To read how important your donated food is for CORA clients, check out these short client stories.

DONATE FOOD

More than 50% of the food CORA distributes to hungry families is donated! This source of food is VERY IMPORTANT to us! To make sure your donation of food does the most good, keep the following guidelines in mind.

Next Collection Date is Monday, May 19, 2025.

Please DO NOT USE GLASS CONTAINERS. They Easily Break and Result in Spills!

New Food Donors Can Sign Up Online.

CORA's MOST NEEDED food donation items for May 2025 Are Posted Below. Your monthly food donations make a direct impact.

Most Needed Foods This Month:

• Cereal

• Oatmeal

• Canned Vegetables

• Beans 

• Apples

• We also need paper bags, plastic bags, and egg cartons!

Many families are finding it more challenging than ever to afford groceries as food prices rise and economic pressures mount. At this critical moment, federal food assistance programs like SNAP—which provides an average of just $6 per person per day—are facing proposed cuts of up to 21% nationwide. If these cuts move forward, more families will be forced to turn to organizations like CORA for help, just as our resources are shrinking.

CORA anticipates a $48,000 reduction in funding for fresh produce purchases and a 70% cut to The Emergency Food Assistance Program, resulting in a potential loss of $313,788 in vital resources. While federal support is increasingly uncertain, our community’s generosity remains steadfast. Every donation—large or small—helps ensure that no neighbor goes hungry. Thank you for standing with us during this challenging time.

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).

CORA accepts donations of shelf-stable foods — canned fruit/vegetables, boxed cereals, rice, pasta, baking mix and shelf-stable specialty items (drink mix, coffee, tea, pancake mix, condiments, herbs and spices, ethnic foods, other pantry staples, etc.). They also accept paper products – especially bathroom tissue and paper towels – and personal hygiene items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, disposable razors, etc.

If you prefer to send a check, please make it payable to CORA and send it to:

CORA

PO Box 1326

Pittsboro, NC 27312

(If you note “Fearrington PORCH” in the memo space on your check, they will know it came from us.) 

Also, Check Out These Items That CORA Always Needs

CORA has also developed a list of items that you could add to the "Most Needed" list throughout the year and 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

• They do give out coffee. Instant coffee, K-cups, and ground coffee are all appreciated.  They ask that people don't donate whole beans.

Place all donations in bags (not boxes) and please don’t overload them (more lighter bags are better than a few heavy ones). 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. 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 you do not need. 

You do not need to donate every month. Just let your neighborhood coordinator know when you will be participating.

An additional opportunity to help CORA is to keep their Birthday Closet stocked. They maintain a special closet for children's birthday parties and need items like cake and frosting mix, small, inexpensive toys (safe and marked for age range), snacks, and party supplies.  If you would like to help in this way, please put these items in separate bags that are clearly marked, "Birthday Closet."

   OTHER ITEMS CORA OFTEN NEEDS ARE LISTED BELOW