Food Insecurity

How republicans have worsened the lives of the food insecure in Chatham County

As this article is being written, the SNAP benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps, is threatened.  The reconciliation bill cuts these benefits, the courts have ordered them reinstated using emergency funding, readily available and the administration is delaying compliance.  If this program is not funded, food insecurity nationwide will be made much worse.

The republicans have total control of the US congress and of course, the presidency. They have been in control for just about 10 months and have done many truly awful things mostly by executive action and often by the president simply exceeding his constitutional authority with the total support and acquiescence of a servile congress, which has ceded its oversight and “equal branch” position to the president.

The one major piece of legislation they have passed is the reconciliation bill, which is wildly unpopular with the American public because it facilitates the largest transfer of wealth from lower and middle income families to the richest Americans in our history. Healthcare premiums through the ACA are being doubled or worse, which will cause many millions of Americans to be forced to drop their coverage.  This article, however, focuses on food security which the republicans have made more severe with their legislation.

What does this wealth transfer look like?

Three people in the US have more wealth than the entire middle class and their taxes have just been cut with this bill.The top 0.1% will benefit by an average $290,000.Those earning under $18,000will see a decrease in their after tax, after transfer income.

Over 300 rural hospitals are at risk of closure, including 10 in North Carolina according to the Cecil G. Shepard Center for Health Services Research at UNC Chapel Hill.Over 11.8 million people are likely to lose their Medicaid coverage and millions of kids will lose coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  

One half of all NC births are funded by Medicaid and losing this coverage will severely impact food insecurity for young parents and their children.

Local Impact to the Chatham Food Insecure

Chatham OutReach Alliance, (CORA) is by far the largest food pantry in Chatham County, and the only one open 5 days a week.  The need in Chatham has grown so much that they have opened a second location in Siler City to complement their Pittsboro “main” location. According to Melissa Beard, CORA’s Executive Director, CORA has had a 42% increase in family visits since the Siler City location opened.

CORA provided 1.9 million meals last year serving nearly 13,000   individuals.Half of those were families with children, seniors or both.1,300 families turned to CORA last year for the first timeThe number of families who look to CORA has grown substantially over the last few years.

What is Lost

As it looks now, CORA is losing:

• $265,000 or about 70% of their funding via The Emergency Assistance Food Program (TFAP). Last year CORA received approx 16,000 pounds monthly from TFAP; it’s now about 3,000 pounds.

• $48,000 from the Local Food Purchase Program grant.The Commodity Supplemental Food Program funding (CSFP), which  supplies 40 pounds of supplemental food to our seniors monthly.

Nicholas and Maelein are a young couple living in Siler City. They shop at CORA as they attempt to to become financially more secure.  Maelein had a job at Dollar Tree and Nick worked for chicken farmers.  Their car broke down and they could not afford to get it fixed.  Their neighbor, Austin, has a car and they carpool together to come to CORA while they attempt to stabilize their lives.  Maelein has two broken teeth but they have no healthcare coverage and cannot afford a dentist.CORA is a  bridge for them, as it is for so many,while they work to get transportation and jobs.

How CORA Supplements Federal Money To Serve Chatham’s Food Insecure

So, you might ask, does CORA rely only on federal money to operate? No. 

These are some of the ways our community steps up:

• 2,093 households, businesses and foundations contribute to CORA. 

• The community donates more than 50% of the food CORA distributes to hungry families.

• Organizations sometimes have an immediate need to donate food they cannot use. Earlier this year the big golf tournament in Pinehurst donated hundreds of boxed lunches that weren’t used due to rain. A Ben & Jerry’s truck overturned and CORA received a truck load of slightly soft, but good ice cream - a rare and fun treat for our neighbors!

• There are currently 22 neighborhood Porch Programs in Chatham that support CORA.

• CORA has relationships with Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Lowe’s Foods, Walmart and Piggly Wiggly that donate quality food that doesn’t meet their internal standards or is soon to expire.

• CORA has 400+ unpaid volunteers to keep it in operation 5 days a week!

CORA could not function without the community support and without government programs.  The cuts to these programs will mean less food is distributed to our neighbors at a time when the need is growing and everyone is being squeezed by overall cuts to the safety net. Inflation, tariffs and other policies only exacerbate the problem.  Many of our neighbors are afraid to leave their homes to go to work due to immigration police, who have seen their budget increase to a staggering $150 billion, while the neediest and many of our children, disabled and elderly go hungry.

Why cut these benefits and allow the deficit to soar? Tax cuts heavily weighted to the wealthiest. Is this what we voted for?

You can help by volunteering and contributing money or food donations to CORA or other organizations you find worthy.

To volunteer, email volunteer@corafoodpantry.org or visit corafoodpantry.org to learn more!