Our Statement on USDA Elimination of Vital Hunger Data

In response to increased demands on food banks and growing food insecurity across North Carolina, the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation made a grant of $500,000 to Feeding the Carolinas – the state’s association of hunger relief organizations. These funds will be put to work in every corner of the state by seven major food banks – providing more than 2 million nourishing meals to people facing hunger during the holidays.

Politicians in Washington voted to slash the federal safety nets that help millions of people in North Carolina afford food and medicine. They know their decisions will worsen our hunger crisis, and now they're attempting to hide the evidence by eliminating impact data that has been available to the public for decades.

Administrative changes at the USDA can't erase the reality our communities face every day: the price of groceries remains out of reach for far too many families — and more people are seeking food assistance today than any point in the past 20 years.

Our hunger relief network relies on this data to target resources where they're needed most, especially in rural communities where services are more difficult to access. The General Assembly and state agencies need reliable data to make smart investments in the most effective programs. This information takes even greater importance when tight budgets require tough decisions — and there are no shortage of difficult fiscal discussions underway right now.

We need our Members of Congress to understand the impact this irresponsible decision will have on  kids, seniors, and people with disabilities across North Carolina. It's incredibly important that we all make our voices heard and urge elected leaders to restore vital hunger data.

– Jason Kanawati Stephany, Food Bank Vice President

More than 1.6 million people face food insecurity across North Carolina – the highest in a generation. That means 1 in 7 of our neighbors don’t know where their next meal might come from. And with cuts to federal agriculture and nutrition programs, hunger relief organizations have increasingly relied on support from community pillars like SECU to ensure seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities have access to healthy, familiar food. 

Politicians in Washington voted to slash the federal safety nets that help millions of people in North Carolina afford food and medicine. They know their decisions will worsen our hunger crisis, and now they're attempting to hide the evidence by eliminating impact data that has been available to the public for decades.

Administrative changes at the USDA can't erase the reality our communities face every day: the price of groceries remains out of reach for far too many families — and more people are seeking food assistance today than any point in the past 20 years.

Our hunger relief network relies on this data to target resources where they're needed most, especially in rural communities where services are more difficult to access. The General Assembly and state agencies need reliable data to make smart investments in the most effective programs. This information takes even greater importance when tight budgets require tough decisions — and there are no shortage of difficult fiscal discussions underway right now.

We need our Members of Congress to understand the impact this irresponsible decision will have on  kids, seniors, and people with disabilities across North Carolina. It's incredibly important that we all make our voices heard and urge elected leaders to restore vital hunger data.

– Jason Kanawati Stephany, Food Bank Vice President

Seven regional food banks serve North Carolina communities, each of which partner with hundreds of local food pantries, churches, schools, and community centers to reach people facing hunger in all 100 counties. Together, Food Bank of the Albemarle, Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast NC, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, and MANNA Food Bank provide enough food to fuel 250+ million meals each year. The SECU grant will be distributed among these organizations to ensure that it reaches every part of the state. 

This moment brings me back to growing up in rural North Carolina with two parents who worked very hard to put food on the table. This grant goes a long way to provide hope to people like my parents in rural North Carolina, that one day their son or daughter can grow up to become anything that they can be. So we thank you for providing not only assistance, but hope. Because hope really matters.

– David Griffin, Food Bank Director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina