In March of 2020 as COVID-19 begins to rage across the country, the economy is crippled and massive shutdowns occur. Millions lose their jobs and food insecurity skyrockets. Local governments and NGO’s organize drive-thru food distributions. Hunger-relief groups devise new ways to reach their recipients while trying to keep everyone safe.
As I photographed this effort across North Carolina’s Triangle region, I began to see it as a human chain that starts with farmers, food service workers, donors, volunteers and so many more. It reaches all the way to the table of those who are hungry. Who are the people who make up this chain – this Lifeline – that’s stretched so thin during the pandemic?
What I found was an abundant sense of community, compassion and a mission to help those in need. In the recipients there is gratitude, pride and a resolve to keep themselves and their families whole in the face of a crisis that seems to have no end. Above all, I’ve been inspired and invigorated by the humanity on display.
this exhibit was hosted by the Carrboro, NC ArtsCenter, in Jan-Feb 2020 and is still available on their site:
LINKS
End Hunger Durham endhungerdurham.org
Farmer Foodshare farmerfoodshare.org
Feed Durham NC gofundme.com/f/feeddurhamnc
First Fruits Farm wisdomforlife.org/firstfruitsfarm
Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC foodbankcenc.org
Food for Students foodforstudents.info
Inter-Faith Council ifcweb.org
Maple View Farm mapleviewfarm.com
A Place at the Table tableraleigh.org
PORCH porchcommunities.org
The Produce Box theproducebox.com
Raise Up/Fight for $15 fightfor15.org/raiseup
Ran-Lew Dairy ranlewdairymilkco.webstarts.com
Root Causes rootcauseshealth.org
Society of St. Andrews endhunger.org/north-carolina