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. Chef donated his time to present, educate, enlighten, coach, and inspire a class of ten eager participants.

Chef taught the class how to make a vinaigrette salad dressing, berry bites, and a whole roasted chicken. “The chicken was my favorite! It was so easy, and the chef was so patient and positive,” said Kimberly. “He led us step-by-step, which is good for me because I’m a hands-on person.” But Chef took it further and added extra insights like how to add spices or make substitutions. “And it was delicious! I made a jar of salad dressing and brought it to my mom. She said it was excellent.”

When Nourish Up imagined a Teaching Kitchen in our new facility, it was with the goal of engaging our community and neighbors in nutritious eating paired with healthy cooking. “Access to food does nothing for our neighbors in need if they don’t have the tools to cook it,” said an impassioned Glover who is also one of Nourish Up’s Registered Dietitians. If a grocery recipient is unfamiliar with a veggie and/or how to prepare it, it is going to go to waste. The Pantry to Plate program provides resources for fresh food, but also recipes and instructions and suggestions for meal prepping. And our friends from Truist Bank also donated kitchen utensils for each attendee.

“It’s so easy to just go to McDonald’s and get fast food for my kids and me,” admits Kimberly. “But this class taught me that it can be quick and easy to fix healthy foods. Chef taught us so much in only 45 minutes. If I can learn it, anyone can.”

“At Nourish Up, we believe that food is medicine,” says CEO Tina Postel. “Food insecurity is often accompanied by one or more underlying chronic health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. If we only give food, but no tools for how to prepare it, or only give unhealthy food options, we are only adding to the problem.”

“The doctors recommend for me to eat better, but sometimes I’m confused,” Kimberly admitted. “Chef taught us about which vegetables help what. Like, I have low iron, and he had beets and spinach and told me they will help that.”

Offering a nutrition education program — where our neighbors can come together in a safe and comfortable setting, get to know one another, and gain valuable knowledge — is a win-win. Added online resources like videos and downloadable recipes bridge the time between monthly Pantry to Plate classes.

Kimberly has two young children — a son, 3, and a daughter who is 5. Not only was she able to bring them with her to the Pantry to Plate childcare room, but she was also inspired to teach them how to eat, purchase, and cook better. As the class concluded, there was a drawing for a Harris Teeter gift card. “I won it, and I immediately went and bought fresh food.”

“Then I went to our Moms Moving Forward group chat and recommended it to all the other single moms like me. We can’t be good moms if we’re not healthy.”

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Thank you to Metrolina Greenhouse for the donation of lovely flowers, to Harris Teeter for adding to our delicious breakfast, and to Delectables by Holly for catering. Gratitude also goes to Marlene Jeter for shepherding our guests to and from Victory Christian Center School.

To our Board and Nourish Up staff—thank you for working the event and taking care of our volunteers who are the life force of our organization.

See photos from the event  here.

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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!

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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. Quint’s mother Cassandra explains, “We get up early, pack up our food donations, and arrive even before the troops to drop off food—and, of course, say hi to Larry Sprinkle.” This year was particularly special, as Quint’s foster brother, Leo, joined in the effort, making the tradition even more meaningful.

Scouting for Food has been a Charlotte event for more than three decades supporting Nourish Up (formerly Loaves & Fishes / Friendship Trays) through food and monetary donations. “It is our largest food drive of the year,” says Nourish Up CEO Tina Postel. “We are grateful for generations of Scouts and Scout leaders/parents who make this possible and the donors who support the effort.”

Want to follow in Quint’s footsteps? There’s still time to help! You can donate food at Nourish Up (901 Carrier Drive) or contribute online. Every donation makes a difference—join the tradition and help fight hunger in our community.

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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. The Holy Comforter Episcopal Church Pantry Lobby serves as a welcoming space, offering love and compassion to everyone who walks through its doors.

We invite you to stop by the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church Pantry Lobby of the Nourish Up Food Lion Feeds Pantry to see a collection of historical photos showcasing the early days of the first Loaves & Fishes pantry and the dedicated volunteers who made it all possible.

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Saturday, February 1, the Scouting America Mecklenburg County Council is once again Scouting for Food. Scouts go door-to-door throughout Mecklenburg Co. collecting non-perishable food items for Nourish Up, formerly Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays. The 114,373 pounds of food collected in last year’s Scouting for Food Drive helped Nourish Up feed 164,608 neighbors in need in 2024. A 19% increase over the previous year. 

The week prior to Feb. 1, Mecklenburg Co. Scouts distribute Scouting for Food Door Hangers, generously provided by Harris Teeter, in neighborhoods throughout the county. If you receive a door hanger, simply fill a bag or box with non-perishable food items and leave outside your home by 9 a.m. for pick-up by the Scouts on Saturday, Feb. 1.  

Priority needs include canned fruit (in fruit juice), canned meats, canned pastas, and canned vegetables. We are especially in need of low sodium, low fat and low sugar items. No glass or expired items please!  

If a scout does not leave a door hanger on your door, you can still give! You can drop off food donations at any of the locations listed below on Saturday, Feb. 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or Sunday, Feb. 2, 12:30-2:30 p.m. at certain locations (indicated below), OR Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Nourish Up Hunger Hub located at 901 Carrier Drive.   

If you prefer to make a financial donation directly to Nourish Up in support of Scouting for Food, simply donate online or text 44321 on your mobile device and enter the code: Scout4Food. Each dollar donated represents 4 pounds of food!

Scouts will be on hand to collect donations at these locations Feb. 1: 

• Ada Jenkins Center - 212 Gamble St., Davidson (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site) 

• Arboretum Shopping Center – Providence Rd. and Highway 51 (across from the Harris Teeter), Charlotte 

• Back Creek ARP – 1821 Back Creek Church Rd, Charlotte, NC 28213 (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site) 

• Good Shepherd Church – 13110 Moss Rd. Charlotte (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site) 

• Huntersville United Methodist Church – 14005 Stumptown Rd., Huntersville 

• Philadelphia Presbyterian Church – 11501 Bain School Rd., Mint Hill (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site) 

• Sardis Presbyterian Church, 6100 Sardis Road, Charlotte (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site)  

• Sharon Presbyterian Church – 5201 Sharon Rd., Charlotte 

• South Mecklenburg Presbyterian - 8601 Bryant Farms Rd, Charlotte (Saturday, Feb. 1 only drop-off site) 

Scouting for Food is the largest community-wide food drive of the year for Nourish Up. This past year, Nourish Up provided groceries, meals, and hope to more than 164,000 people in Mecklenburg Co., a 19% increase over 2023. Half were children and seniors. 

Scouting for Food is sponsored by Scouting America Mecklenburg County Council, WCNC Charlotte, Harris Teeter and Stegall Trucking. 

Nourish Up celebrated its first birthday with the new name Nourish Up in January 2024. Formerly Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays (which merged in 2021), the organization has been feeding our neighbors in need for more than half a century. We provide nutritious groceries through a network of more than 40 food pantries in Charlotte Mecklenburg, via home meal delivery, and as the primary Meals on Wheels program in Mecklenburg Co. This year we honor an important milestone as it is our 50^th Anniversary of lifting our community through food. For more information, visit www.nourishup.org  

Scouting for Food is the official “Good Turn for America” for the Scouting America Mecklenburg County Council. For more information about Mecklenburg County Council visit www.mccscouting.org  

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Novant Health  recently partnered with student-athletes and staff from  Ambassador Christian School to pack 8 pallets / 624 boxes of nutritionally balanced nonperishable groceries. Novant  Health  is a steadfast supporter of Nourish Up, and together we firmly believe that food is medicine. Not only did this amazing team feed hundreds of neighbors in need, but Novant Health also consistently makes referrals to Nourish Up pantries to help put an end to food insecurity. We also love our new Ambassadors; go Lions!!!

Learn more about how Novant Health is addressing hunger in North Carolina, one patient at a time (AND enjoy the video clip of  this mission-driven teamwork shown at the December  Jumpman Invitational. Talk about a slam-dunk!).

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In preparation for Thanksgiving, Emily visited the Nourish Up pantry in Huntersville to provide a traditional holiday meal for her family. “I thought I wasn’t going to have a turkey this year. I was worried,” she shared. Like many other families in our community, Emily faces the constant challenge of stretching her income to cover rent, car payments, insurance, and other necessities while balancing two jobs and raising her 3-year-old son, Edison. “Getting a turkey today means a lot,” Emily added. 

Emily not only received a turkey but also the ability to continue her family’s Thanksgiving traditions. Her mother, originally from Puerto Rico, contributes arroz con gandules to the table each year, alongside Emily’s mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and corn.  With the pantry’s support, Emily can even afford to prepare a special ham this year, a rare treat. “I only have it once a year—that’s what makes it special,” she said. 

For Emily, Thanksgiving is more than a meal; it’s a way to teach Edison about gratitude and togetherness, to set up their Christmas tree together, and to cherish these special moments as a family. 

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Just wanted to drop you a warm fuzzy this week. As you know, we moved into our Hunger Hub in April of this year and have been acclimating to our big new space. One of our dreams for this new hub was to have our FIRST EVER onsite food pantry.  Well, those dreams came true on Wednesday, October 2! Led by our fearless Board Member Shelbra Booth and her team from Greater Salem Baptist Church, we held a “soft” opening of our pantry from 2-4 p.m. In two short hours, Shelbra and team helped serve 39 individuals (10 families) in our Food Lion Feeds Client Choice pantry at our Nourish Up Hunger Hub.  

They had so much fun, they decided to come back this Wednesday too (instead of the every other week commitment they had signed up for) and they served an additional 35 individuals (10 households). It was such a heartwarming experience to be so closely connected to our neighbors in need and welcome them to our new home. Special thanks to Shelbra, Greater Salem Baptist Church, Food Lion and Tim Mallard and our entire Operations team that made this all possible!  

As a side note, we are actively recruiting additional teams of people who can commit to volunteering at our onsite pantry on a regular basis. We’d love to have our pantry open several days a week. If you have a group of individuals (work colleagues, house of faith, member groups, golf buddies, etc.) interested in learning more please reach out to Tim Mallard. 

In service,

Tina Postel, CEO

See more.

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Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina has begun hurricane relief efforts to all of the counties that they support and to their fellow food banks in impacted areas. Those wishing to help on the food front can certainly support our friends at Second Harvest and they will help get supplies to these impacted areas.

Nourish Up will continue to support anyone in Mecklenburg County who has been impacted by the storm and those who have evacuated their homes and sought refuge here in the Charlotte area. Our customer service representatives and our social services team can offer food referrals to anyone who reaches out in our region and needs help with grocery or meal support.

Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina: secondharvestmetrolina.org

Schedule a food referral through Nourish Up: call (704) 523-4333 or visit nourishup.org

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