The Right to Food

By: Amy Shaffer

Everyone has a right to food. Some international laws recognize this, but the U.S. has not institutionalized this right into law.

After-school programs, state/federal agencies, churches, and other local organizations operate in Chapel Hill/Carrboro to ensure that residents of the community do not suffer from food insecurity. However, I have discovered that these resources use wording that connotes food as a charity, not a basic right. This mentality is not only demeaning, but only further permeates discrimination between the rich and the poor.

I met with Charles Williams, administrative assistant at the IFC Carrboro Food Pantry, who addressed the interconnectivity of human rights issues in the community. He said that issues like poverty, food insecurity and homelessness are community issues and if the community intermingles (rich and poor) as a united force, then more resources can be utilized to aid these problems. He added that there are challenges because Chapel Hill/Carrboro is a very transient community.

Additionally, he noted a conspiracy rooted at the mental health program of N.C. He claimed that John Umstead has literally dumped patients at their homeless shelters due to lack of funds, even though the hospital is aware these people need medication and financial assistance.

There are institutional barriers to change, but the community is working towards change, said Williams. More awareness is needed and more resources need to be pumped into already-existing programs.