Loaves & Fishes Blog

Faces of Hunger: “I Would Do Without Before My Kids Went Without”

Ida and her son Keith stood in front of a shelf filled with choices of canned fruit. She gently urged Keith to make the choice for their family. When he couldn’t decide, she pointed and said, “I know you really like that.” Smiling, he nodded and put the cans in their cart. ... read more

Fighting Hunger in Mecklenburg Co. where 1 in 5 Children Live in Poverty

Consider this: 130,000 people in Mecklenburg Co. live in poverty. 1 in 5 children in Mecklenburg Co. live in poverty. Last year, Loaves & Fishes provided a week's worth of groceries to 76,517 people, enough to fill Bank of America stadium. 46% of those were chil... read more

“There But For the Grace of God Go I” – 4 Tips for Raising Children Who Care

by Stefanie Groot “There but for the grace of God go I.” To many it’s merely an archaic truism.  Yet the saying resonates with children’s author Lois Brandt, because her father uttered the phrase when he encountered homeless people on the street and when he volunteere... read more

Behind Every Bag There Is A Story

It all happens so quickly. Your child is sick and you need to take a couple of days from work to be with her. It takes longer than expected and suddenly you’re out of sick days, finding yourself having to do without a paycheck or two. Medical bills and living expenses start to ... read more

Brianna, Joe and Nancy: Stories from a Loaves & Fishes Pantry

Fall always makes me think of hay bales, corn stacks and pumpkins.  Then my thoughts move on to Thanksgiving dinner, cornbread dressing and sweet potato pie.  I have been blessed that I never missed a meal due to lack of food. Money may have been tight when I was young, but I l... read more

It’s Hard to Focus When You’re Hungry

Katlyn Denise is 4-years-old. Recently, she came with her mom, Etta-Marie, to the Loaves & Fishes food pantry at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church to shop for food for their family.   Etta-Marie and her children became homeless after she lost her job. She current... read more