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Hatteras Island Meals and Cape Hatteras Food Pantry ask Dare County for more support as demand grows
Summary
Nonprofit leaders told commissioners that meal deliveries and pantry use have increased sharply; the group asked the county to consider increasing its quarterly grant beyond $6,000.
Leaders of Hatteras Island Meals and the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry told the Dare County Board of Commissioners on April 16 that community food needs on Hatteras Island are growing and asked the county to consider increasing quarterly support beyond the current $6,000.
Aidan (presenter) and Maria Gould described rising demand: Hatteras Island Meals delivered 11,602 hot meals in 2024, up from 8,762 in 2023, and last year the nonprofit’s bill for those meals was $76,167. Pantry organizers said the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry has served roughly 500 people per month and about 220 households since the nonprofit took over operations in the fall.
“You picked up a burden for me that I could not carry,” a note from a meal recipient read in the group’s slides; organizers said volunteers also provide welfare checks during deliveries and call 911 when they find clients in emergency conditions.
The group described several operational stresses: the Food Bank of the Albemarle has reduced distributions, forcing the pantry to buy more shelf-stable food from local suppliers; volunteers currently pick up 150 pounds of food daily from Food Lion in Avon and log and sort inventory; and staffing and transportation are volunteer-based. Organizers said their annual raffle proceeds (about $40,000 in each of the last two years) and grants cover much of the cost but do not fully close the gap: “It costs about $75,000 to feed people,” a presenter told commissioners.
Current county support is $6,000 per quarter ($24,000 per year). The presenters said the organization uses 100% of donations and grants for meals and pantry purchases and requested that commissioners consider raising the county contribution during budget deliberations.
Commissioners thanked the volunteers and said the county will review the request during budget season. “We hear you loud and clear,” the chairman said; the county manager noted budget work is underway and said the board would consider increasing quarterly funding if possible.
Why it matters: The presentation documented both rising demand for daily meals to housebound residents and rapidly growing pantry usage for shoppers who are food insecure. Organizers said services reduce pressure on families and sometimes provide critical welfare checks.
What’s next: The group asked commissioners to consider increasing the county’s quarterly award; commissioners said they would examine the request in the budget process.
