Hunger & Food Insecurity
This page is part of Activate Good’s collaborative online knowledge base about Triangle area issues that can be tackled by locals through volunteer action and more!
Hunger & Food Insecurity Quick Facts
- 34 million people, including 9 million children, face food insecurity across the United States.
- Around 13.5 million people live within a food desert, having low access to supermarkets or large grocery stores.
- Just under 590,000 households in North Carolina alone do not have enough food each day.
- More than 1.5 million North Carolina residents are facing food insecurity.
- Food programs such as food stamps and school lunches help around 53 million people in the US.
- Black and Hispanic families in the US are most likely to not have consistent access to healthy food options.
- The World hunger crisis affects nearly 10% of the world population.
- Due to COVID-19, many grocery stores and markets that helped underserved communities were closed down, raising the risk of food insecurity in households across the United States.
- 30-40% of the United States food supply is wasted every year.
Explore Articles
Check out some of our awesome Community Partners working in this cause area!
How You Can Help
Take action! Find a local volunteer opportunity related to hunger & food insecurity!
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more about this issue? Check out some of these books, articles, documentaries, podcasts, and more.
We’re a Bookshop affiliate! Explore even more suggested Triangle Cause Wiki Reads. If you find something you like and make a purchase through our Bookshop lists, Activate Good will receive a portion of the sale.
Articles
The Triangle Cause Wiki is always incomplete — there’s always new information out there, and the journey to share it is best completed together. Would you like to help us collect and share knowledge about this topic? Learn about contributing to the Triangle Cause Wiki.
Other Ways to Make an Impact
Volunteer
- Visit our website to sign up for volunteer opportunities that support efforts to end Hunger and Food Insecurity
- Check out current Learn and Serve opportunities here
Work
- Advocate for practices and policies at your place of work, like running an annual food drive
Listen & Learn
- Check out resources right on this page!
- Follow some of our food security-focused Community Partners and other organizations on social media to learn right from the source
Service
- Consider taking up a leadership position in the community and using your platform to advance the cause
Voice
- Talk about the issue with your friends and family
- Use your social media to share cause-related news and information
- Participate in public comment sessions and complete community surveys
- Find and sign a related petition using Change.org!
Donate
- Make a financial contribution to your local food bank
- Donate non-perishable items such as canned foods to a food bank near you
Purchase Power
- Consider shopping locally with businesses that give back
- Support a hunger-oriented nonprofit that offers services or runs a storefront
- Purchase from one of the B-Corps based in North Carolina
Vote
- Do your due diligence in researching candidates, platforms, and policies.
- Common Cause is a great tool for learning about your representatives and what they advocate!
- Mark your calendars for the next local election, and participate
Social Entrepreneur
- Have an innovative idea on how to address part of the issue? Develop a new initiative!
- Consider whether your company could become a benefit corporation or a certified B Corps
Read About Other Community Issues
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