PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: Celebration Church Restores Hope For Families Facing Food Insecurity

Neighbor Spotlight: Gregory Hargraves

“It’s just a blessing, and I’m just very thankful for it,” he shared with the Food Bank. 

According to the USDA, grocery costs increased almost 2 percent from last year. Hargraves said he’s seeing that firsthand when buying groceries. 

I used to go to Walmart, and I was able to go and spend $200. I’d walk out of there with a shopping cart full of food. Everything we needed for $200. Now I go to Walmart, three bags of groceries is $200. 

– Gregory Hargraves Celebration Church Pantry Recipient

It’s why Hargraves said the food he receives from the distributions at Celebration Church is “just tremendous” because they give what he calls an “abundant amount.” 

He first started coming to the pantry about five years ago and is constantly spreading the word to families in his community.  

“I say, ‘Hey man. The church is giving out food. They’re giving out about $200 worth of food. You need to go down there and get some of the food because it comes in handy,’” he continued.  

He first learned about the distribution after seeing several cars lined up in the church parking lot while driving by, so he went over to see what was drawing the large crowds.  

“I said, ‘What are all them people over there for?’” 

Since then, he makes sure to visit each month, and whatever items his family receives from the distribution that they cannot use, he takes to his job to share with coworkers who may also be in need.  

“They got a table there [and] we just put all the extra food on there,” he said. “It’s so regular for them now that if we don’t do it every two weeks, they say, ‘hey, what happened? Where’s the food?’”  

Hargraves shared that the distribution at Celebration Church is important because the food they receive is touching the lives of so many.  

“It just uplifts me and lets me know that people care and that I’m not by myself,” Hargraves said, adding he hopes that more people can participate to further share the message for more families in need.  

This really impacts the community because it impacts our lives, and you can actually see the benefits of it.

– Gregory Hargraves Celebration Church Pantry Recipient

Families interested in receiving food can visit Celebration Church’s  free food distributions from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month.  

Volunteer Spotlight: Serving More than One Million Pounds of Food For Local Families

Celebration Church has provided food for thousands of families living in Raleigh and beyond. 

Lee said it started as a “God idea.” 

We saw people that felt hopeless and distraught get their hope restored. So, it means it’s more than just us giving out food and helping with food insecurity, but it’s helping emotionally, spiritually, mentally, all that.

– Susan Lee Celebration Church’s Local Outreach Director

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee said the church had a pantry that people often visited once a week. However, one phone call led to several pallets of fresh chicken at their doorstep. Thus, the mobile distributions started. 

Brian Lewis, who has also volunteered since the beginning, said he’s seen firsthand how these distributions have grown from 65 cars to more than 450 on a given Saturday.  

“That growth is something that is just really I’d say is it’s God blessing us to be able to serve so many people, to be able to feed so many families, to be able to interact with people is just great,” Lewis shared.

“We come ready and come excited and just ready to do a great job because we look at it as an assignment from God to be a blessing to his community, and we act accordingly,” Lee added.  

In addition to the thousands of pounds of food they give away at each distribution, they also share resources from nearby organizations.

“These are resources, and this is what we have, and however we can love on you and help you, that’s what we want to do here. It’s about people,” Lewis said. “It really is about people.” 

Lewis said food is the easy part, but being there for the people who attend these distributions is what really matters.  

“At the end of the day, they’re people, right?” he continued. “No matter what their circumstances are, you’re a person first, and if we’re able to bless you with food, then that’s what we want to do.” 

Lewis hopes that people who visit the pantry know that regardless of their current situation, there is a team of people who are there to support them.