The Carolina Hunger Initiative is a project at the University of North Carolina working in collaboration with No Kid Hungry North Carolina, part of Share Our Strength’s national No Kid Hungry Campaign.

WHAT’S NEW

FREE, VIRTUAL NUTRITION AND COOKING CLASES: Carolina Hunger Initiative’s Nutrition Education classes are returning for Fall 2023! Join us online Wednesdays at 6:30pm. Register here.

PROGRESS ON SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL: After months of negotiations, the NC General Assembly released the conference report for the budget. The budget includes three provisions relevant to the work of School Meals for All NC. Learn more.

SAVE THE DATE! The 2024 NC Child Hunger Leaders Conference will take place on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 in Chapel Hill. Stay tuned for registration details. Do you have a topic or presentation that you think should be a part of the 2024 Conference? Let us know at carolinahungerinitiative@unc.edu!

BACK-TO-SCHOOL: We all know that FOOD is the most important school supply. That’s why we’ve prepared a back-to-school nutrition checklist to help you make sure your students are healthy, happy, and engaged with learning from day one this 2023-24 school year. Learn more.

Free Nutrition Classes

Our Fall 2023 classes use participant discussion and activities to empower you to create healthy habits and make nutritious food choices. Join us!

School Meals for All NC

We believe every child in every public school in North Carolina should have access to breakfast and lunch at no cost to their families. Join us.

NC School Nutrition Profiles

These profiles provide a snapshot of the successes and opportunities in the school breakfast and lunch programs for your local school district. They’re newly updated for 2023.


ABOUT CAROLINA HUNGER INITIATIVE

Based at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (UNC HPDP), the Carolina Hunger Initiative partners with school systems, state agencies, community organizations, local businesses, and more to expand access to healthy meals year-round for North Carolinians.

We use programming, applied research, and compelling communications to support policy, systems, and environmental changes to more readily connect people with the food they need.Carolina Hunger Initiative welcomes and embraces ideas for the tough challenges we face now and tomorrow. Our goal is to incubate sustainable solutions for expanding equitable food access.

Learn more about our team, our work, and the latest news, or contact us.


OUR PARTNERS


Carolina Hunger Initiative is a project at the University of North Carolina working in collaboration with No Kid Hungry North Carolina, part of Share Our Strength’s national No Kid Hungry Campaign.


Carolina Hunger Initiative is based at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.


Find resources and communications from our vital state partner, the NC Department of Public Instruction Office of School Nutrition.


OUR WORK

COVID-19 Response

After Governor Roy Cooper announced NC schools would close due to the COVID-19 emergency, our team launched tools to provide resources for meal providers and to inform families in need where free, healthy meals for kids would be available.

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Child Nutrition Team at UNC HPDP

Working with school districts and community partners across the state, our goal is to end childhood hunger by increasing access to healthy food options served through the underutilized federally-assisted nutrition programs for kids.

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Blue Cross NC Child Hunger Impact Project

This three-year funding partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is awarding grants statewide to schools and community organizations that provide critical meals for kids who need them at breakfast, after school, and in the summer.

Learn more