more than ever, we must evolve to address the systemic barriers that cause hunger and poverty in our communities. Because hunger does not have to be our reality. 

 This is a shared responsibility for everyone dedicated to ending hunger and its root causes. We are committed to focusing our efforts in and with communities that disproportionately face hunger and poverty. We know that people with lived experience are the experts on hunger — and must be in the lead to advance long-term solutions. And we will immerse ourselves in the kind of local, state, and federal advocacy that ensures our elected officials understand the impact of their decisions on people experiencing food insecurity.  

 We are committed to applying this equity lens in every aspect of our work. 

 At the Food Bank, we have… 

  • completed a comprehensive equity audit to better understand the experiences of staff and are implementing a plan based on recommendations to promote EDI; 
  • worked to create an inclusive environment in which all employees can work, thrive, and be respected as their full selves; and 
  • formed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) department and established staff committees focused on education, training, and equity within the organization. 

 In the community, we are… 

  • seeking to strengthen our work with communities that have been historically marginalized; 
  • building workforce development initiatives; 
  • sourcing and distributing culturally meaningful foods; and 
  • implementing equity-focused structures within our Partner Agency Advisory Council. 

We see this as a continuous process and evolution with no true end. As we continue our journey to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in all we do, we commit to holding ourselves accountable in action and in the revision of this living statement. 

Listen to our Equity Statement below or you can read or listen in Spanish.

 

This article originally appeared in our 2023 Impact Report. Read the full report here.