Thanks to generous funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s longest-running hunger relief program is expanding into Tier 1 counties, to better serve our rural neighbors. Blue Cross NC’s $55,000 gift will support Grocery Bags for Seniors to broaden delivery into Nash and Edgecombe Counties, beginning in May 2023.
Traditionally, Grocery Bags for Seniors provides bags of carefully curated shelf-stable items and fresh produce, chosen to meet the nutritional needs of older adults. Up to 2,000 of these bags are packed and delivered each month to neighbors living in low-income senior communities in Wake County.
With the Blue Cross NC funding, the program has added an another option for those senior neighbors living in Nash and Edgecombe Counties. Participants in those counties have the choice of receiving the traditional bags of groceries and produce or they can receive a $30 grocery store gift card each month which will allow them to make their own choices related to their dietary needs and personal food preferences. In total, 248 seniors in Nash and Edgecombe counties are participating in the program. In addition to the nutrition education materials given to all participants, gift card recipients also receive a suggested shopping list to aid them as they make healthy food choices at the store.
“Efforts like these address critical needs for one of North Carolina’s most vulnerable populations,” said Cheryl Parquet, Director of Community Engagement and Marketing Activation, Blue Cross NC. “Working with partners like Inter-Faith Food Shuttle to increase access to healthy food helps improve health outcomes and well-being for seniors in Nash and Edgecombe counties.”