The North Carolina General Assembly appropriated $10 million to the Golden LEAF Foundation for the Food Distribution Assistance Program, a one-time initiative to strengthen the state’s food distribution network. Funded by federal State Fiscal Recovery Funds through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the program was designed to expand the capacity of nonprofits working alongside food banks to address food insecurity.
Funds could be used in three ways:
- To help nonprofit organizations become eligible partner agencies.
- To help current partner agencies enhance or expand capacity.
- To help nonprofits establish, enhance, or expand school-based weekend food assistance programs.
Read below about three of the projects awarded by the Golden LEAF Board of Directors in December 2023 to expand food distribution capacity in communities across the state. The program is closed and is not accepting applications.
United Way of Onslow County: Expanding CHEW Weekend Backpacks
The United Way of Onslow County, Inc. was awarded $73,223 by the Golden LEAF Board to support its Children’s Healthy Eating on Weekends (CHEW) program, a school-based weekend backpack initiative that provides nutritious meals to children facing food insecurity. The funding provided additional food bins, shelving, packing tables, and a new cargo van.
“The additional equipment has significantly improved both the efficiency and reach of the CHEW program,” said Shelly Kieweg, Director of Family Stability. “With proper shelving and bins, we can now organize, store, and access food more effectively, which reduces the time spent on sorting and packing. Packing tables have streamlined the assembly of CHEW bags, allowing our volunteers to work more quickly and with fewer errors. Most importantly, the cargo van has greatly expanded our capacity to transport larger quantities of food, enabling us to serve more children and deliver to multiple sites in a single trip.”
The CHEW program reported distributing over 7,000 backpacks over a year. Volunteers have played a critical role in CHEW’s success.
“Together, these improvements ensure that we can reach more families in need while using our volunteers and staff time as efficiently as possible,” said Kieweg. “The dedication of our volunteers allows us to reach and serve our community in ways that would not be possible otherwise.”
Looking ahead, the CHEW program aims to serve even more children in Onslow County and build stronger community partnerships to sustain growth.
“Our goal is to reach even more students in Onslow County who are experiencing food insecurity, ensuring that every child has access to nutritious meals on the weekends,” said Kieweg. “As the program grows, we plan to strengthen our partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and community members to support this expansion while maintaining the high quality and consistency of the program.”
Chatham Outreach Alliance (CORA): Choice Pantries and a New Siler City Location
The Chatham Outreach Alliance (CORA) was awarded $120,819 by the Golden LEAF Board to expand its choice pantry services. CORA’s pantries are designed like neighborhood grocery stores, allowing families to select the foods that meet their needs and cultural traditions.
“CORA’s Choice Food Pantries have transformed the way families experience food assistance,” said Melissa Driver Beard, Executive Director of CORA. “Instead of receiving pre-packaged bags, neighbors now step into spaces where they can choose the foods that best fit their lives. This model promotes dignity, supports better health, and strengthens community connections.”
Golden LEAF funding supported equipment like cold storage, shelving, utility carts, and a refrigerated truck. CORA was able to serve more than 3,000 households and distribute 200,000 pounds of food to families in need in a year.
“The equipment funded through the Golden LEAF Foundation has been a game-changer for CORA,” said Beard. “It has allowed us to operate more efficiently and expand our capacity to provide fresh produce, meats, dairy, and culturally relevant foods. The refrigerated truck improved our ability to transport fresh food from partners like the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Together, these upgrades ensure that more families across Chatham County can access healthy food while experiencing dignity and choice.”
CORA also recently opened a new pantry in Siler City, addressing a critical need in western Chatham County.
“Many families we serve live in Siler City but face barriers traveling to our Pittsboro pantry,” Beard noted. “Now, they have a welcoming, grocery store style pantry close to home. Families can select foods that reflect their needs and traditions while accessing fresh produce, proteins, and staples that support healthy living.”
One Step Further: Increasing Efficiency and a new High Point location
One Step Further received $226,688 in funding from the Golden LEAF Board to expand its Community Support and Nutrition Program (CSNP). Funding supported equipment, a new receiving area, and expanded pantry services in Greensboro.
“Our new receiving area has been a game changer,” said Susan Cox, CSNP Program Director. “It allows us to receive and send out deliveries without going through our market shopping floor, which means we can move more product throughout the day. The large equipment, like stackers, and the new shelving have made it possible for us to manage inventory on a first-in, first-out basis much more efficiently. Because of the shelving height, we’re also able to accept more donations without taking up precious floor space.”
Over a year, CSNP reported serving over 2,300 households and distributing over 199,000 pounds of food, which included 422 new families added to the distribution program.
“The equipment purchased with Golden LEAF funding has allowed us to double the amount of fresh produce and frozen products we can access, store, and distribute,” said Cox. “Altogether, these upgrades have helped us expand our reach and serve more families in need.”
Previously operating only an online ordering system in High Point, the organization was able to launch an in-person mini market as a “ripple effect” of the funding, expanding its reach in Guildford County.
“Before the Golden LEAF funding, we were running an online order system in High Point,” said Cox. “With this funding, we had the capacity to bring a true in-person market shopping experience to the community. This expansion has allowed us to distribute a wider variety of foods, including fresh produce and frozen products. Golden LEAF funding helped us to secure additional resources that supported the expansion.”
From school-based weekend backpack programs to choice food pantries and expanded locations, this funding appropriated to Golden LEAF by the North Carolina General Assembly has helped thousands of North Carolinians access healthy food while promoting dignity, efficiency, and sustainability across the state.