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County outlines ARPA‑funded food‑security programs and pledges to plan for post‑ARPA sustainability
Summary
Durham County staff summarized $3.5M+ in ARPA investments for food security—Double Bucks at farmers markets, emergency produce distributions, a community grocer, senior nutrition expansion and a food security grant program—and said they will use an upcoming food system assessment to plan sustainability after ARPA funds end.
Reina Goldstein Benug, the county food security coordinator, and partners presented a status update on the county’s food‑security investments, including roughly $3.5 million in ARPA projects. Programs highlighted included Double Bucks (a farmers-market SNAP/EBT match at four markets), emergency produce assistance delivered to 38 pantries through Interfaith Food Shuttle, the opening of a community grocer in northeast central Durham, expanded nutrition staffing at the Durham Center for Senior Life, and a Durham County Food Security Grant program that received 38 applications and will award $400,000 in grants.
Reina stressed racial and economic disparities in food insecurity (the county's overall food insecurity rate shown as 12.2% in the presentation) and warned that ARPA funds are temporary; staff said planning now will aim to sustain core programs after ARPA expires. "There's 5 projects, and over $3,500,000," Reina said while describing the ARPA portfolio. Commissioners asked for follow‑up performance data (unique families served, Meals on Wheels waitlists) and suggested leveraging the upcoming food system assessment to standardize metrics and long‑term funding plans.
