Black History and the Fight to End Hunger

Hands For Humanity Community Development Corporation (CDC) has been serving Kinston families for three decades as the Food Bank's oldest partner in the area. Recently, Food Pantry Director Hilda Royal has seen an increase of up to 35 people a day as food and gas prices soar. Hands For Humanity is meeting the hunger crisis head-on with support from Food Lion FEEDS. 6 days a week, Hilda and her team pick up donations from Food Lion to create meal boxes for families. 

In 1999, Hands For Humanity became partners with the Food Bank to serve families facing food insecurity. As the longest Food Bank partner in Kinston, Hands For Humanity goes above and beyond to provide food where it's needed the most. In Lenoir County, 1 in 5 people are food insecure. And for Black and Hispanic communities, 1 in 3 face hunger. That's more than double the rate of hunger than their White counterparts. 

As a lifelong resident of Kinston, Hilda noticed a dramatic increase in neighbors needing food assistance. 

We're having an increase of 32 to 35 people a day. That just started a couple of weeks ago. And the food stamps have been changed. So peopel are hungry. They don't have the money to go and buy this and that...Either you buy your medicine, or buy gas, or buy food. 

– Hilda Royal Hands On Humanity Food Pantry Director

Hilda and her team are meeting the hunger crisis head-on. They pick up produce and bakery donations from Food Lion 6 days a week, all year round. Food Lion store managers are often amazed by how many families were served by their retail donations. 

I can tell you that nobody goes away hungry. That is the first thing we tell volunteers: nobody goes away hungry. 

– Roxann Landsdowne Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Chair of the Board

Hands For Humanity's success is a reflection of what we can accomplish when local communities join together for a common cause.