“I can’t charge $30 for a chocolate bar, I can’t raise your price three times and leave us in this weird spot where we have to switch our business,” Sam Ratto, owner of Videri Chocolate in downtown Raleigh, told ABC 11.
“We’re in the worst hunger crisis that we’ve seen in nearly 20 years and with SNAP cuts that have been passed at the federal level, we’re going to see that spike in a way that we can’t fill the gap up,” Amy Beros, CEO of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, told NC Newsline.
When the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed Congress, Marilyn Maddocks felt a mix of dread and disbelief. The 68-year-old Boone resident, who relies on food assistance to help make ends meet, told the News & Observer that this law is “the cruelest thing I’ve ever seen America do.”
Nearly one million North Carolinians who rely on ACA health plans are bracing for a costly one-two punch next year: major premium hikes and the loss of federal subsidies that have kept coverage affordable, according to WRAL.
Amid the back-to-school season, North Carolina teachers are facing significant financial challenges, ranking second in the nation for out-of-pocket spending on classroom essentials. The North Carolina Association of Educators notes that the out-of-pocket spending level is a 22% increase from last year’s average of $1,338.
The tour will kick off on Tuesday, August 19th, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Galilee Ministries in Charlotte, where dozens of community leaders, concerned North Carolinians, and local advocates are invited to share their concerns around Trump’s costly budget bill.
The group held a town hall in Raleigh to highlight how Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” further rigs the system against hardworking people and cuts crucial health care and food assistance for millions of Americans.
Since taking office in January, Stein has announced business expansions or new projects that will yield nearly $17 billion of new capital investment in North Carolina and create more than 20,000 new, good-paying jobs. North Carolina is also a growing leader in the clean energy economy, with more than 100,000 people employed in the sector.
“We are in the middle of the worst hunger crisis North Carolina has seen in nearly 20 years,” Jason Kanawati Stephany, Vice President of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, told ABC 11. “Not only are we going to see a worsening of hunger in our community immediately, we’re going to see long-term economic devastation, I don’t think anybody has planned for.”
On Friday, June 20, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced that roughly $3 million in grants were approved by the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) for rural communities, which the governor says will attract an additional $52 million in public and private investments to support economic development across the state.