November is the month of Thanksgiving! Many food pantries in the Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina areas always receive donations to feed families yearly. Embrace the spirit of giving by donating to a local food pantry near you or volunteering at your local soup kitchen. You can also make a $25 donation to Rose & Womble’s Turkey Basket Brigade, which provides baskets filled with turkey, potatoes, apples, canned vegetables, gravy, and rolls to over 3,000 families each year.
Click here to learn more about Rose & Womble’s Turkey Basket Brigade!
Whether you are looking for your next meal or hoping to feed a family in need, here are some food pantries near you!
Food Pantries in Hampton Roads
- House of Blessing – 525 Kempsville Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23320 – Wednesday: 9:00 AM -11:30 AM to 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
The House of Blessing (HOB) is a benevolence ministry that provides food and financial assistance to those in need. This ministry also allows community members to serve those in the area by sorting and distributing food and praying for those looking for God’s help.
Please leave nonperishable donations in the Donation Bin at the Rear Entrance of the House of Blessing; or bring your perishable contributions to the Church Office.
THEY ARE IN GREAT NEED OF VOLUNTEERS!
Volunteer Opportunities: Email mail@harvestva.org for more information.
Online Donations: CLICK HERE
- Agape Food Pantry – 201 Stadium Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23322 – Friday: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The Agape Food pantry exists to bring food and offer hope and help to meet the needs of their surrounding communities. The Agape Food Pantry is open to all every Friday from 3:00-6:00 pm here at Great Bridge United Methodist Church.
Donations can be dropped off in Room 106 Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
Volunteer To Stock At The Food Pantry on Thursday: HERE
Volunteer To Serve At The Food Pantry on Friday: HERE
Current Inventory: HERE
- Village Family Food Pantry– 813 Henry St, Norfolk, VA 23504- Sunday: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Village Family Food Pantry collaborates with community partners to further its initiatives promoting education, nutrition, health, low-income assistance, youth, and elderly services, self-sufficiency, and economic development.
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Submit Donations: HERE
- The Garden Food Pantry– 2709 Greendale Ave, Norfolk, VA 23518- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
The Loving Hearts Food Pantry is open every Saturday and offers a shop-for-free, no questions asked Food Pantry for any and everyone in need.
Submit Donations: HERE
- Eastern Shore Chapel Food Pantry – 2020 Laskin Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – Thursday and Saturday: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The Chapel Pantry is a full client-choice, market-style food pantry and produces market. Guests may choose all their food, which promotes our neighbors’ health and dietary needs and their personal food preferences.
They welcome donations of non-perishable food, paper, and plastic grocery bags, reusable bags, and empty egg cartons. You are allowed to drop off donations at the Barton House, which is located at the end of the driveway past the parking lot.
Volunteer Opportunities: Email Pantry Director Kay O’Reilly at koreilly@easternshorechapel.org
Online Donations: HERE
- Potter’s House– 1709 Pacific Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451- Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Potter’s House provides services to the homeless, the working poor, and those in crisis situations, who are residents of Virginia Beach. They offer many services such as bag lunches, pantry items, and hygiene products. Clients are eligible for food orders every two months!
Fresh Food Wednesdays are hosted at The Gathering at Scott Memorial United Methodist Church, which distributes fresh perishable food to the needy. Guests can stop by this pantry to pick up some fresh groceries with the assistance of volunteers from 5:30 to 7:30PM.
Online Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: Email info@vbumc.org for more information.
- The Salvation Army Corps & Community Center of Suffolk– 400 Bank St, Suffolk, VA 23434- Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
The Salvation Army will hold a Food Drive from October 1st to November 28th! Canned food, toiletries, gently used clothes, dry goods, produce, and drinks are needed. Donations are welcomed and can be dropped off at 400 Bank Street, Suffolk, VA, 23434 from Monday to Thursday from 10 AM to 3PM.
They will be packaging 500 Thanksgiving dinners on November 22nd at The Salvation Army on 3rd Avenue from 4 PM to 5:30 PM. All meals will be to-go style and delivered to nearby senior housing facilities.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Online Donations: HERE
- Suffolk Christian Fellowship Center– 211 E Washington St Suite B, Suffolk, VA 23434- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:30 AM -12:30 PM
The Suffolk Christian Fellowship Center seeks to bridge the gap for under-resourced and food-insecure communities in Suffolk and Western Tidewater Virginia. Food rescues are available for those in need who can come and shop for fresh produce, dairy, dessert, bread, and other food goods daily at no cost. They offer an emergency food program, which can receive a small bag of groceries and frozen meat/goods once every 30 days at no cost but must present a valid ID.
You can also receive a warm meal freshly prepared meal every Sunday from 2-3pm at no cost at their soup kitchen.
Online Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: Email scfmc211@gmail.com for more information.
- Virginia Peninsula Foodbank– 2401 Aluminum Ave, Hampton, VA 23661- Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
The mission of Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is to distribute food effectively through collaborative efforts that minimize hunger, promote nutrition and encourage self-reliance through education. If you are interested in donating non-perishable food products, you may drop them off at the Foodbank or at one of our local drop-off locations listed at this link below: https://hrfoodbank.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/
It’s recommended that those in need of food assistance contact their local food pantry before visiting, to confirm hours of operation. Distribution plans may change quickly and without much notice.
Online Donations: HERE
Food Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
- Oasis Social Ministry– 800 Williamsburg Ave b, Portsmouth, VA 23704- Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Oasis Social Ministry offers a variety of services to the homeless and marginalized communities in Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Suffolk. Through these services, we can realize our mission of alleviating food insecurity and hunger in our local area.
A daily community soup kitchen is available for breakfast and lunch! They also provide a food pantry stocked with a variety of nutritious and healthy foods designed to meet anyone’s health needs. The Oasis Social Ministry Food pantry is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Food and clothing donations are accepted from Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Online Donations: HERE
Food and Clothing Donations: HERE
- Bethel Worship Center Church International, Inc. – 3697 Pepperwood Pl, Portsmouth, VA 23703 – Tuesday and Thursday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The BWC food pantry is accessible to families in need of food and surrounding targeted communities. This pantry service includes all varieties of edible products and services families in immediate need of food. The pantry operates within BWC, where food is stored for distribution.
Volunteer Opportunities: Email bwccinc.admoffice@gmail.com
Online Donations: HERE
- Five Loaves Food Pantry– Not Ark Refuge Center, 13813 Warwick Blvd Bldg. E, Newport News, VA 23602- Monday through Friday: 10:45 AM – until depleted and Tuesday 5:30 PM – until depleted
Five Loaves Food Pantry offers perishable foods such as fruits, vegetables, bread, pastries, dairy items, and some frozen items that are received daily. USDA foods and meats are distributed on the first Tuesday of each month. The USDA program is a way for agencies to provide healthy, nutritious products to needy families!
Fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, pastries, and dairy products are distributed from 10:45 PM until supplies are diminished. Hot meals are offered on Tuesday evenings for families in need, as well as access to canned and boxed foods from 5:30 PM until supplies are diminished.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Volunteer Opportunities: Email Prior@LivingStoneMonastery.org
Online Donations: HERE
- Thrive Peninsula – 3195 Warwick Blvd Unit 2C, Newport News, VA 23602 – Monday through Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Friday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Thrive Peninsula’s emergency food assistance includes dairy items, fresh produce, frozen meats, deli, and bakery foods as well as non-perishable items. Families can self-select the food items they need, which reduces food waste. Each family receives about 1 week’s worth of food per household member.
You can support THRIVE’s food pantry by donating items that are listed on their most needed list! These items are rice, ready meals, canned meats, baked beans, fresh veggies, and fresh eggs. They also accept items that require cold storage such as frozen meat, dairy items, etc. You can drop off donated items at the back door during open hours!
Online Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Food Donations: HERE
- Fish, INC. – 312 2nd St, Williamsburg, VA 23185 – Monday through Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
FISH provides groceries for at least a week’s worth of meals for each person in an eligible household. FISH has worked with nutrition experts to ensure that each client’s supply is nutritionally balanced! Most food products are non-perishable, but FISH also provides sandwich bread, sliced cheese, and eggs. Their new location offers meats and fresh vegetables when available.
Food donation drops off are Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 312 Second Street, Williamsburg, VA, located in the rear of the building. Non-perishable foods are accepted!
Online Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Food Pantries in Northeast North Carolina
- Food Bank of the Albemarle – 109 Tidewater Way, Elizabeth City, NC 27909 – Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Food Bank of the Albemarle serves a 9,000+ square mile area in northeastern North Carolina. The Food Bank of the Albemarie serves over 15 counties and works with over 100 hunger relief partners that operate up to 145 unique programs. These programs include food pantries, mobile food pantries, soup kitchens, and much more!
The Food Bank needs canned items such as meats, proteins, vegetables, fruits, and soups; dry goods such as pasta, cereal, rice, and dried beans.
Online Donations: HERE
Volunteer Opportunities: HERE
Food Donations: Contact pflowers@afoodbank.org for more information.
