Food banks and pantries squeezed as more people need help

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dozens of people lined up for a box of food from Faith CME Church in Northeast Charlotte Wednesday.

“We’ve never seen this crowd all the way down to the next street, about 2 or 3 blocks,” Reverend Clifton Harris said.

The need grows as more people turn to food pantries to supplement lost and delayed SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.

“With this whole EBT being on this stop and the income being so low, we had to do what we got to do,” Leisha Acosta, Charlotte Resident said.

About 2 million people rely on food stamps in North and South Carolina, about half of them are children.

“Coming here and all that and not having to pay for food it’s helping us a lot and I’m just really thankful and it’s helping a lot of people,” 4th grader Isabella said.

Volunteers at the church pass out boxes of food that include meats, cereals, and more for one hour every Wednesday afternoon.

Faith CME is one of hundreds of partners across 24 counties that relies on Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina to help stock their pantry to stuff the boxes.

The organization plans to distribute 100,000 boxes in the next three weeks.

“We’re immediately putting boxes in the hands of those pantries so that when people present with a Snap card, they can immediately get a pretty healthy large food box right away,” Kay Carter CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina said. “A large portion of the boxes that we’re packing next week will be going to nourish up, which is our largest emergency pantry partner in Mecklenburg.”

Food partners say Second Harvest is an essential part of their operations.

“Second Harvest is a major contributor because they contribute the bulk of the meat, which we all know, protein is very expensive,” Roxy Barkley, Director of Food Ministry at Faith CME said.

Families typically need more help around the holidays and the uncertainty of SNAP benefits has people pinching pennies even more.

“They said we’re supposed to get them this month. I don’t know for sure. That’s why I come and picked out some stuff for my youngest daughter because I ain’t got no money for Christmas,” Lisa Rios, Charlotte Resident said.

The church plans to keep working for as long as it takes so families stay fed

“The government not doing its part, so we have to pick up and we have to fill in the gap,” Rev. Harris said.

Second Harvest is hosting a food drive on November 14th from 8-6pm at the main branch at 500-B Spratt Street, Charlotte, NC 28206.