Access to nutritious food is an integral part of a household’s well-being. While it’s only one piece of the puzzle, it is one worry the Food Bank seeks to eliminate for our friends and neighbors.
To address the systemic healthcare issues facing North Carolinians, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) received $650 million in funding from the federal government to launch its Healthy Opportunities Pilot program (HOP) in eastern and western North Carolina. This program is the first of its kind. NCDHHS will collaborate with entities in the state that specialize in the areas that impact the social determinants of health to deliver 29 services to the target regions.
The Food Bank is one of those entities, acting as an agency within the more extensive network of the pilot program, furthering our mission of nourishing people, building solutions, and empowering communities.
When the first deliveries went out, there was an immediate impact. Emily Kraft, the Director of Community Outreach & Support Services for the Food Bank, said that the first person called the branch five minutes after the delivery was made to say how excited he was about their healthy food box, sharing “my wife is already chopping a snack for us to eat!”
Alice Hudson, the Food Bank’s Support Services Program Manager has a significant role on the ground working with agencies in the HOP pilot. She knows firsthand the impact of the program: “The HOP program really excites me because it acknowledges that health starts at home, far before the problem visits at the doctor. It’s about understanding the power that food and other resources have in determining someone’s overall health.”
Alongside the food delivery services, households receive assistance in utilities, housing placement, and free bus passes, all of which is the primary goal of the HOP pilot – to engage people, identify their needs, and connect them to resources that will lead to healthier communities.
