September is National Hunger Action Month. This month we are highlighting organizations in Orange County that are taking action to feed people, empower communities, and solve food insecurity. Our seventh story highlights Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, located in Carrboro.

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IFC’s mission is to confront the causes and respond to the effects of poverty in the community. IFC envisions a community that meets everyone's basic needs, including dignified and affordable housing, an abundance of healthy food, and meaningful social connection. Employing values of Mutual Respect, Social Justice, Community Power, Self-Determination, and Integrity, IFC carries out its mission through direct services as well as programs to address the root causes of poverty.

IFC provides food access to households through two programs:

• The Community Kitchen at IFC provides free, hot, and balanced meals daily to anyone who is hungry. It is the only standalone hot meal program in our county. Staffed primarily by volunteers and using donated ingredients, the Kitchen serves over 30,000 meals annually. This access to free meals helps local neighbors stretch their budgets and maintain housing. The Kitchen serves lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, and lunch on weekends and holidays.

• The Community Market at IFC offers fresh produce, pantry, and hygiene items. Open Monday through Friday, it serves anyone who lives in Chapel Hill or Carrboro. Shoppers, assisted by volunteers (including Spanish speakers), can make an appointment to select items that fit their tastes, cultural traditions, or dietary needs.

In Orange County, where 52% of households are "cost-burdened" by housing expenses, IFC's food programs provide critical support to those most impacted by poverty and food insecurity. While the county is among the state's wealthiest, the people IFC serves represent the 13% poverty rate and 12% food insecurity rate.  All IFC members live below the federal poverty line, and IFC has noted that people of color are disproportionately affected. Although people of color make up just 20% of the county's population, they account for over 70% of IFC's members. This includes 65% who are Black and 10% who identify as Latinx.

The number of meals served in the Community Kitchen has increased 72% since 2022, rising steadily each year. Community Market shopping visits have increased 24% since 2020. This fiscal year, IFC expects a similar level of need, if not more.