Advocate

Make your voice heard on public policies and investments that move us closer to a future where no one goes hungry.

Urgent Action Needed

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has terminated federal programs that help food banks and school districts purchase food from local growers and producers. At the same time, state-level funding has been stalled in the General Assembly. This will mean close to $40 million cut from small farms in North Carolina — and millions fewer meals for kids and families facing hunger in our community.

Tell state and federal elected leaders to save funding for local food purcahses!  It only takes two minutes to send a message and make your voice heard!

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Advocate to End Hunger for Good

Across central and eastern North Carolina, more than 607,000 children, adults, and seniors don’t know where their next meal might come from. It’s the highest rate of hunger we’ve seen since in close to 20 years — and more families are seeking food assistance today than at the peak of the pandemic.

Alongside our efforts to meet the rising demand for support, the Food Bank works to empower our communities to build long-term solutions to hunger. At the local, state, and federal levels, our non-partisan advocacy efforts push for public policies and investments that help us move closer to a future where no one goes hungry.

A Strong U.S. Farm Bill that Supports Families and Farmers

We're in the middle of the most serious hunger crisis in at least a generation — and we’re grateful to for the countless farmers who feed our communities and are part of the movement to end hunger.

That’s why we’re urging our Senators and Representatives to pass a strong U.S. Farm Bill that:

Invests in nutrition and agriculture support initiatives
Ensures SNAP grocery benefits are available to families who need it most
Expands programs that help food banks meet the rising demand for food assistance

The Farm Bill comes up only once or twice in a decade, so it’s critical that our elected leaders get it right.

Join Us and Make Your Voice Heard

Protect & Strengthen Nutrition Programs like SNAP

Hunger in our communities has hit a near-record high, with grocery prices still out of reach for too many families. Meanwhile farmers, gowers, and producers are barely scraping by — and margins are shrinking for grocers and other small businesses that offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples.

Meanwhile federal leaders have passed massive cuts to a lifeline for families and farms: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (sometimes called SNAP, FNS, or Food Stamps). SNAP helps 1.4 million kids, seniors, and adults in North Carolina afford nutritious food — food that is grown and raised by farmers throughout the region.

Deep federal cuts are set to take effect in late 2026, which means elected leaderes still have time to change course. Help send a clear message that our communities can't afford cuts to a program that supports so many families!

Contact Your Legislators

Local Food Donations & Purchasing

Our network can’t distribute 100+ million meals each year without consistent access to donated and low-cost food. That access requires policies and regulations that support local farmers and producers, promote sustainability, and encourage connections to surplus food. And we do all we can to secure state and federal investments that offset the cost to harvest, pack, and transport nutritious, locally-grown food.

With the termination of federal programs that helped schools and food banks purchase food from local farmers, new investments are desperately needed in Congress and the NC General Assembly. We need elected leaders at all levels to understand the importance of this funding!

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Healthy Opportunities for All Communities

The Food Bank prioritizes partnerships, policies, and programs that positively impact the health and wellness of people we serve. These efforts are at real risk if planned cuts to Healthy Opportunities and Medicaid are implemented at the state and federal level.

The NC General Assembly will soon vote on whether to continue a vital program that provides more than 833,000 healthy meals to people living with chronic illnesses — and lowers healthcare costs along the way. We need state legislators to protect Healthy Opportunities in our communities!

Contact Your Legislators