TRI-AREA MINISTRY (TAM) Food Pantry, founded in 1988, is a nonprofit, non-denominational, 100% volunteer organization with a mission to provide food to the food insecure in our community.
Food is distributed to each client once a month. The Pantry is open for distribution on Mondays and Wednesdays and the second and third Saturday of the month from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm.
We receive federal food donations from the Food Assistance Program once a month. This assistance is administered by the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. We also purchase food from the North Carolina state run Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, at deeply discounted prices on a weekly basis. Additionally, we pick up fresh products from our retail partners – Lowes Foods, Food Lion, Aldi, and Sheetz.
Churches, individuals and community organizations provide both financial and food donations, making it possible for us to serve a great number of families each month.
TAM is the largest Food Pantry in the Wake Forest, Youngsville, and Rolesville area serving 1.200+ families each month. Each family who visits the Food Pantry receives a grocery bag containing different types of food, including dry goods such as cereal, rice and beans, canned goods as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, milk, eggs, butter and frozen meat, as well as other items based upon availability.
While we are proud of our efforts to serve so many families, we are also proud of our conservation efforts. We run an efficient operation – recycling cardboard and composting unusable food.
Facts About Hunger in North Carolina
According to NC Assoc. of Feeding America Food Banks (ncfoodbanks.org)
- NC is in the TOP 10 for the highest percentage of HUNGRY citizens
- 1 in 4 children in NC are “food insecure” (hungry).
- The average Food Assistance (Food Stamps) provided is $4.40 per person per day – so family of 4 gets $123 a week and a single person gets $31/week.
- 81% of NC households receiving food stamps don’t know where or when their next meal is coming.
- 22% of NC citizens on food stamps have at least one family member who has served in the Military.
- 3 of 4 teachers in Wake County report that they have hungry children in their classroom at least weekly.
- 36% of NC food pantries have been forced to close at some point due to lack of food.
