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East Regional Library

Hunger Awareness Reading Kick-Off / Info Station

Partner Food Pantry

supports three local elementary schools in the Knightdale community for Backpack Buddies. The goal of this program is to help food-insecure children by providing them with food throughout the weekend. They pack bags of items for their dinner on Friday night, and 3 meals and snacks on Saturday and Sunday. They currently support 58 children for the 2024/2025 school year and expect to grow for the next calendar year. To continue growing, they need your help!

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Individual Serving Mac and Cheese Containers
• Large Cans (15 oz) of Chef Boyardee (or similar items)
• Small cans (7.5 oz) of Chef Boyardee (or similar items)
• Individual Serving Boxes of Cereal
• Individual Fruit Cups

Wendell Community LibraryHunger Awareness Info Station

Partner Food Pantry

operates a community-focused Food Pantry and Blessing Box to support individuals and families in need. The Food Pantry is available to Wendell (27591) residents and those without full-time employment and offers food box pickups every Monday from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Pickups take place at Entrance A, located off N. Main Street in the front parking lot of the church. Those who qualify may receive a box once every 60 days. In addition, the church maintains a Blessing Box in front of the church office at 302 N. Pine Street. This box is open 24/7 and allows anyone to take what they need or donate non-perishable items to help others. The church encourages community involvement to keep these resources stocked and accessible, ensuring that neighbors can support one another through both giving and receiving.

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Canned Goods (Fruits, Vegetables, Meats, Beans, Soup)
• Cereal & Oatmeal (single-serve packs)
• Pasta
• Peanut Butter
• Rice
• Easy-to-prepare meals (mac-n-cheese cups, ramen, etc.)

Zebulon Community Library

K-5th Adventures: Share a Snack

Partner Food Pantry

is a vibrant, supportive space serving youth ages 6 to 18 with programs that encourage personal growth, academic success, creativity, and healthy living. With nearly 180 kids attending daily, many are bused in from local schools such as Zebulon Elementary, Zebulon Middle, and Shepard Elementary. The Boys & Girls Club of Zebulon creates a safe, empowering environment where kids can learn, play, and thrive—your donations help make that possible and directly support the next generation of community leaders.

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

Kid-Friendly Food Items:

• Fruit cups
• Cereal
• Snack Packs
• Easy-to-prepare meals (mac-n-cheese cups, ramen, etc.)

Morrisville Community Library

How to Be a Hunger Fighter: Ways to Help in С��Ѽ��Ƶ County

Partner Food Pantry

is dedicated to providing essential food assistance to individuals and families in need throughout the community. As part of Dorcas Ministries, the pantry works to alleviate hunger and promote food security by offering a variety of nutritious items to those facing financial hardships. Unlike traditional food pantries, Dorcas operates as a choice shopping experience, allowing clients to select items based on their personal preferences and dietary needs—empowering them with dignity and flexibility in meeting their family's needs. With generous support from donors and volunteers, the pantry ensures neighbors have access to fresh, non-perishable, and culturally relevant food items. Committed to compassion and respect, Dorcas Ministries creates a welcoming environment where everyone can receive help without judgment

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Personal Hygiene (shampoo, conditioner, & deodorant.)
• Household Supplies (toilet paper, detergent, large-size paper towels, & dish liquid.)
• Snacks (granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, snack-size chips, cereal bars, crackers, etc.)
• Boxed instant potatoes and stuffing
• Dry cat and dog food
• Miscellaneous food (chili, beef stew, syrup, cake mix, cereal.)

С��Ѽ��Ƶ Forest Community Library

Family Storytime - Highlighting National Hunger Awareness Month

Partner Food Pantry

is a 100% volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has provided groceries and personal care items to those in need across Northern С��Ѽ��Ƶ County since 1988. As the region’s largest food pantry, TAMFP distributes staples like meat, eggs, and produce—along with toiletries and hygiene products—offering each family about 100 pounds of food monthly. In 2024, TAMFP served over 66,000 individuals, with growing demand driven by rising food costs and a 12% increase in families served compared to the previous year. Operating solely on donations and grants, TAMFP serves all without requiring ID or proof of income. Distributions take place at 149 E. Holding Avenue, С��Ѽ��Ƶ Forest, NC, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and select Saturdays.

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Canned Goods
• Breakfast & Snack items (cereal, fruit cups, etc.)
• Rice
• Dried Beans
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Baby Diapers & Wipes
• Cat or Dog Food

North Regional Library

K-5th Adventures: Hunger Awareness

Partner Food Pantry

provides food at no cost to families experiencing food insecurity in the triangle. Every first, third and fifth Saturday of every month the Celebration Church parking lot located at 8700 Capital BLVD Raleigh, NC 27616 becomes a food distribution center. Utilizing a mobile food pantry model, recipients 'drive thru' tent stations where they answer a few questions and have groceries loaded into the trunk or back seat of their vehicle. The distribution line opens at 10:30 and closes at 12:30 every first, third and fifth Saturday of every month. To receive food, recipients do not need to sign up in advance or show any form of identification. Celebration is glad to play a part in serving families and promises to do the best they can to serve well.

How To Help Us:

If you are looking to volunteer with Celebration Food Distribution, please contact Susan@Celebrationchurchnc.com or register on the Celebrationchurchnc.com website by clicking on Food Distribution on the events page. We would love to have your help in sorting donated food, packing food bags as well as loading food into vehicles. There is opportunity for every age group and skill set. We always have a good time so join us for the next distribution!

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Canned Goods (Fruits, Vegetables, Meats, Beans, Soup)
• Cereal & Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Rice
• Peanut Butter

Green Road Community Library

Partner Food Pantry

The Women’s Center of С��Ѽ��Ƶ County is the only day shelter in С��Ѽ��Ƶ County dedicated to serving single women experiencing homelessness. Open every weekday, the Center offers a safe space where women can access essential services that support immediate needs and long-term stability. With strong community partnerships and support, the Women’s Center provides meals, clothing, hygiene products, case management, and access to medical and behavioral healthcare.

Guests can take showers, do laundry, use phones and computers, and receive breakfast, lunch, snacks, and to-go meals. The Center also hosts workshops, mutual aid groups, and recovery programs designed to help women build stability and move toward permanent housing.

There are many ways to get involved—from hosting meals to volunteering or donating supplies. To learn more about how you can support, visit: 

This month, Green Road Library will be accepting donations on behalf of the Women’s Center. Here are the most needed items:

• New adult-sized underwear
• Single-serve, ready-to-eat meals (ramen, mac & cheese cups, chili, Chef Boyardee, canned meats)

Your support helps provide dignity, comfort, and critical resources to women in our community.

Fuquay-Varina Community Library

Learn & Share with the Little Red Hen

Partner Food Pantry

has been open every Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon since September 2001. They currently serve between 400-500 families each month. Much of their support comes from food and monetary donations from the community which allows them to provide a well-rounded wagon loaded with enough food to last a week. Community donations are distributed based on client residence and government income guidelines to ensure your donations go to those in need living in our community.

In addition to non-perishable food donations, we accept extra garden produce on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons at 216 W. Academy Street where they get it into people’s homes immediately. We also supply toilet paper and bar soap, and even offer feminine hygiene products and pet food because we know these are important too.

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Canned Fruit
• Condiments – BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Salad Dressing
• Cereal – Hot or Cold
• Dry or Can Beans – Pintos, Black Beans, Lima, Navy, Kidney
• Canned Chicken
• Spaghetti Sauce, Pasta
• Rice – 1 pound bags preferred
• Snack Crackers
• Bar Soap

Southeast Regional Library

K-5th Adventures: Apple Slice “Donuts”!

Oxfam Hunger Banquet

Partner Food Pantries

is located on the campus of First Baptist Church of Garner. The address is 601 Saint Mary’s Street, Garner. The pantry serves 600-700 families every month and provides a week’s worth of groceries, including shelf-stable canned goods, frozen meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, assorted bread, bagels, pastries, and cakes. The pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday morning beginning at 11 AM. Any visitor who arrives by Noon will be served that day. Any person from anywhere may receive food. One does not need to be a Garner resident to receive food assistance. Community of Hope also hosts a Drive Through Food Pantry the 1st Thursday night of every month from 5:30 PM – 7 PM. Visitors do not have to get out of their cars. The pantry is also open for inside visits on the third Thursday of every month.

HOW TO HELP:

Along with donations, the pantry loves volunteers! If you or a group of individuals would like to volunteer, please reach out to Dennis Hensley at dennis.hensley@cohmin.org

Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Canned Goods (beans, tuna, chicken, soup)
• Crackers
• Peanut Butter
• Pasta Sauce (plastic or cans preferred)
• Oatmeal & Grits (individual packs)
• Pancake Mix

is a non-profit organization serving those in need in the Garner area for more than 40 years. We serve Garner zip codes 27529 and 27603. We provide food once a month to clients who qualify for this assistance.

In our first quarter of 2025 (Jan, Feb, Mar) we have helped to feed 296 clients. This is a 22.1% increase from our first quarter of 2024. We have seen a decrease in the number of individuals and groups giving food donations thus far this year.

Want to help? Here are the pantry’s most needed items:

• Peanut Butter
• Boxed Mac & Cheese
• Canned Meat (Spam, Chicken, Beef Stew, Chile)
• Rice/Rice Mixes
• Canned Fruit
• Tomato Sauce

Creating a Resilient & Equitable Food System

On March 20, 2023, С��Ѽ��Ƶ County Board of Commissioners approved a $7.2 million food plan update. Moving Beyond Hunger: Creating a Resilient & Equitable Food System is an update to the 2018 С��Ѽ��Ƶ County Food Plan.

These updates are the result of an equity-based steering committee, partner-organization workgroups, and research-based analysis of similar models. The steering committee was composed of community members with lived experience of poverty and/or strong advocacy roles in their community, as well as practitioners actively working in food system roles.

Planting Seeds for the Future

The Youth Summit includes youth in the conversation of food security, teaching skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to work in local food systems. The Summit provides an age-appropriate explanation of food security, as well as hands-on activities and lessons.

Building Leadership Skills

Youth participants gain perspective by connecting with leaders performing food security work in С��Ѽ��Ƶ County and sharing their voice through meaningful engagement opportunities.

С��Ѽ��Ƶ County Food Security Leaders

This annual event is open to 8th–12th grade students in С��Ѽ��Ƶ County each Hunger Awareness Month (June).

С��Ѽ��Ƶ County Cooperative Extension's VISTA team hosts the summit alongside local food systems leadership:

Summer Meals is a USDA federally funded program created to ensure food is available to youth during the summer months.

In North Carolina, nearly 1 in 5 children are living in food insecure households, and the loss of school meals is a significant impact on childhood hunger. All meals are free to community members 0–17 years old.

The Juntos Summer Academy is a residential camp held at NC State University. In 2023, the camp took place from June 12–17, with 105 high school participants from nine counties in North Carolina.

Youth engaged in career and skills workshops, a week-long project led by community professionals, and a field trip to С��Ѽ��Ƶ Technical Community College, amongst other activities. On the last afternoon of the Academy, students gathered at the McKimmon Center to participate in a community service activity called Juntos Apoyamos A Nuestra Comunidad | Together We Support Our Community.

For this year's community service activity, the Juntos program partnered with С��Ѽ��Ƶ County Cooperative Extension and NC State Extension's Farmworker Safety Department to host a Farm Safety Donation Drive.

Donations were collected in multiple locations across the county to stock care packages for farm workers arriving in North Carolina. Juntos Youth assembled care packages in reusable bags with items such as toiletries, sunblock, bandanas, gloves and other farm safety essentials. The donated items were distributed to 97 NC farm workers by Roberto Rosales, the Farmworker Safety Trainer at NC State Extension.

Information provided by: Lucía Planchón, Juntos Assistant Director
lplanch@ncsu.edu