Schools are closed but meals continue for food-insecure children
UNSPLASH Mooresville-based FeedNC’s summer initiative provides meals to children who are likely to be food insecure during school holidays.
The end of school marks the beginning of food insecurity for low-income students.
Mooresville-based FeedNC aims to provide summer lunch programs to low-income communities using food trucks donated by Mooresville West United Methodist Church. The nonprofit serves Iredell, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Rowan counties, respectively.
FeedNC CEO Lara Ingram said that after the truck is converted, it will deliver food to three locations in downtown Mooresville every Thursday in June and July. Additionally, every Friday the truck will deliver groceries to food-insecure areas in neighboring counties.
“What we thought was, there are a lot of kids at home during the summer, and especially in low-income areas, their parents might be working and not at home,” Ingram said. “So we knew if we could get a truck on the road and bring fun, healthy food to kids, and interact with them and give them information, maybe their parents would sign up for all of our services and maybe they would come to us in the future.”
According to No Child Hungry, one in five children in the United States is food insecure, or more than 13 million children, as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity is defined as a household that struggles to provide enough food for everyone living in it at any point during the year.
As a result, children who rely on school meals may not get enough to eat over the summer, may skip meals, or may not get enough to eat from one month to the next.
The USDA reported that 17 million households, or 12.8% of the U.S. total, were food insecure in 2022. That’s up from 13.5 million the year before and 13.8 million in 2020. In Mecklenburg County, about 15% of households are considered food insecure, according to the county health department.
Living in a food desert is likely to lead to unhealthy eating habits, which in turn contribute to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
FeedNC utilizes its 26,000-square-foot facility, complete with a community dining room, to deliver its Culinary Talent Development Program, a 12-week course that includes hands-on training and real-world cooking experience. Upon completion of the course, FeedNC introduces graduates to business partners and local restaurants for job opportunities.
The cafeteria provides free breakfast and lunch meals, which are cooked to order, and menu choices are based on healthy choices and balanced meals, Ingram said.
Typical breakfast options include power bowls filled with fruits, vegetables, granola, bacon, eggs, waffles, and other proteins, while lunch choices range from vegetarian options such as bowls with quinoa and chicken to chicken wings, salads, soups, and a variety of sandwiches and paninis.
To teach kids more about healthy eating habits, FeedNC provides lunches and hosts summer camps that expose kids to foods they may not have heard of before.
“We try to get the kids to try something different every day, something they’ve never seen before,” Ingram said. “For example, we might put celery on a log with ants on it, put peanut butter on it, and then put raisins on top of that.”
FeedNC grows its own fruits and vegetables, in addition to donations from food truck partners like Food Lion, to educate kids about the origins of their food.
“They’re getting food that really nourishes their mind and their body, not just canned food or packaged food that will last forever,” Ingram said.
FeedNC aims to provide a community atmosphere where everyone is passionate about giving back.
“I love the fact that what we do brings people together on all levels,” Ingram says. “People come together to volunteer and give back because they believe in what they’re doing. We also get donors who give money they’ve worked hard to raise over years, and they’re happy to give to us because they see results.”
Another benefit is that it is a welcoming space regardless of economic status.
“When you come into our building, there’s no line,” Ingram said, “There’s no dimly lit room waiting for a meal. You feel like you’re walking into a beautiful, comfortable, hopeful space. So when you come here, no one knows who’s being helped, who’s a volunteer, who’s a staff member, who’s a community member.”
