A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Watauga, North Carolina distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.
There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.
Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.
Salvation Army Food Pantry
The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.
The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Watauga, North Carolina from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.
We have located 0 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Church Food Pantry
A number of churches around Watauga, North Carolina have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.
Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.
Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.
We have located 2 Church Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Greenway Baptist Church
The Greenway Food Pantry is a ministry of the church that strives to serve those in our church and community who are in need of food assistance for their family.
The food Pantry is located in the east wing of the main church building. It is open Thursdays from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. Please do not arrive on campus until 9:45 am. We are a self choice pantry, meaning the guest is able to choose up to 15 items for their family. Guests are able to shop weekly as needed.
During inclement weather, please call ahead to make sure the food pantry will be open.
For more information about pantry services, please contact 828-264-7750.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 264-7750 to book your appointment.
Address :
880 Greenway Rd,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Watauga
FaithBridge United Methodist Church
Casting Bread Food Pantry and soup kitchen is a local mission supported by Faithbridge United Methodist Church. We offer food for clients every Wednesday and Thursday and provide referrals for additional support as needed. We also have a soup kitchen on these days to provide a hot meal and conversation for those who need it. Our clients may visit our pantry to pick up a client choice box of food once per month, but are free to visit our soup kitchen twice a week, every week if they wish. Our soup kitchen is open to all, not just our clients.
Casting Bread Food Pantry - Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 to 3:00 pm.
Soup Kitchen on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, we would love to help in any way we are able or refer you to those who are better equipped to assist with your need. We exist to serve our community, so please contact us.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- navigating the system
- spiritual support
- meals
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 295-8333 to book your appointment.
Address :
194 Aho Rd,
Blowing Rock, NC 28605.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: Closed
- Tues: Closed
- Wed: 10:30 AM - 03:00 PM
- Thurs: 10:30 AM - 03:00 PM
- Fri: Closed
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Caldwell
- Watauga
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.
Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.
Catholic Charities in Watauga, North Carolina are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.
The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.
First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.
We have located 0 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Helping Hands Food Pantry
Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Watauga, North Carolina almost entirely by volunteers.
It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.
Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.
We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Mobile Food Pantry
The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Watauga, North Carolina in need during large-scale one-day distributions.
A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.
Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.
Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024
Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.
Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.
We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Watauga, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Watauga, North Carolina much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.
It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.
We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
Food Pantry Delivery Program
Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Watauga, North Carolina area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.
Food Pantry
We have located 8 Food Pantry locations in Watauga, North Carolina which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.
ALFA AIDS Leadership Foothills Area Alliance
ALFA's mission is to improve the lives and health of those affected by HIV/AIDS while preventing transmission through education and testing. We provide client services to anyone diagnosed with HIV/AIDS including resource and referral, case management, emergency financial assistance,transportation, food pantry, and client empowerment activities. ALFA Client Services staff members work together to answer questions and help people infected or affected by HIV to connect with community resources and services
ALFA case managers are available Monday through Friday to provide support, information, and referrals to persons living with HIV in the foothills area of North Carolina. We can assist with things like locating an HIV-friendly dentist, filling out a form for ADAP or Medicare coverage, providing information about grants for home repair, or finding support to combat discrimination based on HIV status. Often we can answer questions quickly and confidentially with just a phone call or brief office visit.
ALFA provides free & confidential HIV testing daily at our office- 9- 4:30.
All services are free and confidential, and available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language.
If you are living with HIV and believe you may need case management services, please contact us by calling 828-322-1447.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- transportation
- health education
- disease management
- sex education
- disease screening
- financial assistance
- navigating the system
- help fill out forms
- support network
- one-on-one support
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 322-1447 to book your appointment.
Address :
1120 Fairgrove Church Rd SE, SUITE 28,
Hickory, NC 28602.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Burke
- Caldwell
- Catawba
- Lincoln
- Watauga
- Wilkes
Loving Food Resources
Loving Food Resources provides food, health and personal care items to people in 18 counties of Western North Carolina who are living with HIV/AIDS or who are in home hospice care with any diagnosis.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- personal care items
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 255-9282 to book your appointment.
Address :
,
San Diego, CA 92109.
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Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Avery
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Cherokee
- Clay
- Graham
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Jackson
- Macon
- Madison
- Mcdowell
- Mitchell
- Polk
- Rutherford
- Swain
- Transylvania
- Watauga
- Yancey
YMCA of Western North Carolina
The Healthy Living Pantry (HLP) is a resource to families in Asheville and surrounding communities who need temporary food assistance. The goal of our pantry is to provide food assistance and create lifelong healthy eating habits by providing fresh produce, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Cooking demonstrations include ingredients offered in the pantry that week so participants learn how best to cook the food they receive. Nutrition and cooking demonstrations start at 4:35pm on scheduled nights and distribution is 5pm–6:30pm.
For more information please contact Lisa Riggsbee, healthy living manager-nutrition programs, at lriggsbee@ymcawnc.org or 828 775 7081.
Services provided :
- emergency food
- food pantry
- nutrition education
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 775-7081 to book your appointment.
Address :
201 Beaverdam Rd,
Asheville, NC 28804.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Alexander
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Avery
- Buncombe
- Burke
- Caldwell
- Catawba
- Cherokee
- Clay
- Cleveland
- Graham
- Haywood
- Henderson
- Jackson
- Macon
- Madison
- Mcdowell
- Mitchell
- Polk
- Rutherford
- Stokes
- Surry
- Swain
- Transylvania
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yancey
Hunger & Health Coalition
The Hunger & Health Coalition is a non profit organization dedicated to assisting low income families in Watauga, Ashe and Avery counties in northwest North Carolina. We are a resource for individuals and families within our community that are struggling to provide themselves with basic needs.
Services:
•Healthy Start-Provides nutritious, kid friendly foods on a weekly basis to Head Start participants in Watauga county. Participation in the Head Start program is required.
•Snacks for Scholars-Provides nutritious snack foods to school age children. Participation in any HHC Food Assistance program required.
•Backpack Program-Provides healthy food to children to take home during weekends and other times away from school. Eligibility for the BackPack program is determined by the partner school.
•Prescription Assistance Program-Link clients with patient assistance programs offered through pharmaceutical companies for long term prescription needs. Eligibility is income based and varies by program.
•Helping Hands Wood Lot-In partnership with Grace Lutheran Church, the Helping Hands Wood Lot provides firewood for heating and cooking. Participation in HHC programs or a referral from a Community Partner required.
•Community Thanksgiving Dinner-Volunteers and local business come together to provide a traditional turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Anyone in the community is invited to attend
•Sharing Tree & Senior Sharing Tree-Provides food and gifts to client families with children under age 17 or seniors over age 65. Community member “adopt” families in need and deliver gift items to the home of the “adopted” family.
Ask us about our wonderful programs by calling us at 828-262-1628 or email us.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- home fuels
- toys & gifts
- prescription assistance
- navigating the system
- meals
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 262-1628 to book your appointment.
Address :
141 Health Center Dr, SUITE C,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Tues: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Wed: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Thurs: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Fri: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Ashe
- Avery
- Watauga
Hospitality House of the Boone Area Inc.
Bread of Life is the only kitchen in the High Country serving 3-meals-a-day, 7/365-days-a-year. Meals are provided to all residents and any community members in poverty and need. The meals are managed by our food service coordinator and prepared by churches, civic organizations, and volunteers.
Our Food Box Program is available to those in the community who qualify for low-income assistance.
Meals are available everyday:
Breakfast: 6:30 am - 8:30 am
Lunch: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Dinner: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Food boxes are available everyday from 9:00 - 11:00 am and 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- meals
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 264-1237 to book your appointment.
Address :
338 Brookhollow Rd,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Avery
- Mitchell
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yancey
Hunger & Health Coalition
Our food pantry provides food to families in need. Families can receive a box of food twice each month.
We would be happy to discuss your needs in person or call us at 828-262-1628.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 262-1628 to book your appointment.
Address :
141 Health Center Dr, SUITE C,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Tues: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Wed: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Thurs: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Fri: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Watauga
Hunger & Health Coalition
The Market distributes fresh produce, bread and deli items to families. The food is available in a 'shopping environment' offering clients freedom to choose food their families enjoy. All food in the Market is available on a daily basis.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 262-1628 to book your appointment.
Address :
141 Health Center Dr, SUITE C,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM EST
- Tues: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM EST
- Wed: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM EST
- Thurs: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM EST
- Fri: 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM EST
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Help Residents of Counties:
- Watauga
Hunger and Health Coalition
The mission of the Hunger and Health Coalition is to relieve poverty and hunger in a compassionate manner for families and individuals who are experiencing economic hardship and food shortages. This assistance may include food, medicine, and referrals to other community resources. The Hunger and Health Coalition meets emergency needs while acting as a community resource assisting those in need to find a more permanent solution. Food Pantry: Families can receive a box of food twice each month. The Food Pantry is stocked from purchases from the Second Harvest Bank of Northwest North Carolina, donations from individuals, businesses and community groups.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (828) 262-1628 to book your appointment.
Address :
141 Health Center Dr,
Boone, NC 28607.
Get Directions
Hours Of Operations :
- Mon:
- Tues:
- Wed:
- Thurs:
- Fri:
- Sat:
- Sun:
Help Residents of Cities:
- Boone
Help Residents of Counties:
- Watauga
Drive-thru Food Pantries
Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.
Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?
Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.
Only two piece of information is asked
- You Zipcode, and
- Number of people in their family.
You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.
How do drive-thru pantries actually work?
There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:
Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.
Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.
Checkin.
You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.
Food is loaded into the cars.
Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.
Pet Food Pantry
One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.
The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Watauga, North Carolina
Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry
Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:
- All ages, races and marital status
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Retired, living on social security or other limited income
- Physically or mentally disabled
- Experiencing homelessness or housing instability
Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry
Show up early.
This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.
You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.
Remember all documentation.
Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.
This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.
It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.
Use several food banks.
Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.
For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.
Eligible for other programs?
Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.
They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
Ask about extras.
If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.
Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.
Go on different days of the week.
Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.
Be polite to workers.
Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.
FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?
Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.
2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. Who can go to food pantry?
At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.
4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?
A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.
5. How does a food pantry work?
Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.