What to expect from the government shutdown — and action you can take to help end it

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

Our communities can’t afford to lose access to critical grocery support through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (sometimes called SNAP, FNS, or Food Stamps). But if Congress passes the Farm Bill in its current form, we could see massive cuts to this lifeline for families and farms. 

The House passed its version of the Farm Bill this Spring, and the Senate introduced its own draft this week. That means negotiations will begin soon over the final package – and we have a short window to influence the outcome. 

Even if you’ve sent a message on SNAP before, please take a minute to do so again. Help send a clear message that our communities can't afford cuts to a program that supports so many families! 

We're grateful for the governor's support — and mindful that annual food purchase funding is still held up in the General Assembly's state budget impasse.

There's wide, bipartisan support for the General Assembly's annual investment in locally-grown food for hunger relief organizations. Unfortunately, that $9+ million in state funding has been postponed for almost a year due to the ongoing budget stalemate. The loss of funds comes in addition to the termination of vital federal programs that help food banks and schools purchase food directly from North Carolina growers, producers, and food hubs.

Hunger has hit a 15-year high in North Carolina and grocery prices remain out of reach for too many families. More than 1.6 million people now face food insecurity statewide. Without these funds, even less food will be available to help families — and local farms that were already struggling will have even less income. Some may be forced to close altogether.

We need Congress and the NC General Assembly do all they can to restore funding for local food purchase efforts. It only takes a moment to send your legislators a message: