WILMINGTON, NC (Sept. 10, 2026) — Feast Down East is bringing back its Senior Mobile Market Voucher Program thanks to the combined support of the Duke Energy Foundation and the Catherine Kennedy Home Foundation, expanding access to fresh, local food for older adults across Southeastern North Carolina.

Together, these investments allow Feast Down East to revive and strengthen a program that provides weekly food vouchers to seniors, helping older adults in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties consistently access fresh, local, affordable food that supports health, independence, and dignity.

The program builds on Feast Down East's earlier Senior Mobile Market Loyalty Program, which ran in 2023 and 2024 before pausing due to a lack of funding. With this renewed support, the organization can once again put purchasing power directly into the hands of the seniors who need it most.

Meeting a Growing Need

Seniors currently represent approximately 35% of Feast Down East's Mobile Market customers, and many live on fixed incomes, face transportation barriers, or manage chronic health conditions affected by diet. Roughly 11% of senior customers rely on SNAP/EBT benefits, and many others fall just above eligibility thresholds yet still struggle with food affordability.

The voucher program helps remove a difficult tradeoff that too many older adults face — choosing between food, medication, and housing costs. Participants redeem their vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers, improving diet quality while supporting the local agricultural economy.

Feast Down East's Mobile Farmers' Market brings fresh food directly into neighborhoods where seniors already gather, including the New Hanover County Senior Center and its satellite locations in Carolina Beach and Castle Hayne; Brunswick County senior centers in Calabash, Supply, and Shallotte; and low-income senior housing communities including AHEPA, Robert Taylor Senior Homes, and Glover Plaza. Any senior attending a Mobile Market is eligible to participate, ensuring dignity, inclusivity, and broad community impact.

A Program Built to Last

"Through our Mobile Farmers' Market program, Feast Down East serves seniors across the Cape Fear region on a daily basis," said Susannah Spratt of Feast Down East. "We see that many of the seniors living in our community struggle to access healthy foods at affordable prices, and even many of the seniors that receive SNAP benefits receive minimal amounts that are not enough to feed themselves adequately. With this support, we will be able to further support our senior communities through our Senior Mobile Market Voucher Program, which will reduce the cost burden that many seniors face when food shopping. Thank you to the Duke Energy Foundation and the Catherine Kennedy Home Foundation for recognizing the need that exists in senior communities and helping us to address it!"

Beyond food access, the weekly markets create consistent opportunities for social interaction that help combat isolation — a major contributor to declining physical and mental health among seniors. The markets foster relationships between customers, staff, and farmers while restoring a sense of independence in food choice, as participants select the foods they enjoy rather than receiving pre-packaged assistance.

Feast Down East tracks participation and outcomes through its secure market platform, allowing the organization to measure impact, monitor redemption rates, and continually improve senior-focused services over time.

Feast Down East extends its sincere gratitude to the Duke Energy Foundation and the Catherine Kennedy Home Foundation for their shared commitment to the health, dignity, and wellbeing of older adults throughout Southeastern North Carolina.

About the Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation is a philanthropic organization funded by Duke Energy shareholders. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and initiatives that enrich communities and improve quality of life, with a focus on education, environmental stewardship, and economic development across Duke Energy's service areas.

About the Catherine Kennedy Home Foundation

The Catherine Kennedy Home Foundation supports organizations serving the needs of the elderly in the Cape Fear community, continuing a longstanding legacy of care and dignity for seniors in Southeastern North Carolina.

About Feast Down East

Feast Down East is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Burgaw, North Carolina, working to build a stronger, regional food system. Through its Food Hub, Local Motive Mobile Farmers' Market, farmer assistance programs, and food access initiatives, the organization connects limited-resource farmers to new markets while expanding community access to fresh, local food throughout Southeastern North Carolina.