PORCH is built around the very simple idea of a neighborhood food drive. Here’s how it works, in three easy steps:
Once a month, on a designated day, residents place a food donation on their front porch before 10:00am. In some neighborhoods, coordinators ask donors to take food donations to their coordinator’s front porch.
In neighborhoods where coordinators ask neighbors to place donations on their own porches, the coordinator goes to the donors’ porch and picks up the food donations.
The donated food is picked up by volunteers and the CORA truck at the neighborhood coordinators’ porch and transported to the CORA Food Pantry located in Pittsboro and serving all of Chatham County.
The three-step process is easy, fast, and it’s also safe.
Wondering Whether to Donate Cash or Food? / Be Sure to Read This.
Some of you have asked whether CORA prefers donations of food or cash. The answer is that they need both. CORA certainly does appreciate and need cash donations. However, they also need donations of food. The food they are able to purchase from food banks and grocery stores is very limited. For example, they may only be able to get one variety of soup. Their clients really appreciate the opportunity to choose from among several varieties, as their families, like ours, have preferences. Many of the items on CORA’s monthly request lists are not available elsewhere.
So, for some of you, especially those who are unable to shop regularly, cash donations are fine. But those who are able to get to the grocery store and purchase a little more than what is needed in their household are addressing a really important need in our community.
PORCH Fearrington’s December 20, 2021 Food Donation Collection. Second Largest December Collection Since 2011!Note that in three months of 2022 (September, November, and December) collections will be conducted ONE WEEK earlier because of holidays including, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.See all our 2022 food donation collection dates listed below.
We could not do this monthly collection without our volunteer drivers who cover several neighborhoods.After many years of faithful volunteering for PORCH by driving to pick up food donations from several large neighborhoods, Jess Fearrington has moved and is no longer doing food donation collections. We all thank Jess for all his terrific volunteer service!
In June we sadly said goodbye to David and Vicki Field, our long-time West Camden coordinators, who have moved away. They have done an incredible job, and we will miss them greatly! In June, we also welcomed the new West Camden coordinator, Fred Morris. Thanks, Fred, for your willingness to do this important job.
Upcoming Fearrington Community 2022 Collection Dates
PORCH is instrumental in CORA’s fight against hunger, and they appreciate all the hard work you pour into the community each month. CORA has continued to be very busy providing free food a growing number of individuals and families, and still needs your help. We will post the special request list for the October food donation collection very soon. Also check out the list below these five items for items that CORA ALWAYS needs.
Mackie, CORA’s Pantry Manager, developed with a list of items that you can add to the “Most Needed” list throughout the year. Mackie is confident that these products will move quickly all year long.
Cereal Bars
Pancake Mix
Sugar
Flour
Oil
Salt & Pepper
Sweet Spices – cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
Savory Spices – garlic, basil, parsley
Tissues
Toothbrushes & Toothpaste
Soap
Deodorant
Toilet paper
They do give out coffee. Instant coffee, K-cups, and ground coffee are all appreciated. They ask that people don’t donate whole beans.
Just a few reminders:
Due to food safety, we ask that you do not donate food items that are unsealed, loose items without ingredients listed, or glass containers.
Please make an effort not to donate food that’s past its “use-by” or “sell-by” date. We are committed to serving our families the most nutritious and delicious food that we can in an atmosphere of dignity and respect,
While plastic bags are OK for the donations, it is a lot easier for our collecting and transferring the food when we arrive at CORA if you use PAPER bags (which are a renewable resource), rather than plastic bags (which are not recyclable). The contents often fall out of plastic bags, making the handling of large volumes of food more difficult. If plastic bags are easier for you, feel free to use them for your donations. CORA likes to have a supply of plastic bags on hand for people who come for the donated food, so please do donate those empty plastic bags you do not need.
If you would also like to make a cash donation to CORA, you can safely and conveniently do so by using this secure link: Your donation will go directly to CORA and you will receive an immediate receipt in reply (or you can request that one be sent to you in the mail if you prefer).
Donate food items each month when we will pick up food from our neighborhood coordinators. NOTE that coordinators may select an earlier date/time each month to collect or receive donations from their neighbors.
If you are a new donor and do not know who your neighborhood coordinator is, check the ABOUT page where you will find the list of coordinators in our 22 neighborhoods. Each coordinator’s name is hot-linked to their email address. Send them a note and you will be added to their contact list so they can stay in touch with you each month.
As a Fearrington Village resident, to make a tax-deductible donation to the CORA Food Bank online. Use the DONATE button. 100% of donations contributed this way go straight to CORA and do not come to PORCH Fearrington.
PORCH Fearrington Accepts Online Donations for the CORA Food Pantry
Consider becoming a sustainer and give monthly! 100% of all donations go straight to CORA. Donate to CORA as a Fearrington Resident.
