Trump visits NC mountains to tour organization that helps families in need

CHARLOTTE — After a surprise visit at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, President Donald Trump headed to Mills River, North Carolina Monday morning.

Trump went to Mills River in Henderson County to visit a Farmers to Families Food Box program site in support of American farmers and families through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

The visit took place on the first day of the RNC.

[READ MORE: Everything you need to know before the RNC kicks off in Charlotte]

Trump and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, visited Flavor First Growers and Packers, an organization that partners with Baptists on Mission to build the Farmers to Families Food Boxes and how the boxes are packaged and placed into refrigerated trucks and then delivered to families in need.

Trump took some jabs at Gov. Roy Cooper for not reopening the state quickly enough, ABC affiliate WTVD reported.

The program aims to help farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $3 billion program is funded by the federal CARES Act.

The president announced on Monday that another $1 billion go toward the program.

“Each time you deliver a food box to a family, you show them that, in this country, no one is forgotten,” Trump said at the event.

Ivanka Trump said, “With this $1 billion addition, we’re going to keep it going and we’re going to keep feeding those in need until this pandemic passes.”

The Trump campaign also announced Sunday the list of speakers for the Republican National Convention.

The speakers include Madison Cawthorn, North Carolina’s 11th district Republican nominee, and Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse.

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“I am incredibly excited to join the President in North Carolina as he sees first-hand the incredible work being done through our Farmers to Families Food Box program,” said Ivanka Trump. “With nearly 70 million boxes of nutritious, locally-sourced fresh fruit, vegetable, milk and meat delivered to date, we are deeply appreciative of our strong and innovative partners like Baptists on Mission and Flavor First Growers and Packers that allow us to continue the fight to feed our nation’s hungry, support our farmers and strengthen our workforce.”

The program, which authorized $3 billion in direct purchasing under the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, has delivered nearly 70 million family-sized food boxes containing fresh and nutritious food grown by American farmers to those most in need during the pandemic.

Mills River has an estimated population of about 7,000.

This was President Trump’s 11th official visit to North Carolina.

Cox Media Group