News

Nourish Up recently held its inaugural Pantry to Plate cooking class in the Hunger Hub Teaching Kitchen. The launch of this program, designed by Community Outreach Director Chasidie Glover and funded in part by the Farm to Table Fund, is a dream come true for Nourish Up. And a game changer for Kimberly. “I’m gonna be honest, with you” she said. “I don’t eat healthy.” Kimberly was among the first class of attendees and learned about the opportunity from her Freedom Communities Moms Moving Forward alumni group. She and her MMF coach attended Pantry to Plate led by Chef Krzysztof from Atrium Sodexo, one of our major health care partners...

We couldn’t imagine a better way to close out Volunteer Appreciation Month than by celebrating the people who make it all happen.On Saturday, nearly 300 volunteers joined us for our first Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast in the Hunger Hub—transformed from warehouse to a celebratory space. It was a beautiful morning spent honoring the dedicated individuals who fuel our mission every day.We were proud to recognize the following incredible award recipients:Virginia Sampson Award2024 – Hope Covenant House at The Connecting Place2025 – Rogerline Lee / Statesville Avenue Presbyterian ChurchBeverly Howard Award2024 – Angie Caroway / Servant’s Heart of Mint Hill2025 – Mary Faulkner / Statesville Avenue Presbyterian ChurchAnn Elliot Award2024 – Diane and Charlie Bounds2025 – Carolyn and Jimmy WidemanLucy Bush Carter Award2024 – Cindy Jefferson2025 – Bill HardawayLifetime Achievement Award – Grace SolomanAt 96 years young, Grace brought the house down with a double standing ovation as she made her way to the stage on her own terms—an unforgettable moment that captured the spirit of the morning...

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Scouting for Food! Approximately 185,000 lbs of food was collected to help Nourish Up fight hunger in our community. Just look at all these bins—each holding up to 2,000 pounds of donations! The Nourish Up warehouse is now filled with Scouting for Food donations, ready to be sorted, packed, and distributed to neighbors throughout Mecklenburg County. We are grateful to Mecklenburg County Council of The Boy Scouts of America, WCNC Charlotte, Harris Teeter, and Stegall Trucking for making this all possible!

Quint Ulchar has grown up attending Scouting for Food. Now a sophomore at East Mecklenburg High School, this is a tradition he and his family keep. You might think Quint is one of the thousands of Charlotte area Scouts who participate each year bright and early, on a chilly February morning, but his is a different connection. As a youngster, Quint would come to work with his dad at Cardinal Camera in the Arboretum. One serendipitous Saturday, the Arboretum just happened to also feature a news crew from our friends at WCNC. A curious little Quint spotted the team from across the parking lot and wanted to know more and it's become a tradition ever since...

On Saturday, January 25, several members of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church gathered at the Hunger Hub for a special afternoon together. The group shared a meal, took a tour of our facility, and gathered to bless the lobby of the Nourish Up Food Lion Feeds Pantry—a space they generously supported through our capital campaign. This gathering was especially meaningful, as Loaves & Fishes—founded in 1975 at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church—is a key part of the foundation and history of Nourish Up. Fifty years later, the church remains deeply connected to our mission, continuing to fight food insecurity and support our neighbors...