Northern Community Food Security Team

NCFST Overview

In February 2018, the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners endorsed Wake County’s Comprehensive Food Security Plan making the Town the first in Wake County to join our area’s local food council, the Capital Area Food Network (CAFN). The plan is designed to move the county towards strategies that address hunger now and in the future. 

The Northern Community Food Security Team (NCFST) was created to develop and launch a viable food security plan for northern Wake County that aligns with the CAFN plan. The Wake Forest Board of Commissioners charged NCFST with enlisting community members, food security organizations, resource experts, and other stakeholders to develop activities, policies, and partnerships that will move the county towards food security and a sustainable food future.

If you would like to join a CAFN circle, please complete and submit our online form.

CAFN has a COVID-19 resource page for families, farmers, and small businesses that work within the food system. Please forward to those who need it, or use any information on your sites as needed. 

NECC Community Garden & Gathering Space 

Volunteers are needed to make the NECC Community Garden, 504 N. Taylor St., a success. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to volunteer! Visit the Northeast Community Coalition website to learn more.

Garden hours: Thursdays, 11 am-3 pm

Volunteer days: First and third Saturdays of each month 

Facebook: /wfnecc

Instagram: @necccoalition

NCFST Mobile Market  
2nd Tuesday of each month  |  3-5 pm  |  350 E. Holding Ave.

The Northern Community Food Security Team (NCFST) is partnering with Ripe for Revival to offer a monthly mobile grocery store on the second Thursday of each month from 3-5 p.m. across from the Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave. Offering fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy from local and regional farmers on a pay-what-you-can scale, the Ripe for Revival Mobile Market will make its inaugural debut Thursday, Sept. 14.

Ripe for Revival utilizes its network of farmer and food industry relationships to narrow the gap between farm excess and food access. The company purchases “retired” city or school buses, renovates them to include refrigerators and freezers, and transforms them into Mobile Markets that can drive into communities impacted by food insecurity. 

Learn More

Community Meals

Wake Forest Community Table - Meals are served Mondays at Hope House from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at Olive Branch Baptist Church from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. They offer take home meals, casseroles, produce and groceries. Volunteers may sign up to help serve. For more information or to make a donation, contact Joy Shillingburg.

Upcoming Events 

2023 NCFST Quarterly Meetings 

The NCFST will host in person meetings on the following Tuesdays from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm. All are welcome to attend. Please email to RSVP for lunch.

• April 11, 2023 (Request meeting notes)

• August 29, 2023 (Request meeting notes)

Ongoing Initiatives 

Volunteer Recruitment 

Established an online volunteer registration form to help recruit volunteers for the various programs. 

Hope House 

The Hope House feeds the community every Thursday. NCFST assists with picking up food from Raleigh and delivering/sorting at the HOPE House several times per month. 

CROP Walk
Each year we support the efforts of the CROP Walk for Hunger

Recent Initiatives 

Food HUB

For approximately 2 years the NCFST operated a remote Food Hub to assist about 15 local food pantries. Weekly, we provided fresh produce, shelf stable goods and on occasion meat & dairy. This was possible through the CAFN ARPA funding program. 

Weekend Meals Program 

In partnership with the WCPSS lunch/breakfast drive by pick up, we have partnered with several local non-profits to assist with food bags/boxes of shelf stable non-perishable items. 

Town of Wake Forest donated pickup truck 

The Town donated a truck to help deliver food and help with gleaning efforts. 

Rise Against Hunger

This event was a meal packing event at the Wake Forest Boys & Girls. They packed several thousand meals and helped to stock the Tri Area Ministry, as volunteers were asked to bring donations. There were about 200 volunteers from local community groups. 

The Triangle Blessing Box has partnered with and is located at the Hope House

Our Mission at the Triangle Blessing Box, is to provide a 24/7 judgement free pantry, where community members are encouraged to take what they need and leave what they can. There is also a lockbox inside where people can write specific requests, and the Blessing Box team work to fill that need. The Blessing Box is also aimed at connecting neighbors on a more personal level to help bridge the gap in our community with those in need and those who want to help. The address for the Hope House is 334 North Allen Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587.

Approved for the Alston-Massenburg to be a Family Summer Feeding Program

More details forthcoming regarding this partnership with Wake Forest Parks & Recreation Department, Olive Branch Baptist Church, the Northeast Community Coalition and others. For more information, contact Joy Shillingsburg.

Partnership with the Northeast Community Coalition (NECC), Wake Forest Parks & Recreation Department Cooking Classes at the Alston-Massenburg Center  
EFNEP will be leading this cooking classes with capacity at 25 participants. There will be more classes in the future.

Feed the Community food distribution under the Pavilion at Alston-Massenburg Center

On March 16, Food Bank in Raleigh delivered 10-12,000 pounds of food and it was distributed to over 100 families. Stay tuned for more dates in the future.

Potato Drop at St. Catherine's of Siena

Hundreds of volunteers worked together to bag about 25,000 pounds of white potatoes. It was a partnership between local churches, food pantries, youth groups and military/vets - at the end of the event all waste and pallets were delivered to a local community garden.  

Town donates laptop computers to local food pantries

One of the immediate needs identified in the CAFN Plan was for laptops at local food pantries. In response, the Town recently donated four (4) laptops to local food pantries. 

Photo Gallery