Feature
Combating Food Insecurity Women in Avery, Watauga Counties on Front Lines of Feeding Families
It’s easy to take for granted
the luxury of knowing where your next meal will come from. But for women like Jo-Ann, Elizabeth, Gabby and Tina, their jobs put them face-to-face with families who are not always granted this luxury. These caring, dedicated, and passionate women have made it their mission to fight the battle against food insecurity in the High Country. According to Dick Larson, executive director of Feeding Avery Families, one in seven people in the High County and surrounding region suffer from food insecurity. Facing food insecurity means that during the course of any given month, there are times when one will not know where their next meal will come from. “There’s plenty of money in Avery 36 | July-August 2021
One in seven people in the High County and surrounding region suffer from food insecurity.
County,” Dick says. “There’s plenty of food in Avery County. There’s no food shortage. Yet, we have people going hungry. There’s just no reason for it, and there’s absolutely no reason for any child in this county to be hungry and yet we do. The issue is distribution of course. The people with great mean generally have very little contact with the people with these great needs, and vice versa.” This is the problem women across western North Carolina have joined together to solve. Jo-Ann McMurray, co-director of Feeding Avery Families, plays a vital role in combating food insecurity in Avery County. After retiring from her job as a nurse, Jo-Ann was looking for a way to continue serving those in need. After conaawmag.com
