Guilford County launches survey to tackle food insecurity issues

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A new survey is seeking residents’ insights on the challenges of accessing food across Guilford County. The initiative aims to address food security, a persistent issue in the area.

“Your neighbor could be going to bed hungry,” Alyssa McKim, Food Security Program Coordinator for Guilford County, said. “And that’s just something that we don’t know for sure, and we take it for granted.”

Guilford County has been grappling with food security for years. For many residents, access to healthy and affordable foods – or even just a grocery store – is limited.

McKim said the issue involves many pieces.

“Food security is a multifaceted issue it is not just about being able to purchase food that you want,” she explained. “Many times, people have to make choices between paying the bills and purchasing food or even medications and purchasing food.”

There are currently 24 areas considered food deserts across the county. Distance to a grocery store is one major factor that causes them, but many other issues also play a role.

“Higher prices in medication, inflation, housing costs are going up and that’s very much affecting what people can buy and not buy,” McKim said.

Those decisions are what led to the development of the survey.

“[It] essentially assesses where we’re at as far as food access, food security, farmers, what people are eating and how much of that,” McKim explained.

The goal is to find solutions to those disparities, while also learning more from community members about what they’ve been seeing and experiencing.

“We are very focused on community initiatives and getting the voices of community members and people who have lived experiences to make sure that what we’re proposing is accurate, can be implemented and is really addressing the core issues,” McKim said.

The county encourages all residents to participate in the survey.

“It’s really important in this work to look at it holistically,” McKim said. “And to look at it holistically, we need everyone’s voice because we’re in it together,” she said.

You can participate and fill out the survey by clicking this link. If you fill out the survey, the county will enter you for a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards.

The survey will remain open until March 1.

The results will then be presented to county commissioners in April to determine potential next steps to enhance food security in the area.