Hunger doesn’t take a summer holiday.
The Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina reports that nearly 300,000 children in the 34 counties it serves rely on free and reduced-cost meals at school to get them through the day.
For them, summertime doesn't mean a fun-filled vacation. For them, no school means no meals.
You can help the Food Bank and local food pantries to keep children fed and healthy. Here’s how to donate food to our neighbors in need.
Stop Summer Hunger: The annual food and funds drive of the Food Bank, this program provides additional food to feed children and families during this season of increased need.
Most-needed items include canned fruits, vegetables, meat and soup (pop-top cans and low sodium a plus!); whole grain pasta, brown rice, dried beans and cereal; peanut butter; infant formula and cereal; kids’ fruit cups, juice boxes, granola bars, crackers, popcorn and sugar-free pudding cups. foodbankcenc.org
Brown Bag Ministry, Apex: The 2015 Cary Magazine Gives Back partner, this organization provides weekly lunches to the needy.
You can help, with donations of peanut butter and jelly; canned meats, soups and fruits; rice; instant oatmeal packets; bagged cereals; elderly nutrition drinks such as Ensure; infant formula; lunch meats and sliced cheese; granola bars; and bottled water. (844) 538-4673, brownbagministry.org
Dorcas Ministries, Cary: Critical needs are cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, canned fruit, peanut butter, rice macaroni and cheese. Donations are accepted at Dorcas Ministries, 187 High House Road in Cary. (919) 469-1351, dorcas-cary.org
PORCH-Western Wake: Super easy! This all-volunteer organization operates on a neighborhood basis to collect and distributes food, with monthly donations collected from each donor's front porch on specified dates. porch-westernwake.org
Western Wake Crisis Ministry, Apex: Visitors to the community food pantry can “shop” for the items they need, free of charge, to promote dignity and reduce food waste. Donation needs include canned meats, canned vegetables and soup, canned fruit, rice, cereal, pasta and sauce, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and dry beans.
Drop off at 103 E. Chatham St., Apex Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or at Apex Baptist or Apex United Methodist churches weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (919) 362-0657, wwcm.org
Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Pantry: Serving more than 500 families each month, this pantry continuously needs donations of canned and dry goods.
Drop off at 216 W. Academy St., Fuquay-Varina on Tuesdays between 9 and 11:45 a.m., or Thursdays between 3 and 5:45 p.m. Food donations may also be dropped off Century 21, 407 N. Judd Parkway, or at Coldwell Banker, 528 N. Main St. (919) 552-7720, fvfoodpantry.com
Holly Springs Food Cupboard: Current needs here include peanut butter; jelly in plastic containers; cereal; canned fruit, meat and pasta; sauces of all kinds in plastic containers; single serving boxed shelf-stable milk; small pop-top cans of tuna, chicken, or Vienna sausages; small pop-top fruit.
The cupboard, located at 621 W. Holly Springs Road, accepts food donations on Mondays between 9 and 11 a.m., and Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m.
Community drop-off sites are Edward Jones Investments, 140 Oak Hall Drive; Fonville Morisey Realty, Sunset Lake Road; Holly Springs Town Hall; Little Pros Academy, 300 Earnie Lane; Sunrise United Methodist Church, 5420 Sunset Lake Road; Supercuts, 612 Holly Springs Road; and The Little Gym, 7232 GB Alford Highway. (919) 577-2210, hsfoodcupboard.org
