Hunger in Western North Carolina

Have you ever wondered where your next meal will come from? Unfortunately, hundreds of our neighbors right here in Jackson County struggle with hunger. Too often they face impossible choices between food or heat, food or rent, food or medications. For some food insecurity is temporary, for others it is a lifelong burden.

Here in Jackson County:

  • In 2021, one quarter (25%) of Jackson County residents ran out of food at least once and/or worried about running out of food in the past year. This is an increase since 2018 (19%) and Jackson County’s rate is the highest of all WNC counties.
  • In 2024 The Community Table served 16692 meals and distributed 5776 boxes of groceries to Jackson County residents.
  • Last year we served an average of 96 meals each day, and we distributed over a quarter of a million pounds of food.
  • 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children in WNC are food insecure.
  • 37% of children in WNC are food insecure.
  • 17% of people in Jackson County have limited access to healthy food and $14% are consider chronically food insecure.
  • 26.1% of children in our county are food insecure. 59% receive free or reduced lunches at school.
  • Jackson County Community Health Assessment 2018

The Community Table Annual Report for 2023

Want to know more about the goals and accomplishments of the Table last Year?
Check out the 2023 Annual Report.

The Community Table Survey Results 2016

Who is a typical Community Table client? Click here for a recent Demographics Report.

Sources:

Aging In Place

Aging In Place connects seniors, families, and caretakers with the information and professional support they need to make the best decisions for their physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.

Systematic World-Wide Hunger Facts

Freedom Farmers: Black Agricultural Resistance
and Creating Sustainable Communities