By Nicole Bowman Layton

ELIZABETH CITY — More than 1.7 million North Carolinians are facing hunger, including more than 504,000 children, as the state observes Hunger Action Month in September.

Gov. Josh Stein proclaimed September as Hunger Action Month and Sept. 26 as Hunger Action Day in North Carolina, calling attention to the growing number of families struggling to consistently put food on the table.

“As grocery bills continue to rise, hunger affects more and more North Carolinians,” Stein said. “Hunger Action Month reminds us to continue our work to not let anyone go hungry and to commend the essential work of the people who help folks put food on the table in North Carolina.”

The local numbers are part of a much larger increase in hunger across North Carolina.

More than 1.7 million North Carolinians are food insecure, including more than 504,000 children. In the 34 counties served by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, nearly 630,000 people are food insecure — almost 180,000 more than in 2021.

“New data confirms what our neighbors, partners, and staff are already seeing every day: hunger is deepening across central and eastern North Carolina,” Food Bank President and CEO Amy Beros said in a recent press release. “Families are being squeezed by the rising cost of food, housing, and other essentials.”

Those numbers are translating into increased demand at organizations that provide food directly to families. Beros said partner pantries, meal sites and food distribution sites have reported increases in visits ranging from 20% to 60%.

“Our local hunger relief network is strong, but no food bank or local pantry can absorb a crisis of this scale alone,” Beros said.

She offered a simpler way to think about the statistics.

“These are not just numbers,” Beros said. “These are our neighbors.”

Hunger across the Albemarle

That statewide problem is also visible across northeastern North Carolina.

Food Bank of the Albemarle, headquartered in Elizabeth City, reports 46,440 people in its 15-county service area are food insecure, or 15.7% of the population. About 13,920 children — roughly one in four — are food insecure.

The organization serves Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

Within the 10-county Albemarle region, overall food insecurity ranges from 11.7% in Camden County to 20.9% in Washington County, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap figures published by Food Bank of the Albemarle.

That means roughly one in five Washington County residents are estimated to be food insecure.

Hyde County follows at 19.9%, Tyrrell County at 18.3%, Chowan County at 17.1% and Perquimans County at 16.6%.

Pasquotank County is at 14.2%, Gates County at 13.8%, Dare County at 12.8%, Currituck County at 12% and Camden County at 11.7%.

The differences become more pronounced among children.

An estimated 35.8% of children in Washington County are food insecure — more than one in three.

The child food-insecurity rate is 31.1% in Tyrrell County and 30.2% in Chowan County. Hyde County is at 27.3%, followed by Perquimans at 24%, Pasquotank at 21.5%, Gates at 20.1%, Dare at 15%, Camden at 13% and Currituck at 11.9%.

When a paycheck still isn’t enough

Food insecurity does not necessarily mean someone is unemployed or receives government assistance.

The term describes limited or uncertain access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Families may stretch groceries, buy less nutritious food, reduce portions or skip meals when money runs short.

Food Bank of the Albemarle reports that more than 35% of North Carolinians facing hunger may not qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, commonly known as SNAP.

For some households, that means earning too much to qualify for assistance while still struggling to cover groceries alongside housing, utilities, transportation, medicine and other necessities.

The estimated average cost of a meal in Food Bank of the Albemarle’s service area is $3.50. People experiencing food insecurity in the region would need an additional $21.87 per person per week, on average, to meet their food needs.

For a household of four, that amounts to nearly $87.50 a week, or more than $4,500 over a year.

Food Bank of the Albemarle works with more than 100 community partners across northeastern North Carolina to distribute food and connect residents with other resources.

The organization’s data makes one point clear: food insecurity is present in every county in the Albemarle.

It affects growing counties, tourism-dependent communities, small rural counties and regional population centers alike — and in some communities, it affects one in three children.

Need food assistance?

Residents who need food assistance can search for nearby food pantries and distribution sites through Food Bank of the Albemarle’s online Food Locator. The locator allows users to search by location and provides information about participating food pantries, hours, eligibility requirements and closures.

Find food: afoodbank.org/get-help/food-locator/

Those who need help locating food assistance can also call Food Bank of the Albemarle at 252-335-4035 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Mobile food pantries operate throughout northeastern North Carolina to bring food assistance to communities where residents may have difficulty reaching a traditional pantry. Because dates and locations can change, residents should check the current schedule before traveling.

Mobile pantry schedule: afoodbank.org/get-help/mobile-food-pantries/

Food Bank staff can also help residents learn about and apply for Food and Nutrition Services, including SNAP, and connect people with other available resources.

Additional assistance: https://afoodbank.org/get-help/

Residents without reliable internet access can call the Food Bank for help finding available resources in their community.

Pantry schedules and availability can change. Contact the pantry or Food Bank of the Albemarle or check your community’s Facebook page before traveling when possible.