CPO Home Delivery Program Brings Groceries and Compassion Straight to Families’ Doors
In an effort to reach homebound neighbors facing transportation barriers, Catholic Parish Outreach Food Pantry (CPO), a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh, has expanded its services through a home delivery program, bringing food and fellowship directly to clients who are unable to visit the pantry in person.
Now entering its fourth year, the CPO Home Delivery Program began as a small pilot with just a handful of families. Initially supported by a national partnership with DoorDash, the program took a turn when the grant funding for delivery services ended. That’s when longtime volunteer Carl Gerdus stepped in with a simple solution: “Why not let volunteers do it?” he asked. And so “CarlDash” was born.
“We started with just Carl making deliveries twice a week,” said Susan Hicks, Health Education Specialist at CPO. “Now, we have seven drivers, some individuals and some husband-and-wife teams, making over 115 deliveries each month.”
The program serves a growing network of homebound clients, many of whom are referred by agencies such as the Durham VA, Wake County Women’s Health, and Carolina Outreach. Several deliveries also go to residents at a low-income senior apartment complex in Raleigh, where neighbors quickly spread the word about the much-needed service.
“This isn’t something we advertise,” Hicks explained. “It’s a grassroots effort built through trust and relationships. The clients we serve truly can’t make it to us, so we bring food to them.”
Clients receive a curated grocery package that includes fresh produce, bread, meat, and dry goods all packed in manageable boxes to make delivery safer and more efficient for volunteers.
Volunteerism has been at the heart of this initiative since the beginning. Jane and Rick Bourbina, a couple dedicated to serving together, began delivering groceries each Wednesday after years of volunteering in CPO’s warehouse. “It’s an easy way to help and it matters,” said Jane. “We deliver to folks who truly need it.”
“We know we can’t reach everyone,” Hicks said. “But each month, we reach a few more. This is about dignity, relationships, and meeting people where they are—literally.”
Through the CPO Home Delivery Program, Catholic Charities continues to fulfill its mission: providing help, creating hope, and feeding the hungry with compassion and care.