Raleigh residents are stepping in to address โขfood insecurity as delays โคand technicalโฃ issues plagueโข the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) โขbenefits distribution in north Carolina. โCommunity-led efforts,โ beginning with a single donation bin, are providingโฃ immediate reliefโค to individualsโค awaiting their benefits.
Roughly โone in four North Carolinians-over โค1.6โฃ million people-qualify for SNAP assistance annually, making the current disruptions especially impactful. While the North Carolina Department of Health and โHuman Services (NCDHHS) works to resolveโค the โissues, neighbors are establishing informal food pantries at accessible locations like bus stops to bridgeโ the gap. The initiative began with Kendellโฃ Tuttle,who placed bins near a Glenwood Avenue bus stop servicing โWalmart and Burger โKing. The concept quickly โขgained traction, with similar “pop-up” operations emerging inโค Wrightsville Beach and Durham, and โคfurther locations appearingโข statewideโ as documented on โคsocial media.
“It can start with one โbin,” said Cooling, a โขvolunteer involved in the effort. “Any โlittle bit helps. โคYou don’t need a big system to make a difference.” Volunteers emphasize that these grassroots initiatives areโฃ not intended to replace SNAP, but to offer temporary supportโฃ during a period of uncertainty.”This shouldn’t fallโ on โneighbors,” Ballard, another volunteer, โขexplained. “But until the โbenefits come,โฃ and until people feelโ secure again,โค we’reโ here.Community is what fills the gap.” Ballard observed โฃa โคwoman immediately accessing the food bins after disembarking โfrom a bus,โข highlighting the immediate need.
NCDHHS is directing individuals facing immediate food insecurity to dial 2-1-1 โto connect with local resources. the 211 website (nc211.org) allows โขusers to โฃsearch for assistance-including food,โฃ shelter,โฃ and healthcare-by โฃspecifying โtheir location. Local food banks also โremain โฃa vital resource for โฃthoseโข inโค need.