By Eric A. Aft, Chief Executive Officer
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC

At Second Harvest Food Bank, we see trends before they hit the headlines. We hear it in the voices of parents calling for the first time, feeling anxious and unsure. We see it in email messages from our emergency food assistance network members and school social workers preparing for rising need. 

And we are feeling it again now, weeks into a federal shutdown and at a time when many families were already stretched thin.

Across Forsyth and the 17 other counties we serve, requests for food assistance have more than doubled since 2022. Families are struggling under the weight of the rising cost of living and rebuilding after Hurricane Helene. Now, delays and uncertainty around essential nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC are pushing many past the breaking point — including parents of newborns, older adults, and working families who have always managed to get by… until now.

For families with stable income and stocked pantries, shutdowns may feel abstract. But for many of our neighbors, even a short disruption in support can mean empty fridges, missed bills, impossible choices. One neighbor, a retired teaching assistant in her 70s, called recently — her voice trembling — sharing that she never imagined needing help. She simply couldn’t make rising grocery costs fit her fixed income any longer.

As a community, we have been here before. We know how to show up for one another. And we are already moving with urgency — increasing food purchases, supporting child and senior meal programs, and preparing to meet an expected surge in requests for help.

But we cannot do it alone.

Food banks are powerful connectors, but we are not a replacement for strong, stable public nutrition programs. When those programs stall, families feel it first — and community resources must stretch even further.

This moment calls for all of us.

If you are able, please stand with families in Northwest North Carolina. Visit SecondHarvestNWNC.org to:

• Give what you can — every dollar provides nourishing food through our network.
• Volunteer your time — sorting food or preparing meals makes a real difference.
• Organize a virtual food drive alongside your faith community, workplace, or civic group.
• Use your voice — call on leaders to protect nutrition programs and ensure stability for families.

When challenges arise, our community does what it always has: we show up, together. That spirit is our strength — and it’s how we will ensure every family has the food they need.

Need help? Want to get involved?
Visit SecondHarvestNWNC.org

Everyone deserves to eat. Everyone belongs at the table.
And together, we’ll make sure they do.