A Message from the YLD Legal Feeding Frenzy Committee in Honor of Hunger Action Month!

By Erin Ball and Michele Livingstone

September is Hunger Action Month. People all over the United States stand together with the Feeding America network to fight hunger. It’s a month to spread the word and take action — and, with your help, find a solution to end the hunger crisis.

North Carolina is the 10th hungriest state in the nation. To help our neighbors in need, the YLD’s Legal Feeding Frenzy (“LFF”) Committee partners each year with Feeding the Carolinas to host a month-long food- and fund-drive. This past March, our legal community was able to raise a record-breaking $151,000 or 600,000 pounds of food! With these resources, our local food banks were able to address unprecedented needs that resulted from layoffs, school closures, and other life crises caused by COVID-19. We look forward to kick-starting another record-breaking LFF in March 2021! However, with COVID-19 continuing to rage on, North Carolina has seen a 38% increase in demand at our food banks. Our neighbors and food banks need our help now.

Though many of us may not realize the grave disparities that exist in our own communities, people struggle with food insecurity all across our State. Hunger doesn’t discriminate. People of any color, ethnicity, age, or demographic background can experience food insecurity. They could be our neighbors, kids in our children’s classes, coworkers — the possibilities go on. However, data shows some groups are more vulnerable than others. For example, African American households are twice as likely to experience hunger as are white, non-Hispanic households. And children continue to be most at risk. One in every five kids in North Carolina struggles with hunger. Many of us, and many people in our networks, are fortunate enough to not be economically disadvantaged, even now. Too many North Carolinians cannot say the same. We owe it to them to take action.

Here’s how you can help:

1) Neighbor to Neighbor

2) Donate Funds

3) Volunteer

To keep everyone safe, the food banks have implemented extra health precautions, including limiting the amount of volunteers in any one space at a given time, providing personal protective equipment (and encouraging volunteers to bring their own), requiring frequent hand washing, and most importantly, keeping volunteers home if/when they’re feeling unwell.

For more information on how you can help, and links to donate and volunteer, click here.

Thank you all for your support and for helping us to spread the word! We can’t wait to make our next LFF the most successful one yet!