One year later: A look at the impact of COVID-19 on Triad hunger "The uncertainty is what keeps me up at night right now." Share Updated: 6:30 PM EST Mar 9, 2021 "The uncertainty is what keeps me up at night right now." Share Updated: 6:30 PM EST Mar 9, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript KENNY: AS WE START TO SEE OUR COVID NUMBERS GO DOWN AND OUR VACCINATION NUMBERS GO UP ONE THING THAT ISN’T IMPROVING IS HUNGER. IN FACT EXPERTS BELIEVE THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE THINGS COULD GET WORSE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. ON THIS GIVING TUESDAY I SPOKE WITH SECOND HARVEST CEO ERIC AFT ABOUT WHAT THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN LIKE AND WHAT HE’S PREDICTING FOR THE FUTUR >> NONE OF US THOUGHT WE WOULD BE HERE A YEAR LATER. KENNY: MORE THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER NORTH CAROLINA’S FIRST CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19 AND AFTER MORE THAN 11,000 DEATHS IN OUR STATE ALONE MANY OF OUR KEY HEALTH METRICS ARE IMPROVING. ONE THING THAT ISN’T IS FOOD INSECURITY. >> THE UNCERTAINTY IS WHAT KEEPS US UP AT NIGHT. KENNY: ERIC AFT, CEO OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK SAYS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, HIS AGENCY HAS SEEN A 30% SUSTAINED INCREASE IN NEED. HE FEARS THAT WHEN SAFETY NETS LIKE ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND EVICTION MORATORIUMS EXPIRE, THINGS COULD GET EVEN WORSE. AND THEY’RE ALREADY BAD. ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHERS AT FEEDING AMERICA, AN ADDITIONAL 13.2 MILLION AMERICANS BECAME FOOD INSECURE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE PROJECTED RATE IN NORTH CAROLINA LAST YEAR WAS OVER 17% HIGHEST OF ANY STATE THAT TOUCHES THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. SPECIFICALLY IN THE TRIAD, THE LOCAL RATES ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT IN ALLEGHANY, CASWELL, ROCKINGHAM, WILKES, SURRY, AND GUILFORD COUNTIES. NO COUNTY IN THE WXII VIEWING AREA WAS BELOW 16%. AFT SAYS HE’S GREATFUL TO HAVE THE NATIONAL GUARD’S HELP WITH THESE TWICEAWEEK POP-UP FOOD PANTRIES IN DOWNTOWN WINSTON-SALEM. >> WE ENDED UP PURCHASING 10 TIMES THE AMOUNT WE WOULD NORMALLY PURCHASE. IT WENT TO $4 MILLION. KENNY: YOU GUYS HAVE THE MEANS FINANCIALLY TO KEEP THIS UP? >> WE ARE FORTUNATE BECAUSE OF THE KINDNESS OF OTHERS. KENNY: THEY GIVE AWAY FRESH PRODUCE TO ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE EACH TIME OUT. >> IT IS A DIFFERENT MISSION THEN WHAT WE ARE USED TO. BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE AND THEY APPRECIATE US BEING HERE. KENNY: AND HE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO RELY ON DONATIONS MANY OF WHICH ARE COMING IN ONLINE THESE DAYS AS WE ALL WAIT FOR THE VIRUS, AND THE SUSTAINED INCREASE IN DEMAND TO GO AWAY AND OUR TRADITIONAL, IN PERSON FOOD DRIVES TO RETUR >> IT IS GOOD WE ARE HERE AND THE COMMUNITY HAS STEPPED UP TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS DONE TO RESPOND. KENNY: ERIC BATTLED COVID-19 HIMSELF ABOUT A YEAR AGO. HE SAYS HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE FINE NOW. HE REGULARLY DONATES PLASMA AND TOLD ME HE STILL HAD ANTIBODIES AS OF LATE JANUARY. HE PLANS TO GET THE VACCINE ONCE IT’S HIS TURN. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY AND ALL MONTH LONG. VISIT WXII12.COM/SECONDHARVEST TO MAKE A DONATION TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. AS OF 5:00, WE HAVE RAISED MORE THAN $30,000. AND THANKS TO A MATCH WITH MODERN AUTOMOTIVE, WE H