Despite living in a state that ranks in the top 10 for agriculture,1 many North Carolinians lack access to affordable and healthy food – a problem that became more pronounced during the pandemic.2 Food hubs aim to be part of the solution to food insecurity and to our inequitable food system overall. These nonprofit organizations work to get healthy food to people and ensure that local farmers are compensated fairly and can pay workers a fair wage. Within one year during the pandemic, seven North Carolina food hubs worked with approximately 270 farmers and 75 community organizations to move 700,000 pounds of food to people who needed it.3 With more resources, food hubs can do even more to bring about lasting change.
One of these food hubs, Working Landscapes in Warrenton, focuses on building a better quality of life in rural communities by distributing fresh food grown by local farmers and working for sustainability. During the pandemic, Working Landscapes expanded their services to preparing and providing fresh frozen meals to local seniors. Sourcing food locally, processing it to make it easier to serve, and transporting it to rural areas adds costs to Working Landscapes’ business model. However, this does not deter the organization and its commitment to provide exceptional food, reliable markets for local farmers and quality jobs for their employees.
Working Landscapes is a grantee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, which is proud to continue to support their work to serve our communities. Read more about Working Landscapes, North Carolina’s food hubs and the journey to a more equitable food system.
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