Because of your generosity, Catholic Charities is bringing healthy groceries closer to more neighbors across central and eastern North Carolina. From expanded mobile food pantry distributions to increased volunteer involvement, our growing reach reflects a community committed to caring for one another. Behind every number is a family finding support, a volunteer answering the call, and a neighbor welcomed with dignity.
Together, We’re Reaching More Neighbors
17
Mobile Food Pantry Distributions Each Month
Nearly triple the monthly distributions in FY 2022.
300,000+
Individuals
Impacted
More than double the individuals impacted in FY 2022
8 of 8
Regions of the
Diocese Reached
Food assistance now reaches every region of the Diocese of Raleigh.
Our Growth: FY 2022 to FY 2026
Expanded Reach
Growing Capacity
Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for families across central and eastern North Carolina. But together, we have expanded our services and strengthened the resources that will help Catholic Charities continue meeting this need for years to come.
We Recognized the Need. We Planned for the Future.
Families were already struggling. Too many neighbors across central and eastern North Carolina lacked reliable access to healthy food.
We chose to plan ahead. Catholic Charities set out to reach underserved communities and strengthen food assistance for the future.
That preparation mattered. When demand increased in the years that followed, we were better positioned to respond.
1 in 4
Children facing
food insecurity
1 in 12
Seniors facing
food insecurity
181
communities with low access
to healthy food
Challenges facing the Diocese of Raleigh when the Nourishing Our Neighbors Campaign was launched.
Planning for tomorrow helped us answer the growing need through:
Accessibility
Education
Sustainability
ACCESSIBILITY
EDUCATION
SUSTAINABILITY
Your Giving In Action
Your support became something tangible: groceries delivered closer to home, gardens that put fresh produce within reach, and a food truck created to help sustain mobile pantry services. These stories show what the Nourishing Our Neighbors Campaign has made possible.
We Meet Families Where They Are
After Hurricane Florence in 2018, Fair Bluff lost its only grocery store. Catholic Charities responded with monthly mobile food pantry distributions, bringing healthy groceries directly to families in Columbus County. That effort helped shape the mobile pantry service we know today. In 2026, Fair Bluff welcomed a new grocery store, and Catholic Charities looks forward to redirecting resources to another community where access remains limited.
Growing Food. Sharing Hope.
What began with community garden beds has grown into Lettuce Love. Families receive pre-planted buckets to tend at home, with mentorship and support through the growing season. The original gardens and dedicated volunteers are also producing fresh food to share with neighbors. Along with Tar River, Lettuce Love is being offered in Albemarle, Fayetteville, and New Bern.
A Meal That Makes More Possible.
Savor Food Truck turns a good meal into a way to help neighbors. Created as a social enterprise, Savor is designed to generate ongoing funding for Catholic Charities mobile food pantries. In its first 10 months, the truck served fresh meals at more than 100 events across the Triangle. Every visit invites the community to be part of a solution built to last.
A COMMUNITY THAT CAME TOGETHER
It Took Everyone.
The Nourishing Our Neighbors Campaign succeeded because people came together around a shared commitment: helping our neighbors access healthy food. That generosity reached across the Diocese of Raleigh and brought new friends into the Catholic Charities mission.
Broad Support
8 of 8
Diocesan regions represented by donors
New Friends
18%
First-time Catholic Charities Donors
With Gratitude to Our Steering Committee
We thank the campaign steering committee for its leadership, encouragement, and dedication throughout this effort.
Jim Baker and Karen Swoboda | Co-Chairs
John Healy • Trish Healy • Carman Liuzzo
Together, We Did It.
And the generosity that brought us to this milestone will keep nourishing our neighbors for years to come.
The New Face of Food Pantry Services
The Nourishing Our Neighbors Campaign did more than expand our ability to provide food. It helped reimagine how Catholic Charities walks alongside families, bringing nutritious food, practical knowledge, and lasting opportunities closer to home.
More than a pantry. A new way to nourish our neighbors.
This transformation is taking shape across central and eastern North Carolina:
Accessibility – Healthy Food, Closer to Home
Families across central and eastern North Carolina have access to nutritious groceries closer to where they live. With fewer barriers to receiving food assistance, neighbors can devote more of their time and resources to building stability and moving toward self-sufficiency.
Education – Growing Healthy Habits for Generations
Families have the knowledge and confidence to grow fresh produce, choose nutritious foods, and prepare balanced meals. These opportunities help make healthy eating part of everyday life, creating habits that can be shared with the next generation.
Sustainability – A Lasting Source of Support
Through the Savor Food Truck, enjoying a great meal becomes an opportunity to nourish a neighbor. This innovative approach creates a source of earned revenue intended to sustain and strengthen mobile food pantry services, helping healthy food reach families for years to come.