Food Bank Of The Albemarle

TO FIGHT HUNGER AND POVERTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

SINCE INCEPTION IN 1982, THE FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE HAS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 92.5 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD. THE FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE SERVES AS THE CENTRAL FOOD SOURCING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO MORE THAN 100 HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS OPERATING 155 PROGRAMS PROVIDING FOOD ASSISTANCE BENEFIT TO THE HUNGRY IN 15 COUNTIES THROUGHOUT NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. OUR REGION ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN 9,100 SQUARE MILES WITH MOST OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN RURAL UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS WITH HIGH FOOD INSECURITY. THEREFORE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE FOOD, WE DELIVER TO THE MOST REMOTE LOCATIONS EVERY MONTH. THE COUNTIES THE FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE SERVES ARE: BERTIE, BEAUFORT, CAMDEN, CHOWAN, CURRITUCK, DARE, GATES, HERTFORD, HYDE, MARTIN, NORTHAMPTON, PASQUOTANK, PERQUIMANS, TYRRELL, AND WASHINGTON COUNTY. THESE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ALSO HAVE DIVERSE NEEDS. THE COMMON ISSUE IS LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND STAGNANT WAGE GROWTH ARE PERVASIVE, RESULTING IN A GROWING NEED FOR FOOD FOR OVER 48,000 PEOPLE LIVING THROUGHOUT OUR REGION. IN NENC, 1 IN 6 PEOPLE AND 1 IN 4 CHILDREN LIVE WITH FOOD INSECURITY. FOOD DISTRIBUTION: IN RESPONSE TO A STAGGERING INCREASE IN THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, IN FY 20/21, FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE HAD A RECORD BREAKING YEAR DISTRIBUTING 4,688,668 POUNDS OF DONATED FOOD EQUIVILENT TO 3.9 MILLION MEALS VALUED AT 1.79 PER POUND EQUAL TO 8,392,716. THE VALUE IS DETERMINED ANNUALLY BY FEEDING AMERICA, THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF FOOD BANKS. THIS UNPRESIDENTED YEAR MARKED ALL TIME HIGHS IN FOOD DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS. WITH GROWING NUMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS TURNING TO FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE AND OUR HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS, FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE WORKED TO STRETCH EVERY AVAILABLE RESOURCE TO SOURCE MORE FOOD, AND EXPAND ACCESS FOR FAMILIES LIVING IN RURAL AREAS WHERE LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPORT. PANDEMIC: IN MARCH OF 2020, FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE'S DAILY OPERATIONS WERE IMPACTED AT EVERY LEVEL DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. AN INITIAL AND SUDDEN IMPACT TO FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS DRAMATICALLY AFFECTED THE AMOUNT OF DONATED FOOD THE FOOD BANK NORMALLY RECEIVES. AT THE SAME TIME, FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE AND OUR HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS SAW A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE NEEDING FOOD SUPPORT. THE PANDEMIC ALSO NECESSITATED A COMPLETE SHIFT IN OPERATIONS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, THE CLIENTS SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE, HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS, STAFF AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE RECOGNIZES THAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD IS ESSENTIAL TO THE OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL BEING AND WORKES DILIGENTLY TO SOURCE NUTRITIONALLY DENSE FOOD THAT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO OUR HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS. WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, LEAN PROTEINS AND WHOLE GRAINS. FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE PARTNERS WITH OVER 100 HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD, INCLUDING FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, MOBILE DISTRIBUTIONS, CHURCH MINISTRIES OFFERING EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR NENC RESIDENTS STRUGGLING WITH FOOD INSECURITY - INCLUDING CHILDREN, FAMILIES SENIORS, VETERANS, DISABLED PERSONS AND WORKING POOR.

USDA COMMODITY PROGRAM THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP) ADMINISTERED BY THE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED 2,307,279 POUNDS OF TEFAP FOOD TO MORE THAN 5,300 HOUSEHOLDS EACH MONTH IN 14 COUNTIES IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMPRISED OF BERTIE, BEAUFORT, CAMDEN, CHOWAN, CURRITUCK, DARE, GATES, HERTFORD, HYDE, MARTIN, PASQUOTANK, PERQUIMANS, AND TYRRELL COUNTIES. THE USDA COMMODITY PROGRAM - COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP) ADMINISTERED BY THE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED 1,235,433 POUNDS OF CSFP FOOD TO AN AVERAGE OF 2,880 SENIOR HOUSEHOLDS IN 14 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA COMPRISED OF BERTIE, BEAUFORT, CAMDEN, CHOWAN, CURRITUCK, GATES, HERTFORD, MARTIN, NORTHHAMPTON, PASQUOTANK, PERQUIMANS, TYRRELL AND WASHINGTON.

THE FOOD BANK OF THE ALBEMARLE PURCHASED 765,308 POUNDS OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD, EQUIVALENT TO 637,757 MEALS FOR FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND VETERANS THAT DEPEND ON THE 155 HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAMS PROVIDING FOOD ASSISTANCE.

ALL OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE REMAINING ALLOCATIONS AND PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES WERE INCURRED TO DISTRIBUTE DONATED AND PURCHASED FOOD AND SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE FOOD BANK AND FOOD PANTRY.