In a recent show of support for tackling food insecurity, Governor Josh Stein made a stop at MANNA FoodBank in Asheville where he engaged in volunteer work and presented a significant donation to aid those facing hunger. Stein brought a $585,000 check from the State of North Carolina, part of his larger initiative to increase both public and private donations to food banks across the state. The gesture comes at a crucial time, especially considering the recent complications arising from the government shutdown, which stalled North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) from distributing full food benefits.
Thanks to new guidelines from the USDA, NCDHHS will now be able to load full benefits onto recipients’ EBT cards as of tomorrow morning. “MANNA FoodBank has remained committed to its mission of feeding North Carolinians, both after the Hurricane Helene destroyed their facility and while the federal administration paused SNAP payments,” Gov. Stein stated. He also added that North Carolina is doing its part and that it’s time for the federal government “to do the same.” This sentiment was stressed in a statement obtained by the official press release from the Office of the Governor.
MANNA FoodBank’s CEO, Claire Neal, echoed the Governor’s concerns and thanked him for the state’s partnership. “We are deeply grateful for Governor Stein and the State of North Carolina’s continued partnership and investment in keeping our neighbors nourished during this challenging time,” Neal told the Office of the Governor. Her organization holds firm to the belief that everyone, including families, veterans, and children, deserves access to healthy food and she reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that communities in western North Carolina do not have to worry about their next meal…