Feast Down East awarded $10,000 grant to expand local food access in New Hanover County
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Feast Down East has received a $10,000 grant from the New Hanover Community Endowment to help provide fresh, locally grown food to residents experiencing food insecurity across New Hanover County.
The funding, awarded through the Endowment’s 2026 Spring Community Grants Program, will support Feast Down East’s Farmers Fighting Hunger initiative, which connects locally grown produce with community organizations serving residents in need.
The program operates through the nonprofit’s USDA- and GAP-certified Food Hub, allowing partner agencies—including senior centers, health clinics and food pantries—to order fresh, culturally relevant foods from small and mid-sized farms across the region through an online wholesale marketplace.
According to Feast Down East, the grant will help offset food costs for partner organizations and is expected to provide fresh local food to an estimated 7,000 people in New Hanover County.
In 2025, the Farmers Fighting Hunger program partnered with 13 local agencies, helping connect produce from area farmers directly to families and individuals facing food insecurity while supporting the local agricultural economy.
Feast Down East was one of 41 organizations selected from a pool of 134 applicants during the Endowment’s Spring 2026 grant cycle, which distributed a total of $500,000 to nonprofit organizations throughout New Hanover County. The organization’s award was funded through the Endowment’s Social & Health Equity grant category.
“Community Grants support local leaders and organizations that make a direct difference in people’s lives,” said Sophie Dagenais, president and CEO of the New Hanover Community Endowment.
The latest grant continues a multi-year partnership between the Endowment and Feast Down East, which officials say has helped strengthen local food access programs and expand opportunities for regional farmers.
“We are deeply grateful for the New Hanover Community Endowment’s continued support of our work,” said Jordyn Appel-Hughes, executive director of Feast Down East. “Their investment over the years has been instrumental in helping us build a stronger, more resilient local food system—one that connects our farmers directly to the families, seniors and neighbors who benefit from fresh, healthy, local food.”
Feast Down East said its Farmers Fighting Hunger program is designed to improve access to nutritious food while ensuring food dollars remain in the local economy, benefiting both residents and farmers throughout Eastern North Carolina.
The New Hanover Community Endowment’s mission is to improve health, education, safety and economic opportunity throughout the county by investing in organizations addressing community needs. Meanwhile, Feast Down East operates food access programs, a regional Food Hub, the Local Motive Mobile Farmers’ Market and farmer assistance initiatives aimed at strengthening Eastern North Carolina’s local food system.
