October 3, 2025
Eat Healthy, Eat Well: Strengthening Food Access and Nutrition Education in North Carolina
Learn how Healthier Generation is supporting food and nutrition access in Person County by connecting schools and community partners.
“Everything is Better in Person” is the motto of Person County, North Carolina – and this summer, its community embodied that spirit. On June 25, in collaboration with Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the Person County Cooperative Extension, and Person County Schools, residents gathered for the Eat Healthy, Eat Well food distribution event. Hosted by South Elementary School, the event was a celebration of nutrition, learning, and community connection.
“The purpose of the distribution event was to promote healthy eating, foster community engagement, and highlight local health organizations,” says Shahnee Thompson, project manager with Healthier Generation. “By offering free, locally grown produce and a variety of educational materials, the event met immediate nutrition needs while encouraging long-term practices for health and well-being.”
Why It Matters for Person County
To address food and nutrition insecurity in rural North Carolina, Healthier Generation has partnered with Novo Nordisk, a leading global healthcare company committed to defeating serious chronic diseases. The goal of the Healthier Generation, Healthier North Carolina initiative is to support community-driven solutions and partnerships to expand food access for students and families.
Person County is one of the communities where this goal is coming to life, serving as a model for how local partnerships can create sustainable change.
“We are proud to have partnered with Novo Nordisk to support produce distribution and educational materials for this event, increasing food access and paving the way to chronic disease prevention,” Shahnee says.
Person County is a rural area where many families face challenges related to food access and nutrition education. Attendees left the event with resources and knowledge to support healthy habits at home, including:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers
- Simple, nutritious recipes
- Tips on growing food at home
- Physical education and family engagement activities
Event organizers provided 200 boxes of fresh food to attendees. The Person County Cooperative Extension also provided diabetes management resources. “By equipping families with these tools and resources, we hoped to spark continued learning, growing, and healthy living together,” Shahnee says.
Additionally, Healthier Generation staff provided technical assistance, shared valuable resources, and held monthly coordination meetings with a representative from Person County Schools to ensure smooth planning and execution of the event.
“I am thankful to see programs like this taking place here in our community,” says Jason Torian, Person County School Board member. “More than 60% of Person County students are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Events like this help supplement those programs with healthy, locally produced foods.”
The Power of Partnership
Collaboration is at the heart of Healthier Generation’s mission to cultivate resources and support for students and families. “By working together, community partners become stronger, more resilient, and can extend their reach,” Shahnee says. “Partnerships also ensure that resources are distributed more effectively and equitably throughout the community.”
Community partners and volunteers played a vital role in making this event possible. Collective efforts ensured that every family left with valuable resources. All produce provided at the event was sourced within 30 miles of the school, a testament to the strength of the local farming community.
“We really had our hearts and our bellies full, thanks to our sponsor, our community partners, our farmers, our volunteers and our families. The conversation, education and unity in Person County were amazing,” says Erin Redfern, STEAM teacher at South Elementary School. “Families walked away with a box of awesome tomatoes, corn, eggs, berries, mixed salad greens and hamburger. Eat healthy. Eat well!”
Looking Ahead
Inspired by the successful event in June, Person County Schools hosted another Eat Healthy, Eat Well Health event in August and has plans for an additional event in October.
“This opportunity opened the eyes of the school district and community partners to future possibilities for collaboration and nutrition education initiatives,” Shahnee says.
Torian adds, “The event provided families with an opportunity to learn more about where their food comes from, and to build a sense of community with those who make our local food system work. I look forward to participating in similar events in the future!”
Learn more about Healthier Generation’s efforts to expand food and nutrition access in North Carolina:
Cultivating Food and Nutrition Security: Meet Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kamaria Mason '
-By Nicole Blanton, Manager of Culturally Responsive Communications at Healthier Generation