Summer program offers free lunches to children in Rocky Mount as families face inflation

With rising prices driving up everyday costs across the board, some families say the program couldn’t have come at a better time.

A collaboration between the city of Rocky Mount, the food bank of Eastern North Carolina, and the Down East Partnership for Children, the summer food program has been offered for three of the past four years.

From 11 AM to 1 PM Monday through Friday, any child under the age of 18 can grab a free lunch thanks to the federally funded offering.

“We know with the kids being out of school they’re not getting food, and a lot of kids that’s down there in the community center are always telling us they’re hungry and they need food,” community organizer Moe Deloach said. “So it’s something that we decided to do.”

In the wake of inflation in the cost of household supplies, some families told WRAL News the program arrived at a critical moment.

“It’s very much needed, especially the type of situation we’ve been having in the city,” Justin Cantres said.

Cantres ventured out to the community center as soon as he heard about the offering, looking to feed his one-year-old daughter.

He said cutting the cost of even one meal a day could be a difference maker right now.

“I honestly feel like that’s something that everybody feels lately,” Cantres said. “Rising gas prices, the economy, the rent. It’s hard for everybody.”

There was already need before the economy came into play.

A study from Feeding America found as of 2021, 1 in 6 households were facing food insecurity in Edgecombe County, with a rate of more than 13% in Nash County.

Giving out an average of 25 meals a day, advocates said at the moment, they couldn’t feed everyone in need, but they would help everyone they could.

“I think the 25 will grow to 55, you know, it’s just about the word of mouth,” Deloach said. “Once the word gets out that we’re doing that, I think it’ll grow in numbers, most definitely.”

The summer lunch program will run at the South Rocky Mount gym until August 12.