For the third consecutive summer, a collaborative effort between PORCH–Hillsborough, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina (FBCENC), and Fairview Youth in Action has supported the bi-weekly distribution of Farmer Foodshare food boxes to 50 families in the Fairview community of Hillsborough.   This seasonal program is designed to address a critical gap in food access during the summer months, when school-based meal programs are typically unavailable. Each box includes a variety...

Our team has published a new paper examining our pilot participatory grantmaking process. The research, now available in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, offers insights for anyone interested in more equitable approaches to funding community-based work.  Working with an established network of community garden partners across rural North Carolina, we piloted a specific form of participatory grantmaking called "network voting." We were fortunate to be guided and supported by...

The transition from high school to the next stage in life – a challenging time for most youth – is especially difficult for foster...