Wilmington expands efforts to curb food insecurity, increase access to services

ARPA funds allocated to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the Salvation Army of Cape Fear

WILMINGTON, NC– At its meeting Tuesday, November 1st, Wilmington City Council took further steps to eliminate food deserts and increase public access to social services when it unanimously approved allocating American Rescue Plan Act funding to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the Salvation Army of Cape Fear.

The Food Bank will receive $150,000 to be used toward operational expenses, an eligible ARPA use per the US Treasury guidelines, marking the third ARPA allocation from the city to non-profits combatting food insecurity by providing Wilmington residents nutritious food and educational resources on healthy eating.

Construction is underway on the Food Bank’s new facility, located in an USDA-identified food desert at 1000 Greenfield Street, which will distribute an additional 3.5 million meals annually to the more than 66,000 people who depend on the Food Bank daily.

City Council also approved a reimbursement agreement for the construction of a road leading to the Salvation Army of Cape Fear’s new facility, the Center of Hope Shelter and Corps Community Center.

The shelter is being constructed on 22 acres on N. 30th St. and will connect N. 30th St. to Kornegay Avenue.

The Salvation Army will dedicate the road to the city upon completion of construction, at which point the city will reimburse the Salvation Army for costs up to $1.3 million using ARPA funds as allowed by US Treasury guidelines.

These allocations are part of the City of Wilmington’s commitment to infuse $13.5 million of its ARPA funding into economic and community assistance.

The city received $25.9 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law March 11, 2021.