Rep. Adams announces initiative to combat
hunger, plans to participate in SNAP challenge
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
After a roundtable discussion on child hunger at
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North
Carolina, U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams (NC-12), a member
of the House Committee on Agriculture and the
Subcommittee on Nutrition, on Thursday, May 28,
announced the Adams Hunger Initiative.
The Adams Hunger Initiative will work to address
and combat food insecurity and hunger in North
Carolina's 12th District by bringing together stakehold
ers, promoting investments into local communities
through public and private partnerships, drafting bipar
tisan legislation and supporting critical food programs.
As the first action item of the Adams Hunger
Initiative, Adams sent a letter to the chairman of the
House Agriculture Committee, U.S, Rep. Mike
Conaway, requesting a field hearing in Greensboro to
explore hunger and food insecurity in the state's 12th
District.
Adams also announced on May 28 her plans to partio?
ipate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) Challenge, to better understand the circumstances
of those living on SNAP in the 12th District. The SNAP
Challenge encourages participants to experience what life
is like for millions of low-income Americans, many living
on the average daily allowance of only $4.15. People take
the challenge at various intervals, such as for a week, but
some participants last only a few days.
'litere are many factors contributing to the food crisis
^n North Carolina's 12th Congressional District," Adams
said. "The Adams Hunger Initiative is a step in the right
direction as we work to fully dedicate ourselves to
addressing this issue. I am hopeful that we can educate
members of Congress about the severity of this food crisis
in the 12th District and bring better investments to the
communities that need them most. I will remain an advo
cate in Congress for our critical food programs that are uti
lized by so many here at home."
Adams says a report released by the Food Research
and Action Center listed High Point and Greensboro as
first in the nation for food insecurity. Food insecurity
can be defined as having a poor nutritional diet and
lacking access to food. According to the latest Census
data, more than 27 percent of residents in North
Carolina's 12th District live below the poverty line, and
|> there is a 13.8 percent unemployment rate.
More than 65,000 households in North Carolina's
12th District receive SNAP benefits. These factors, as
well as funding cuts for area food banks and cuts to fed
erally funded programs like SNAP, influence food inse
curity, Adams said.
North Carolina's 12th Congressional District also
includes food deserts, which make it hard for residents
to access food. Food deserts are in areas with a poverty
rate of 20 percent or greater, aijd in rural areas, at least
one third of the population lives more than 10 miles from
a grocery store.
In March, Congress woman Adams, along with other
members of Congress, sent a letter to the House
Appropriations Committee requesting the committee pro
vide fiill funding for The Emergency Food Assistance
Program (TEFAP). This program provides food and fund
ing to help states and local food banks provide services to
supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including
the elderly, at no cost.
USDA
Supplementa
Nutrition
Assistance
Program
Putting Healthy Food
Within Reach
Second Harvest Food Bank, McDonald's
partner to help feed hungry children
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Second Harvest Food Bank of
Northwest North Carolina and
McDonald's restaurants in the Triad have
a goal to provide 25,000 Happy Meals to
local children this summer.
More than one in four (26.7 percent)
children in North Carolina struggle with
hunger. This number increases during the
summer months when children are out of
the school environment and have limited
access to programs such as U.S.
Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
National School Breakfast and Lunch
Programs.
If a child is not enrolled in a qualified
summer program that participates in the
USDA's Summer Food Service Program
(SFSP), the risk is high that these same
children may not be receiving regular
meals, or any meals, during the summer
months, resulting in food insecurity.
Second Harvest Food Bank works
year-round to coordinate food assistance
programs and develop partnerships with
community organizations that address
food insecurity needs.
"With school about to let out for sum
mer, Second Harvest Food Bank is square
ly focused on ensuring kids have the nutri
tious meals they need to stay healthy and
happy all summer long," said Clyde
Fitzgerald, executive director of Second
Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C.
"Partnerships like this one with Triad
McDonald's "Co-Op, which will provide
25,000 happy meals to kids in need, are
part of these concerted efforts. We thank
our McDonald's partners for helping to
focus attention on the significant problem
of childhood hunger and for making it
easy for area families to help kids in need
in our region."
The Triad McDonald's Co-Op (com
prised of 92 locally owned and operated
restaurant locations) recognizes the sum
mer meal gap and has reached out to
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest
North Carolina to help.
At the local level, each McDonald's
restaurant location across the Triad is par
ticipating in a Buy One Give One Happy
Meal Campaign, aimed at empowering
families in the area communities to give
back to others and help bridge the summer
meal gap, providing healthy food options
to children in the area.
"Throughout the Triad, thousands of
local children are food insecure and,
because of our reach in the area, we are in
a unique position to help address the food
needs of our communities this summer,"
said Triad McDonald's Owner/Operator
Johnny Tart. "We are thankful for the
work of Second Harvest Food Bank of
Northwest North Carolina and their efforts
for providing food for those who need it
most."
The Buy One Give One Happy Meal
Campaign .will take place each Monday
during the month of June. For each Happy
Meal purchased, a Happy Meal will, in
turn, be provided to a child in need.
Donated Happy Meals accrued during the
course of the Buy One Give One Happy
Meal Campaign will be distributed to chil
dren through coordination by Second
Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North
Carolina, in June through August, in the
following counties: Alamance, Caswell,
Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford,
Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham,
Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin.
Each Happy Meal consists of an entree
choice of Chicken McNuggets ?, a
Cheeseburger or a Hamburger and a toy.
Each meal is also customizable with two
side items: a child size fry, apple slices,
other seasonal fruit options (when avail
able), or Yoplait Go-GURT ? Low-Fat
Strawberry Yogurt and fat-free chocolate
milk, low-fat white milk or apple juice.
Friday/ Jane 5
Garter ? 7 p.m. ? Garter High School
Glenn ? 7 p.m. ? Glenn Stadium
Saturday/ June 6 .
||g John F Kennedy ? 8:30 a.m. ? Wait Chapel, Wake Forest Univ.
North Forsyth ? 9 a.m. ? Nifong-Crajford Stadium
Reagan ? 9 a.m. ? UVM Coliseum
Carver ? 10:30 a.m. ? WS Fairgrounds Annex
East Forsyth ? Noon ? UVM Coliseum
Parkland ? 1:30 p.m. ? WS Fairgrounds Annex
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Mount Tabor ? 3 p.m. ? UVM Coliseum
Alkins ? 4:30 p.m. ? WS Fairgrounds Annex
West Forsyth ? 5:45 p.m. ? UVM Coliseum
Walkertown *7:30 p.m. ? WS Fairgrounds Annex
Reynolds ? 8:30 p.m. ? UVM Coliseum
Sunday, June 7
LWinslon-Salem Preparatory Academy ? 3 p.m. ? K. R. Willioms
Auditorium
Congratulations to the senior classes of Early College of Forsyth and Forsyth
Middle College, which graduated in May.