Keeping the wolf from the door.

The Food Effect is an online network designed to educate, involve and unite people in the fight against childhood hunger and the detrimental effect it can have on physical, cognitive and behavioral development. It was launched and sponsored by the North Carolina Pork Council to benefit hungry children in our state through the efforts of the Feeding America food banks in North Carolina.

North Carolina Pork Council

Protein is essential for everyone, but particularly for growing children. Pork is a “complete” protein – it contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Pork producers in North Carolina, as part of an essential industry that feeds the world, believe they have a responsibility to help ensure that North Carolina’s hungry children are fed. Promoting a better quality of life in our state’s communities is one of six ethical principles of the industry’s We Care program. To learn more about We Care, visit www.porkcares.com

North Carolina Association of Feeding America Food Banks

The association was incorporated recently to develop and coordinate statewide efforts among member food banks and to raise awareness about hunger in the state and the role food banks play. Members of the association include all six food banks in the state, plus the Raleigh-based Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

North Carolina’s Feeding America food banks are, by far, the main source of food for the state’s local hunger-relief charities. They provide emergency food assistance to more than 2 million North Carolinians in all 100 counties through a network of more than 2,700 partner agencies such as emergency food pantries and soup kitchens. In 2011, they distributed more than 126 million pounds of nutritious food and other grocery products — the equivalent of nearly 105 million meals.

Their mission is simple, though not easy: alleviate hunger in every county in the state. Special emphasis is placed on childhood hunger, and more than 18,500 NC kids are served every week.

Food banks do not just buy food but perform the doubleservice of putting food products to use instead of to waste. The net result is that 95 percent of every dollar is turned into food for the table, and every dollar donated buys the equivalent of at least seven dollars’ worth of food.