About a decade ago the term “food insecurity” became popular in Guilford County – referring to the fact that some areas of the county have little to no access to affordable, healthy food, and the county began addressing that problem through various efforts.
Those programs were ramped up during the pandemic – and the effort to battle food insecurity in Guilford County is now getting a $150,000 shot in the arm from the Weaver Foundation.
Last year, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners gave its approval to use federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) money to fund a program for the Guilford County Cooperative Extension “to ensure that there were others in the community who would come to the table to support food security work throughout the county.”
Federal money is currently serving the purpose, however, that funding will end by 2026 and the county is seeking alternative funds to keep the program intact.
This $150,000 from the Weaver Foundation is the beginning of the fruits of those efforts. Cooperative Extension staff are currently seeking other community partners that will support the county’s food security work.
The only restriction on the funding from the Weaver Foundation is that it is to be used for food security efforts. There’s no specified date by which the Weaver Foundation money needs to be spent.
According to information recently presented to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, the Cooperative Extension is making solid progress in its efforts to battle food insecurity across the county.
“The department hired a Food Security Coordinator, and that staff member is working alongside the County Extension Director to develop the food security program,” that information reads. “The primary goals of the program are to (1) build opportunities for increased collaboration amongst new and existing community partners; (2) develop a system for sharing data to allow both the county and community partners to make data-driven decisions; and (3) to develop a food security plan for Guilford County…. Measurable progress in food security work to date includes hiring the Food Security Coordinator, posting the Food Security Program Assistant position, and approval of an AmeriCorps VISTA program.”
The Cooperative Extension has also implemented a grant-writing training program for 16 food security partners and is now working with the county’s MWBE Department as well as others to connect minority farmers with area churches – a plan meant to create both new markets and economic opportunities for local farmers.
One county partner – the Greater High Point Food Alliance – has expanded its food-finder application from being a High Point-focused app to being one that’s now county-wide.
The Cooperative Extension has also joined with FuseCorps – a non-profit that partners with local governments and communities to “accelerate systems change and reduce racial disparities.”
Community meetings are planned for later this year as the Cooperative Extension begins to beef up its food security efforts to address current gaps in the county’s programs.
“Food Insecurity” is just another ultra-liberal fantasy, akin to “diversity and inclusion” and many other liberal ideas. Translated, it means that no grocery retailer will locate in that particular neighborhood due to a variety of negative reasons, the primary ones being inability to make a profit and crime! It’s just another means of wasting the taxpayer’s money.
Years ago I remember a WFMY Channel 2 reporter covering the closure of the old Winn-Dixie store on Phillips Avenue in N.E. Greensboro.
He mentioned quite innocently that Winn-Dixie cited excessive theft and bad checks as the reasons for closing the store. He must have been canned the same day – I never saw him again!
His crime was that he reported the truth.
When you are grocery shopping, take a look at the “healthy food” in their carts. Govt handouts go to whatever people want, not what the govt sez they are supposed to get.
Another thing, this propaganda about the decline of “food” inflation, or just plain inflation, is nothing more than the BIG LIE. Anyone who buys their own food, or choses to dine out, knows the truth. Gasoline, cars, houses, clothing; you name it, continue to zoom.
In some cases, businesses raise prices and say it is “due to inflation”. Look at the prices for cookies, crackers, bread, etc. Look at any commodity chart. The price of wheat is down 21% in the last 12 mo. Some companies, like P&G, have “pricing power”, and have successfully continued to raise prices – from Tide to Gillette, etc.
HERE’S A NOTION : While local government and State coffers are awash with money, and IF they’re really concerned about poor families being able to feed their kids, WHY DON”T THEY REPEAL THE TAX ON GROCERIES..???
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Only a dozen or so states tax food – because it is so hurtful to low income people.
So repeal the damn “temporary tax” imposed by “Food Tax Terry ” (D) in 1961.
Really!
62 Years is long enough for a temporary tax.
Damn straight… and the food tax which was originally for “The Schools” ended up as a democrat slush fund for pet projects.
All monies extorted by government are their slush funds, and they’ll spend them however they wish.
The pretext they sell us is merely to generate support for their incessant money grabs – (and weak-minded people buy it every time).
With the veto-proof majority the Republicans have in the NC Legislature; they can certainly repeal the sales tax on food. Give them a holler and see what happens. I will.
Thanks, Miller.
I have emailed Mark Robinson’s office suggesting that Food Tax repeal would be a winning issue to run on, as he runs for Governor. His staff member thought it was a good idea, and said she’d share the proposal with Mr Robinson. I haven’t heard anything since.
The more pressure we apply, the more likely repeal becomes!
“Give me a fish and I’ll eat today, teach me to fish and I’ll eat for a lifetime’
“Drop that fish!”
Lol….serious issue but what company with a thimble full of brains would invest in an area that has more negatives than positives. If you don’t understand, check out the liberal news readers when they show companies pulling out of San Francisco. DUH.
Another liberal lie. No such thing as food insecurity. There are food lions everywhere in every city and county.must have paid weaver construction too much money building moldy schools. Weaver foundation is a joke.