Fighting Food Insecurity: 2021 Bright Spots

The YMCA of the Triangle operated three regional food hubs with county CARES Act funding to provide a network of 13 food hubs to provide boxed groceries, fresh and frozen meat, produce, eggs and canned goods twice a month to those in need.

Plus the Y created the “Big Bus Food Truck” program in partnership with the local school district, county government and nonprofits to deliver school meals to children across Wake County who were not in school due to the pandemic. The partnership helped keep school cafeteria staff working; they boxed seven days’ worth of prepared meals for each child. Then the Y buses distributed to 60 sites in the area.

“We met a mom that drove to meet the bus every week to ensure that her children had meals for the following week. Each box included breakfast and lunch for an entire week. Every week when we pulled up, she was there waiting for us to pick up the box for her daughter,” said Kim Keith, VP of Youth Development for the Triangle Y.