NourishNC (NNC) is widely recognized for serving the 1 in 4 children in New Hanover County who struggle with hunger. The Backpack Program provides 1,000 + New Hanover County children with nutritious food over weekends and all school breaks and the Pantry Pals Program stocks emergency food pantries in schools and at other nonprofits that serve high-need children. The Farmer’s MarKID takes fresh fruits and vegetables to wherever kids are in need.
WIN funding will support the launch of two new programs that reach out to address food insecurity for even younger children.
The Food Farmacy & Toddler Tummies Programs will utilize the same labor, food, volunteers, and project materials, decreasing costs and streamlining production and distribution of food boxes that are free for families. Funds from the WIN grant will be used to purchase food and materials.
The Food Farmacy Program is designed to
- introduce food insecurity screening into the daily work flow of pediatricians and healthcare providers at the Nunnelee Pediatric Clinics;
- address malnutrition, hunger and child food insecurity at medical visits with an immediate box of food and a prescription for additional food to be picked up at NourishNC.
Toddler Tummies will
- deliver high quality food to low income children right in their homes
- strengthen trust and reliance on Child First workers from Coastal Horizons and Parents as Teachers from Smart Start who work in the home with families of children under 3 who are suffering from behavioral problems or developmental delays
The Food Farmacy and Toddler Tummies Programs are a strategic part of NourishNC’s larger vision to be “anywhere and everywhere” food insecure children need us in New Hanover county. With these two new programs, NourishNC can now target and serve approximately 800 under-resourced kids right in their homes and doctor’s offices. With a very small staff (3) NourishNC achieves a wide impact through the use of carefully cultivated partnerships, a large and loyal group of volunteers.