Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

WE FEED OUR NEIGHBORS, TEACH SELF-SUFFICIENCY, GROW HEALTHY FOODS, AND CULTIVATE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO END HUNGER.

INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE'S FOOD RECOVERY AND DISTRIBUTION DIVISION ADDRESSES FOOD INSECURITY AND FOOD WASTE BY COLLECTING PERISHABLE AND SHELF-STABLE FOOD FROM DONORS. DISTRIBUTION OCCURRED THROUGH A VARIEY OF METHODS AND VENUES, INCLUDING 45 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, 73 BACKPACK BUDDIES SCHOOL SITES, 27 MOBILE MARKET LOCATIONS, 30 SCHOOL PANTRIES, AND 29 GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS SITES ACCROSS A 7-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 SAW THE ADDED STRAIN OF FOOD AND FUEL INFLATION, IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASED COSTS CAUSED BY SUPPLY CHAIN DELAYS. THE FOOD SHUTTLE DISTRIBUTED 9,031,866 POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH THE YEAR, 37% OF WHICH WAS FRESH PRODUCE.THROUGH OUR PANTRY, SHELTER, AND SOUP KITCHEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS WE SERVED 667,313 PEOPLE IN FY 2021-22. MOBILE MARKETS CONTINUE TO BE A PRIMARY LOCATION TO MEET PEOPLE AT THEIR POINT OF NEED, SERVING OVER 15,000 PEOPLE MONTHLY (COMPARED TO JUST 6,000 PRIOR TO COVID-19). OUR CULINARY PROGRAM PROVIDED 34,261 FRESH MEALS IN INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SIZES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS. ADDING TO THIS WAS OUR SPINNING PLATE FOOD TRUCK, WHICH PROVIDED 1,275 FRESH, HOT MEALS DIRECTLY INTO THE HARDEST-HIT COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR SERVICE AREA: WAKE, DURHAM, NASH, EDGECOMBE, JOHNSTON, CHATHAM, AND ORANGE COUNTIES. IN ADDITION TO EMERGENCY RELIEF, NEIGHBORS WERE ALSO SERVED BY OUR REGULAR FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING: 19,093 GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS DELIVERED TO OLDER ADULTS AT RISK OF HUNGER; 72,766 BACKPACK BUDDIES DISTRIBUTED TO 2,486 UNIQUE CHILDREN; 8,713 FAMILIES ACCESSING 101,811 POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH SCHOOL PANTRIES.

NUTRITION EDUCATION PROVIDES ADULTS, FAMILIES, AND CHILDREN WITH EMPOWERING TRAINING AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO PREPARE AND BUDGET FOR HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE MEALS & SNACKS. IN FY 2021-22 WE PROVIDED 1,910 HOURS OF NUTRITION EDUCATION TRAINING TO 758 CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS: WEB SESSIONS, TELECONFERENCES, AND IN-PERSON AT COMMUNITY PARTNER KITCHENS OR USING OUR "CHARLIE CART" MOBILE KITCHEN. WE ALSO DISTRIBUTED 72,922 PRINTED NUTRITION EDUCATION RESOURCES ACROSS OUR DIVERSE ARRAY OF FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS.

OUR LEARNING GARDENS PROMOTE FOOD EQUITY, LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, AND KNOWLEDGE OF SUSTAINABLE GROWING METHODS, PROVIDING COMMUNITY GARDENING SPACE AND INSTRUCTION AT TWO GARDEN SITES IN RALEIGH AND DURHAM. THE GARDENS FOR EVERYONE PROGRAM PROMOTES FOOD INDEPENDENCE AND HEALTHY ACTIVITY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. IN FY 2021-22, 24 INDIVIDUALS UTILIZED OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS TO GROW FRESH PRODUCE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS, AND 30 GARDEN BOXES AND 2,044 GROW KITS WERE PROVIDED IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. AGRICULTURE EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED TO 52 ADULTS AND 1,131 YOUTH, WITH A RETURN TO MORE ON SITE CLASSES. OUR PRODUCTION FARM SUPPLIED 73,983 POUNDS OF PRODUCE THROUGH OUR FARM STAND, MOBILE MARKET DISTRIBUTIONS, GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS, AND FRESHLY PREPARED MEALS PROVIDED BY OUR CULINARY PROGRAMS AND SPINNING PLATE FOOD TRUCK.