Study shows more families using food pantries

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Loaves and Fishes and Movement Mortgage helped deliver 500 turkeys to the charity's food pantries Wednesday.

The turkeys will go to help families for next week's Thanksgiving Day meal, but organizers said the need for food is growing year-round.

There are 33 full-service food pantries in Mecklenburg County that help provide a week's worth of groceries to struggling families.

Talisha Haean, who picked up food for her five children Wednesday, said she visits the Dilworth location because the lines are shorter than the West Boulevard spot.

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"There's another Loaves and Fishes on West Boulevard, I think,” she said. “I like coming here. You can get in and out.”

A study found 76,000 people used Loaves and Fishes pantries in 2017, which is an increase of 13 percent from 2016.

The study showed families in west Charlotte use them more than any other community.

From 2016 to 2017, the study found the need increased in northwest Charlotte, and west and east Mecklenburg.

Tina Postel, executive director of Loaves and Fishes, said the increase is due to several barriers.

"Affordable housing, transportation, food desert and they are just not able to afford groceries on a consistent basis,” Postel said. “That's why we've been opening new pantries in those areas of need."

Postel said Loaves and Fishes plans to do even more than that.

"We have a significant number of clients that we are serving that are battling diabetes, so you can't give them a box of mac and cheese and have their problems be solved," Postel said.

Local hospitals and health partners are making it possible for people in need to get access to healthy food.

Next month, a first-of-its-kind food pantry will open at Atrium's Biddle Point in west Charlotte.

There are also plans to add two mobile units next year.

Haean said any bit of outreach will help.

"I just thank God. This has helped me out a lot me and my children," she said.