Carolina Hurricanes Foundation Provides 150,000 Meals to Help Stop Summer Hunger

Summer should be a time for children to learn, play, and grow—not worry about where their next meal will come from. We are proud to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to provide more than 150,000 meals to local children and families, helping ensure kids have the nourishment they need to stay healthy and thrive while school is out and beyond.

– Amy Daniels Executive Director

The landmark gift comes as hunger has reached its highest point in a generation – with more families facing food insecurity today than the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to the USDA, more than 168,000 school-age children and teens are food insecure across Central and Eastern North Carolina — and the situation has only worsened with ongoing economic disruption over the past year. With school out soon, ,any parents and caregivers will have to come up with 10 or more additional meals per week, making the summer months among the most challenging times of year to keep food on the table.

Summer is one of the hardest times of year for families facing hunger. When school is out, parents must find a way to provide many more meals for children each week — at a time when the cost of food and fuel is already stretching household budgets to the breaking point. This generous gift comes at a critical moment, fueling more than 150,000 meals in communities that need it most this summer. We're deeply grateful to the Hurricanes, the Foundation, and Canes fans everywhere for standing with us and reminding our neighbors they're not alone.

– Amy Beros Food Bank President & CEO

In response, the Food Bank network hosts dozens of no-cost meal sites to help close the gap. Local community centers, churches, and summer camps offer free meals, snacks, and to-go options to kids and teens — alongside outdoor recreation and reading initiatives. The effort augments existing resources offered through 700+ network pantries and food distribution sites that are also open to families with school-age children. So shether you live in a major city or a remote rural area, chances are there are resources near you this summer.

With disruptions to federal food supplies and steep cuts to hunger relief programs, the efforts of local donors, volunteers, and advocates are more important than ever. This work isn't possible without generous community support!