If we are successful in fully achieving this result, we envision Avery County where….

• All people are living as healthy as they can by having all their basic daily needs met.
• All children in Avery County are clean, fed, and clothed ready to learn at school.
• People in Avery County are obtaining a healthy diet to support normal growth, maintaining a healthy body weight, and reducing the risk of chronic disease leading to overall health and well-being.

Why is this important?

Reliable and sufficient nutrition is necessary order to have a healthy, active life.  Many rural communities, including Avery County, were already struggling with low grocery store access, availability, low wages, and poverty.  The inflating cost of food, supply chain disruptions, and employment impacts resulting from the COIVD Pandemic have complicated the food environment in Avery County.  

• Feeding America projects, that 17% of adults and 21% of children are food insecure in 2021.
• Only 7% of Avery County survey respondents consume the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• 24% of survey respondents reported running out of food at least once in the past year or worries about running out of food in the past year.
• The number of individuals receiving Food and Nutrition Services (food stamps) in Avery County rose from 1,815 in Nov. 2,020 to 2,056 in Nov. 2021, indicating an increasing need for food-related assistance.
• There are only four grocery stores in Avery County and all are located in close proximity in the central part of the county; additional grocery shopping options require traveling out of the county.  There are convenience stores and small stores that might sell shelf-stable items. 

People who eat too many unhealthy foods — like foods high in saturated fat and added sugars — are at increased risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. Obesity in turn is also linked to many serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer (Healthy People 2030).

Individuals with low incomes and long work hours may have less time to prepare meals at home and less time to participate in physical activities. In addition, people in rural areas and low-income communities may be far from a grocery store that sells healthy foods. Their communities may lack formal facilities for exercise, or the roads and public spaces may not be safe to move around in (Healthy NC 2030).