MANNA FoodBank promotes Hunger Action Month
September 7, 2016
Feeding America® Network Food Banks across the Country
Promote Hunger Action MonthTM
This September, MANNA FoodBank, together with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks, will mobilize across all 50 states in an effort to bring an end to hunger. Hunger Action Month is designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of the fact that 48 million Americans, including 15 million children, are food insecure, according to the USDA.
In Western North Carolina, more than 107,000 people struggle with hunger and may not know where they’ll find their next meal. In Buncombe County, 1 in 6 people, and 1 in 4 children are affected by hunger.
September marks the ninth year the Feeding America network of food banks has organized this annual call to action in the Hunger Action Month movement. This year the campaign will focus on the strong connections between hunger and health.
The Hunger Action Month 2016 campaign asks people to consider how it must feel to live with an empty stomach, which puts a healthy life and a promising future at risk.
“Families facing hunger are especially vulnerable to health problems,” says Hannah Randall, CEO of MANNA FoodBank. “Children, especially, are at risk for increased health issues if they have experienced hunger in their early development. Our focus at MANNA has been on sourcing and distributing healthy foods across WNC to help provide families with the nutrition they need to live a healthy life and thrive. We could not do the work we do without our partners in Buncombe County. They are the front line in our fight to end hunger here in Western North Carolina.”
According to the Feeding America study, Hunger in America 2014, nearly half of households served by the Feeding America network include someone that is in either fair or poor health.
“I’ve spent many days on the road this past year, visiting food banks, food pantries, and meal programs and meeting people who are facing hunger,” said Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America. “I’ve seen firsthand the anguish that food insecurity and hunger can cause. It is always heartbreaking to meet a mother or father who fears that they will not be able to feed their children. They know that their children cannot reach their full potential if they don’t have enough to eat.”
Hunger Action Day®, the second Thursday in September, is a day where efforts across the country are focused for greater impact.
This year, on September 8, MANNA FoodBank asks supporters to share what they couldn’t do without adequate nutrition by writing on an empty plate, “On an empty stomach I can’t ______,” and filling in the blank with something they couldn’t achieve without the nutrition we need to thrive. These photos can be posted to social media with #HungerActionMonth, @MANNAFoodBank and @FeedingAmerica to join the conversation.
In Buncombe County, these MANNA FoodBank network partners are working hard every day to alleviate hunger:
ASHEVILLE CITY PRESCHOOL
CARE PARTNERS – ADULT DAY CARE
NAZARENE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE
VERNER CENTER FOR EARLY LEARNING
HAYWOOD STREET RESPITE PROGRAM
BELOVED HOUSE HOSPITALITY
THE SALVATION ARMY OF ASHEVILLE
WESTERN CAROLINA RESCUE MINISTRIES
ABCCM – VETERANS RESTORATION QUARTERS
ABCCM – HOMINY VALLEY
ABCCM – NORTH BUNCOMBE SAMARITAN MINISTRIES
ABCCM – SOUTH MINISTRY
ARDEN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
AVERY’S CREEK UMC COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
BATTERY PARK APARTMENTS
BETHEL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
BEVERLY HILLS BAPTIST – FAMILY TO FAMILY
BIG IVY COMMUNITY CLUB
BILTMORE CHURCH OF CHRIST
BILTMORE CHURCH OF GOD – JUST A JESUS THOUGHT MINISTRY
BLUE RIDGE CHURCH OF CHRIST
BOUNTY AND SOUL FRESH MARKET
CAO – LIFE WORKS PROGRAM
CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE – FOOD PANTRY
CHILDREN FIRST – EMMA RESOURCE CTR
COUNCIL ON AGING OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY
CSN – HILLCREST
FAMILY OF FAITH FELLOWSHIP
FOOD FOR FAIRVIEW
FRANKLIN SCHOOL OF INNOVATION
GOSPEL TABERNACLE
INGRID’S FOOD PANTRY
LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER
LOVING FOOD RESOURCES
MEALS ON WHEELS
MEDIATION CENTER/FAMILY VISITATION PROG.
MOUNT SHEBA BAPTIST CHURCH
OAKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH
OPTIMIST SANTA PAL CLUB
PROVISION ASHEVILLE
RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH PANTRY
SNOW HILL UMC / ABUNDANT HARVEST
SOCIETY OF SAINT ANDREWS
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
SWANNANOA VALLEY CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
TRINITY OF FAIRVIEW FOOD PANTRY
VICTORY FELLOWSHIP WORSHIP CENTER
WOODRIDGE APARTMENTS PRODUCE MARKET
YMCA – HEALTHY LIVING PANTRY
ZEPHYR HILLS FREEWILL BAPTIST
IRENE WORTHAM CENTER, INC.
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES FOOD PANTRY
ABCCM – CRISIS MINISTRY
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH – HOMELESS OUTREACH
FOSTER SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
TABERNACLE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
BROTHER WOLF ANIMAL RESCUE
FULL MOON FARM, INC
HELPMATE, INC
ARC OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY
WOMEN AT RISK (HOMEWARD BOUND)
YWCA – NEW CHOICES
BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
DISABILILTY PARTNERS
JUST ECONOMICS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
NEXT STEP RECOVERY – GRAIL HOUSE
RHA/ARP – MARY BENSON HOUSE
ABCCM – STEADFAST HOUSE
ASHEVILLE RECOVERY GROUP
BLUE RIDGE AREA FOUNDATION
BMHFC – BLACK MOUNTAIN HOME FOR CHILDREN
BROOKS-HOWELL HOME
CFC – TRINITY PLACE
FIRST AT BLUE RIDGE – MEN’S
HOMEWARD BOUND
IRENE WORTHAM, RESIDENTIAL
LIBERTY CORNER – CLEARVIEW (#21)
MARF – CHILES AVENUE GROUP HOME
MARJORIE McCUNE CENTER
THE 11TH STEP HOUSE
WNCGH – MONTFORD GROUP HOME
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF WEAVERVILLE
HOMINY BAPTIST CHURCH – DAILY BREAD
BLACK MOUNTAIN OPEN TABLE
CHANNEL OF GRACE (FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UCC)
CONGREGATION BETH HA TEPHILA
EAST ASHEVILLE WELCOME TABLE
EMMANUEL LUTHERAN – SHELTER PROGRAM
GEORGETOWN MISSIONARY BAPTIST
HOMINY VALLEY WELCOME TABLE (ASBURY UMC)
LEICESTER COMMUNITY WELCOME TABLE
THE CHURCH OF THE ADVOCATE
THE DOWNTOWN WELCOME TABLE-HAYWOOD ST CONGREGATION
FREE COMMUNITY MEAL – MONTMORENCI UMC
GO-KITCHEN READY
AHA – HILLCREST ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
PARTNERS UNLIMITED
THE LEARNING CENTER
THE SALVATION ARMY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE – AFTERSCHOOL
“With the combined effort of Feeding America, the nationwide network of food banks and hunger advocates across the country, the goal of this campaign is to raise awareness about hunger and inspire Americans to get involved,” Aviv said. “The Feeding America network is leading the fight to end hunger in the U.S. We all have a role to play in getting food to our neighbors in need. Advocate. Educate. Volunteer. Donate.”
To learn more about MANNA FoodBank and other ways you can get involved in ending hunger in your community, please visit MANNAFoodBank.org.