Amid USDA cuts, NC agencies collaborate to ensure children have access to healthy food
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hunger is a problem that officials say one in every five children deals with in North Carolina.
On Tuesday, the 14th annual NC Child Hunger Leaders Conference took place in Chapel Hill. Governor Josh Stein was the keynote speaker, and there was a special performance from Tosco Music.
The conference's big focus is to ensure North Carolina kids have healthy food to eat at both school and home. This includes celebrating programs like school meals, summer feeding programs, and a new program called meals to go where meals in rural communities can be delivered.
Many of the food programs are administered through the USDA, which is facing cuts.
Nearly 70% of students in North Carolina public schools qualify for free and reduced lunch, which conference organizers say is up from years past.
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Despite the uncertainties, they say they will continue to push forward for the children who need help and celebrate those doing the work.
"We can't control what happens to these federal programs," Tamara Baker with the Carolina Hunger Initiative said, "but we will be very clear about talking about how important the programs are and and how critical it is that they continue."
The conference is hosted by Carolina Hunger Initiative, which is part of the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. This initiative is working in collaboration with No Kid Hungry North Carolina.
