Second Harvest Food Bank's partners work to address rural hunger
Two new programs launched to fight transportation issues in Watauga County
Two new programs launched to fight transportation issues in Watauga County
Two new programs launched to fight transportation issues in Watauga County
Two of Second Harvest Food Bank's partner agencies in Watauga County -- Hunger and Health Coalition, and Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina are taking different approaches to battling rural hunger in their communities with new initiatives.
About a year ago, Hunger and Health Coalition launched a home delivery service aimed at reaching people who have transportation issues and also designed to be an alternative for hungry, but COVID-19-weary residents.
"We have a lot of people that work in the service economy, for instance, the ski mountains and some of the resorts. So a lot of people are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. So we're here to help everybody out," says executive director Elizabeth Young, who estimates that about 30 percent of Watauga County residents lack reliable transportation.
The organization has roughly 100 clients and has done more than 1,000 home deliveries since launching. A significant amount of the food distributed is fresh produce, grown by area farmers.
"I have volunteered at some other food pantries and none of them have worked with local farms and I think that's what makes this really unique from all of them," says fresh market coordinator Alyssa Medina.
"Just this week we had one of our clients make a pie for one of our volunteers because she was just so grateful for her bringing food to her on a regular basis," says mobile delivery coordinator Candace Kelling-Salzler.
About 20 miles northwest of Hunger and Health Coalition's Boone headquarters sits Bethel School -- a kindergarten through 8th-grade public school in the town of Sugar Grove, just a few miles from the Tennessee border.
Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina chose Bethel School as the location for its new food locker program, where eligible local seniors and families at the small school can have access to frozen and refrigerated food in, what is otherwise a food desert.
Hospitality House executive director Tina Krause says it is one of the most remote and poverty-stricken areas of the county. Her organization is working collaboratively with the Hunger and Health Coalition on both new initiatives.
"As you notice, there's no labeling on it (the lockers). For now, that's kind of how we want it, so people can pull up and others don't really know what they're doing. It's very private," Krause says, adding, "we're keeping that dignity in place for people. Even though they have that need, we want to make sure we're meeting it in the best way possible."
Right now, there are 16 total lockers, which is enough for eight families to have a freezer and refrigerator designated specifically for them. This new program just launched and Hospitality House hopes to grow it in the months to come.
To make a safe, secure, tax-deductible donation to Second Harvest Food Bank, which helps support these programs and others, visit their website.