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 children.

“Investing in our future begins with our kids. For a brighter future we must nourish the hearts, minds and bodies of our youth. That begins at the dinner table. How do you dream big on an empty stomach?” –Tina Postel, Loaves & Fishes Executive Director

From our Client Survey: 

53% will use the money they saved to pay rent

27% will use the money they saved to pay electric and/or gas bills

16% will use the money they saved to pay for medicine

Food Insecurity Our Clients Face:

93% worried whether their food would run out before they had money to buy more

89% have had food run out

70% ate less at a meal because there wasn’t enough money to buy food