Sources of free food for seniors

Before the coronavirus, already as much as 12% of North Carolina residents over the age of 60, suffered from hunger. No doubt that number will climb higher. Here are local sources of free food for the elderly.

Posted 1:00 p.m. Apr 2, 2020 — Updated 1:00 p.m. Apr 2, 2020

Liisa Ogburn

“I’m hungry,” the gentleman told Sally Haile, when she picked up the phone for Meals on Wheels. Wake County has a waitlist of almost 100 applicants on its Meals on Wheels roster, so she immediately called Resources for Seniors, who enlisted another organization to deliver a box of food that afternoon.

The most recent national survey on hunger among elders, conducted in 2017, found that 8% of Americans over 60 (an estimated 5.5 million seniors) suffer from hunger. In NC, reportedly 12% of seniors do.

And this was before the coronavirus. Now, with a state-wide shelter-in-place mandate, many of the nonprofits that helped fill this need, as well as the volunteers who helped cook, package and distribute food, are closed for the next thirty days.

Here is a list of those currently in operation in Wake County. Because the list is constantly changing, call ahead to make sure they are still open. Resources for Seniors in Wake County is the best source for what is available on a daily basis.

Community of Hope Ministries

Hours of Operation: Tuesdays and Thursdays – 11:00am-12:00pm

3rd Thursday of every month – 6:00-7:00pm

Our goal is to offer families in need a seven day supply of food for each person in the household. Families are eligible to come once/month.

Food Bank of Eastern & Central NC

Search their database to find an open food bank near you.

Interfaith Food Shuttle

Mobile Markets meet people in their neighborhoods with free food. See April calendar for dates and locations.

North Raleigh Ministries Food Pantry

Pantry hours: Mon, Tue, and Thu 10:30 A.M. to 2 P.M. and Wed 4:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Drive up for curbside pick up and call in: 919-844-6676 x 1 (NRM services are open to residents of zip codes 27604, 27609, 27612, 27613, 27614, 27615, and 27616.)

Wake County Food Pantries List

Regularly updated list of Wake County food pantries operating during COVID-19

Western Wake Crisis Ministry Food Pantry Services

Now available Mon-Thurs from 11 am to 2 pm and 2nd and 4th Thurs. from 6:30 to 8 pm for residents of Apex, New Hill, Friendship, Holly Springs, and Fuqua-Varina.

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