WNC Food Pantries Face Growing Demand as Federal Food Programs and SNAP Rules Change
By Marge Farrington | Published 2026-08-09T15:17:24.908Z
News
WNC -- August 9, 2026: Western North Carolina food pantries are serving substantially more people than they were just a few years ago, while changes to federal food programs and SNAP are reshaping the assistance available to low-income families.
WNC -- August 9, 2026:Western North Carolina food pantries are serving substantially more people than they were just a few years ago, while changes to federal food programs and SNAP are reshaping the assistance available to low-income families.There is no single reason for the increase.Hurricane Helene disrupted jobs, housing and household finances across the mountains. Emergency federal food assistance helped during the immediate aftermath, but those disaster programs were temporary. Since then