Donations surpass 1.6 million meals during ABC11 Together Food Drive
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The ABC11 Together Food Drive has collected over 1.6 million meals to help those in need this holiday season.
As of 8 p.m., 1,671,897 meals were donated to help working families and older adults struggle to get nutritious food on their tables consistently. One in six people in North Carolina is food insecure, and one in four are children.
More than 560,000 kids, adults, and seniors in central and eastern North Carolina don't know where their next meal might come from, according to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC.
Their network of more than 700 pantries has seen record-high demand for food assistance, even higher than at the peak of the pandemic.
Donate to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
There are also significant disparities across ethnic groups when it comes to the amount of people who are dealing with hunger.
- 1 in 10 White households (10%)
- 1 in 4 Black households (26%)
- 1 in 5 Latino/a/e households (22%)
Donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank (Action Pathways)
Every year ABC11 sponsors the ABC11 Together Food Drive, which raises millions of meals for people who are food insecure.
RALEIGH
Shoppers continued to donate dozens of boxes at Food Lion in Raleigh during the ABC11 Together Food Drive.
ABC11 spoke with North Raleigh Ministries Director of Programs, Lesley Funk, who said the donations will help to those in need in the community and help to move those in crisis to a place of stability.
DURHAM
In Durham, the weather didn't stop community members from continuing to make dozens of donations.
FAYETTEVILLE
ABC11 spoke with Natasha Thompson who is a social worker at Alger B. Wilkins High School.
She said there is a big need for students at the school who are unhoused, unaccompanied and live in "food deserts".
ABC11's Akilah Davis speaks with Restoration Place Pastor Rick Barber on the ongoing need for families in the community.
