Guilford County government, in conjunction with its community partners, is making a lot of moves to address hunger in the county and, this December, that’s more evident than ever.
The NC Cooperative Extension – Guilford County Center is working with local farmers and community organizations to provide – to families, seniors and people with disabilities – locally grown produce, locally raised beef and chicken and other food.
It’s part of the Cooperative Extension’s Food Security Program, which will help, assemble and distribute more than 570 food boxes throughout Guilford County during the month of December.
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said on Monday, Dec. 11 that the county is “working year-round” to make sure all residents have access to food. He called Guilford County “a resource-rich community” and added that the county’s Food Security Program is bringing high-quality food to people living on fixed and lower incomes in order “to ensure they also enjoy the food and fun of the holiday season.”
The program, which was established through the County’s Cooperative Extension Office – and which operates with a lot of help from the community – is using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to pay for many of the meals.
On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Cooperative Extension and Guilford Backpack Ministry hosted a food giveaway to families in Summerfield at Peace United Methodist Church. The ministry also provided gifts to children.
Pine Trough Farm and Broken Bones Farm provided the beef and chicken in the food boxes. The partners handed out approximately 120 boxes at the distribution event.
In Greensboro, the Cooperative Extension is partnering with the Triad Black Faith Leaders and Black Farmers Network, Lucas Farm Fresh, and St. James Presbyterian Church to give away food boxes to 400 families. Those boxes will be distributed to various households across Greensboro on Wednesday, Dec. 13 and Wednesday, Dec. 20.
In High Point, the Food Security Program will join Helping Hands High Point to assemble 50 “holiday boxes” for seniors and people with disabilities. The boxes will be filled with eggs and produce provided by Growing High Point, sweet holiday treats donated by Savor the Moment Bakery, and holiday cards made by children that visit the Carl Chavis Memorial Branch YMCA in High Point.
Cooperative Extension and Helping Hands staff will be packing up the holiday boxes on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 10:30 a.m. and they plan to deliver the food boxes on Friday, Dec. 15.
What happens when the govment $ run out? More Skippy taxes?
The only people who are genuinely at risk of not having enough food to eat are the kids. They can’t get a jon and buy some food. They are at the mercy of the competence, industry, and money management of their parents, or parent. They are the ones I worry about. The adults can look after themselves.
The panoply of government programs to try to make sure the kids get enough to eat consists of fatally flawed initiatives. It’s well known that EBT Benefits (Food Stamps) are routinely sold on the street by parents for cash, at 50 cents on the dollar, for example.
The commendable and unrecognized efforts of thousands of local churches actually do make a difference.
And If Democrats REALLY “cared”, as they incessantly claim, they would never have imposed sales tax on groceries, and they would be pressing to repeal the remaining tax on groceries. That would be a genuine help, especially for young working families.
This is an issue that ought to be taken up by any candidate for Governor.
Whoever makes it a plank in his platform will be the next occupant of the Governor’s Mansion.
Not to worry, the tax on food is just temporary. That’s what Terry Sanford told us in 1961, and since he was a democrat, it must be true.
It’s called “trust me”.
It would be easier for people to buy food, if it were less expensive to live. You can thank the socialists for that – they want you dependent on the government.
Yes, the Democrat Party promised that the Food Tax would be just a temporary measure to get the state out of one of the regular cash crises (which always happen when Democrats are in control). That was in 1961.
We are still paying tax on groceries.