December 27th 2023.
This December, a number of Black faith leaders and farmers joined forces to bring fresh, locally-grown produce to underserved communities in the Triad area of North Carolina. Their aim was to provide more access to nutritious food options for those struggling with food insecurity during the holiday season.
The Triad Black Faith Leaders and the Black Farmers Network partnered with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Guilford County Center to make this effort possible. Farmer Charles Lucas, a Vietnam veteran, supplied more than 150 boxes of North Carolina-grown produce to be given out at community centers and schools between December 13 and December 20.
“Every town has a food desert, and we need to supply them with fresh vegetables,” Lucas said. He expressed how fulfilling it was to be able to provide such an essential need to his community. “It’s such a good feeling to be able to do that for people,” he added.
The faith leaders and farmers collaborated to ensure disadvantaged communities could obtain healthy food without worrying about the cost. “Today was an awesome opportunity to support our community and for people who need food and healthy food options for the holidays,” remarked Rev. Phanta Lansden, St. James Presbyterian Church pastor. “We’re excited to be in our community and make a huge difference,” Lansden said.
The state Department of Health and Human Services estimates that around 10% of North Carolina’s population struggles with food insecurity, and this effort was a way to address this need during the holiday season. Lucas expressed how rewarding it was to help in such a way, “It’s such a good feeling to be able to do that for people,” he said.
In order to provide more assistance to those in need, Guilford County in North Carolina has a webpage and Food Finder app to help people access food resources nearby.
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