No matter what we look like, where we live, or what is in our wallets, most of us would do whatever it takes to feed our families. Food is not a privilege; it is a basic human right. Yet across North Carolina and the nation, families are being forced to make impossible choices because of political decisions that prioritize luxury over life’s essentials.
As images of extravagant dinners and gold-trimmed ballrooms fill the news, millions of Americans are checking their EBT balances only to find less help, or none at all. Programs that once helped families keep food on the table are being scaled back or delayed. Food banks are overwhelmed, school meal programs are stretched thin, and the rising cost of groceries means every dollar feeds fewer mouths.
This is not a story about scarcity. It is a story about priorities.
While some use their power to build ballrooms, many in our communities are working overtime to build something far more meaningful: care, solidarity, and mutual aid. From Raleigh to Wilmington, Durham to Asheville, people are coming together to make sure no one is left hungry. Churches, neighbors, nonprofits, and volunteers are proving what true leadership looks like—compassion in action.
Now is the time to follow their lead. Every person deserves access to healthy, affordable food. Every child deserves to grow up without hunger. And every family deserves a government that invests in people, not palaces.
If you are able, donate to or volunteer with your local food bank. You can find one near you through the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Feeding the Carolinas, or NC 2-1-1. Your contribution, whether time, money, or food, helps fill a plate and fuels the fight for fairness.
Together, we can ensure all our families are fed and free our democracy from rule by the bullies for the billionaires.