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 VARIETY OF METHODS AND VENUES, INCLUDING 51 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, 67 BACKPACK BUDDIES SCHOOL SITES, 23 MOBILE MARKET LOCATIONS, 34 SCHOOL PANTRIES (AN ADDITIONAL 5 SCHOOLS RECEIVE GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS TO PURCHASE HEALTHY SNACKS FOR CHILDREN TO CONSUME WHILE AT SCHOOL), AND 28GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS SITES ACROSS A 7-COUNTY SERVICE AREA (AN ADDITIONAL 12 SITES RECEIVE GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS IN LIEU OF FOOD.) FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 SAW THE ADDED STRAIN OF FOOD AND FUEL INFLATION, IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASED COSTS CAUSED BY SUPPLY CHAIN DELAYS. THE FOOD SHUTTLE DISTRIBUTED 10,128,655 POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH THE YEAR, 39% OF WHICH WAS FRESH PRODUCE. THROUGH OUR PANTRY, SHELTER, AND SOUP KITCHEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS WE SERVED 944,173 PEOPLE IN FY 2022-23. MOBILE MARKETS CONTINUE TO BE A PRIMARY LOCATION TO MEET PEOPLE AT THEIR POINT OF NEED, SERVING OVER 17,000 PEOPLE MONTHLY (COMPARED TO JUST 6,000 PRIOR TO COVID-19). OUR CULINARY PROGRAM PROVIDED 51,658 FRESH MEALS IN INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SIZES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS. ADDING TO THIS WAS OUR SPINNING PLATE FOOD TRUCK, WHICH PROVIDED 18,773 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: 17,826 GROCERY BAGS FOR SENIORS DELIVERED TO OLDER ADULTS AT RISK OF HUNGER; 65,914 BACKPACK BUDDIES DISTRIBUTED TO 2,258 UNIQUE CHILDREN; 13,472 FAMILIES ACCESSING 178,508 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 2022-23 WE PROVIDED 2,646 HOURS OF NUTRITION EDUCATION TRAINING TO 1,137 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 62,642 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 2022-23, 41 INDIVIDUALS ADOPTED OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS THAT GROW FRESH PRODUCE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND/OR NEIGHBORS, AND 147 GARDEN BOXES AND 630 GROW KITS WERE PROVIDED IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. AGRICULTURE EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED TO 276 ADULTS AND 849 YOUTH, WITH A RETURN TO MORE ON-SITE CLASSES. OUR PRODUCTION FARM SUPPLIED 26,617 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.