Food Security
Increasing and improving healthy food environments and strengthening healthy food access.
As defined at the 1996 World Food Summit, food security is attained "when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life" (World Bank). Nearly 12 percent of Mecklenburg County’s households are considered food insecure, which means they have a reduced quality and variety of diet, may eat less, and have eating patterns that are disrupted due to lack of money and resources (Feeding America).
The goal of the Food Security programs is to increase and improve healthy food environments and improve economic and physical access to food. Limited access to healthy food can lead to poor diets, which can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Individuals earning low incomes are also more likely to be exposed to advertising for unhealthy food products. Even when access to food is improved, healthy foods tend to cost more.
Program Areas
Food Security Resources in Mecklenburg County
If you are in need of food, please use the list of resources below. These are a few examples of organizations in Mecklenburg County providing food assistance to those who need it. While this is not a comprehensive list of all food assistance programs in the county, they provide resources to additional food outlets across Mecklenburg County.
Resources for Partners
Staff have access to community health data sets, analytics, and visualizations created by Mecklenburg County Public Health Epidemiology Division; these can be provided to help inform decision making.
Staff have access to food security data by demographic factors through Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Food Nutrition Services local prevalence data on SNAP and Medicaid and Feeding America databases.
Staff can provide food and nutrition resources including cookbooks (English and Spanish), brochures (English and Spanish), water bottles, bags, and more.
Staff can share planting guides and agriculture resources both printed and digital. Please share what we can provide in collaboration with NC Cooperative Extension and Parks & Rec.
Staff can connect organizations to County administered nutrition programs including the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), and Senior Nutrition Programs.
Staff can provide access to NC Healthy Food Retail Designation resources, check lists, and research. Staff can assist partners in achieving the NC Healthy Food Retail Designation by providing guidance on adjusting offerings of small food retail venues.