New campaign encourages healthy donations for area food pantries

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick Wellness Coalition is raising awareness about the need for healthy food for people who are food insecure using a new campaign.

Brunswick Wellness Coalition Executive Director Lindsay Maher says they just kicked off the Give Healthy Campaign.

Maher said food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life which is more than 5,000 children and 12,000 adults in Brunswick County.

The campaign is focused on educating donors on what qualifies as a healthy donation; ensuring area food pantries staff and volunteers promote healthy eating to their donors and clients; and, empowering those that are food insecure to eat for health rather than for taste

Stephanie Bowan said most common foods available to those that are food insecure are nonperishable foods such as canned items and packaged goods which are typically high in salt and/or sugar.

Maher said the Give Healthy Campaign is pushing items like:

• Lean proteins including nuts, low sodium and all-natural peanut butter, dry beans or low-sodium canned beans and canned chicken or seafood packed in water.
• Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. If canned, items should be in either 100 percent water or 100 percent juice with no added salt and/or no added sugar.
• Low sodium (500 milligrams or less) soups that include vegetables and have at least two grams of fiber.
• Pasta, rice, cereal and breads that are 100 percent whole grain or whole wheat with no added sugar or very low sugar (less than eight grams per serving).

You can directly donate healthy items to a food pantry near you or you can work with BWC to host a Give Healthy food drive. Matthew’s Ministry is their first partner agency to host a food drive and BWC is planning several more drives for other pantries in Brunswick County.

To learn more call or email BWC at 910-444-1872 or BrunswickWellnessCoalition@gmail.com.