The LGBTQ Center of Durham is a leader among hundreds of trusted local partners who are ready to welcome neighbors with dignity, care, and compassion.
We're proud to provide this incredible network with nutritious food — primarily fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein. And through their Joiful Bellies Food Pantry, the Center provided more than 10,000 meals to the Durham community in 2025 alone.
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Joiful Bellies is a choice pantry where visitors can conveniently schedule appointments to shop for the groceries they need. The pantry offers shelf-stable items like pasta, protein, canned vegetables, and snacks. Some items are gluten-free, low-sodium, and low-sugar for shoppers with dietary restrictions. Household products, including diapers and paper towels, are available —and Alix always makes sure to have seasoning on the shelves.
– Alix Adrian Operations Manager at the LGBTQ Center of DurhamBeing able to choose what you eat gives a sense of agency about what you're doing and it also allows you to feel good about your health. No matter what you're making, it's always good to have a little spice in there.
Though the pantry launched just two years ago, need has risen sharply — as has the organization's impact. For Alix, hunger in queer communities can mean not eating anything for several days. And many shoppers face impossible choices between paying for food or rent.
– Alix AdrianWe have folks who come to our pantry who have jobs, that are housing insecure, and they are hungry, days at a time. We recently have an intern here who did a pantry satisfaction survey for us. And you know, what is the benefit of the pantry? I'm not hungry. That's the answer.
Joiful Bellies is more than a food pantry; it's a community. A family navigating health challenges still gives back by donating food they can't use to the pantry. "We look after each other," Alix shared.
The LGBTQ+ Youth Center, housed within the LGBTQ Center of Durham, offers clothing, gender identity programs, and a drop-in space. Alix told us what he would say to a queer young person who is nervous about visiting a food pantry for the first time:
– Alix AdrianBefore coming here I want you to know that you are welcome. You will be embraced, sometimes literally with a hug, sometimes with just kind words for being who you are. And what you need is important and we will do our best to meet that need.
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