
Pop-Up Markets

Southern states face higher rates of food insecurity than any other region in the United States. Here in North Carolina, one in every seven of us doesnāt have consistent and reliable access to sufficient food for our families. These challenges are even deeper in Black and Latine communities throughout the state, where hunger is two-to-three times more prevalent.
Addressing hunger in our most hard-hit communities ā especially areas without access to full grocery stores or traditional food pantries ā is the surest path to reach our vision of a future where no one goes hungry. Our Pop-Up Markets bring fresh, culturally familiar and versatile food directly to communities, helping make sure everyone has the resources needed to thrive.

Our Pop-Up Markets are open to everyone.
There are no residency, income, or ID requirements to participate ā and neighbors are free to shop for whatever items they may need.
View the full schedule below. Printable versions are also available.
Print Central NC Locations Print Eastern NC LocationsPop-Up Market Schedule: Central NC
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9/3 Halifax Drive-through
Wednesday, September 3rd
9am-11am
*rescheduled due to Labor Day*Halifax County Center
359 Ferrell Ln. Halifax, NC 27839 -
9/4 Zebulon
Thursday, September 4th
9am-11amHopkins Chapel Baptist Church
4525 Hopkins Chapel Rd. Zebulon, NC 27597 -
9/5 Warrenton
Friday, September 5thĀ
9am-11amMag's Marketplace
Hosted with Pink with a Passion & Coley Springs
Baptist Church
307 E Macon St. Warrenton, NC 27589 -
9/8 Mount Olive
Monday, September 8thĀ
9am-11amFirst Baptist Church
109 W John St. Mt. Olive, NC 28365 -
9/9 Bennett
Tuesday, September 9th
9am-11amBennett Baptist Church
68 E Bonlee St. Bennett, NC 27208 -
9/11 Timberlake
Thursday, September 11thĀ
9am-11amGreater Cleggs Chapel Community Missionary Baptist Church (Community Center)
2601 Surl Mount Tirzah Rd, Timberlake, NC 27583 -
9/18 Sanford
Thursday, September 18thĀ
9am-11amCentral Carolina Community College
(Center for Workforce Innovation)
5190 Enterprise Park Dr. Sanford, NC 27330 -
9/23 Raleigh
Tuesday, September 23rd
9am-11amSaint Augustine's University
691 George Pup Williams Dr. Raleigh, NC 27610
Pop-Up Market Schedule: Eastern NC
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9/3 Atkinson
Wednesday, September 3rdĀ
9am-11amSt. Mary's United Holy Church
8730 Point Caswell Rd, Atkinson, NC 28421 -
9/5 Cerro Gordo
Friday, September 5thĀ
9am-11am
*rescheduled due to Labor Day*Cerro Gordo Baptist Church
257 Church St, Cerro Gordo, NC 28430 -
9/10 Pink Hill Drive-through
Wednesday, September 10th
9am-11amSandy Plain OFWB Church
945 NC Hwy 241, Pink Hill, NC 28572 -
9/16 Wilmington
Tuesday, September 16thĀ
9am-11amCape Fear Christian Church
811 N College Rd, Wilmington, NC 28405 -
9/19 Bolivia
Friday, September 19th
10am-12pmSt. John Missionary Baptist Church
2586 Old Ocean Hwy, Bolivia, NC 28422 -
9/20 Chadbourn
Saturday, September 20thĀ
9am-11amĀJerusalem Chapel Free Will Baptist Church
6224 Chadbourn Hwy, Chadbourn, NC 28431 -
9/23 Leland
Tuesday, September 23rdĀ
9am-11amSt. James AME Zion Church,
27 Old Town Creek Rd NE, Leland, NC 28451
Frequently asked questions ā and answers!
Have questions beyond what you see here?Ā
Please don't hesitate to reach out to our Pop-Market Team!
- Cassie James, Central Counties
- Isa Bailey, Eastern Counties
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What is a Pop-Up Market?
Pop-Up Markets are no cost food distributions directly facilitated by the Food Bank. Most are walk-up, client choice distributions, with volunteers stocking tables from pallets of food and assisting neighbors throughout.Ā Ā
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Are there any requirements to receive assistance?
Come as you are! There are no income, ID, or residency requirements to receive assistance. We have a brief check-in process so that the Food Bank can track how many people are served. Phone numbers are collected at every distribution in the rare event of a product recall; you may also opt in to join our text message list to be notified in the event of a schedule change.Ā Ā
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What do I need to bring?
We suggest bringing totes or boxes to make it easier to transport your groceries, but this is not required. Some boxes may be available from the pallets of food being distributed. We are not taking donations of grocery bags at this time. For walk-up distributions, we provide utility wagons that are used as shopping carts. For a drive-thru, volunteers load food directly into vehicles.Ā Ā
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What kind of food will be available?
Everything distributed at Pop-Up Markets is provided by our generous donors ā farmers, retailers, manufacturers and more. For this reason, the food we distribute varies based on availability; we cannot guarantee a specific product or quantity per household at any distribution. The most common foods we distribute include fresh produce, snacks, beverages, and retail bakery items. The Food Bank provides 8-10 pallets of food per distribution.Ā
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What happens if the weather is bad?
Our Pop-Up Markets team keeps a close eye on the forecast and avoids cancelling or rescheduling distributions unless it is necessary. At some locations, we can change walk-up distributions to a drive-thru. If there is a safety risk for attendees and volunteers (thunderstorms, icy roads, etc.), we will cancel or reschedule distributions on a case-by-case basis. If you opt in for text messages when checking in for a distribution, you will be notified of any cancellations or schedule changes at that location via text. We also will post any changes here and on our social media accounts.Ā Ā
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Where are Pop-Up Markets located? I don't see any in my area.
All of us at the Food Bank are committed to equity and equal opportunity throughout our service area. We combine food insecurity statistics with our own distribution data to identify communities that do not have sufficient access to grocery stores or traditional food assistance sites. Our Pop-Up Markets help fill these gaps while we work to grow local capacity.Ā
With a network of more than 700 pantries, no-cost markets, meal sites, and delivery programs throughout the region, most communities have access to nutritious food through one of our many local partner organizations. Use our FoodFinder App to find locations near you!
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How can I support Pop-Up Markets? Do you need volunteers?
Yes! We're always looking for help ā and it's easy to sign up using our Volunteer Calendar. For individuals or families, you can find Pop-Up opportunities under our Raleigh and Wilmington locations. If youād like to bring a larger group, please reach out to your local Pop-Up Markets Coordinator (contact information below) for additional information.
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Can my organization host a Pop-Up Market?Ā
Our Pop-up Markets are designed to reach communities that do not have sufficient access to grocery stores or traditional food assistance sites. If your organization is in an underserved area and has the capacity to support, there are many ways to get involved locally. We'd be honored to help find the best path to deepen your impact.Ā
⢠If you are looking to get involved in shorter-term efforts locally, we hope you'll consider supporting a Food Bank partner agency near you. Our network includes 700+ pantries, no-cost markets, meal sites, and delivery programs throughout the region.  Enter your zip code on our FoodFinder App to find nearby locations.
⢠If your organization is able to host and sustain a monthly Pop-Up Market, we'd love to hear from you. Ā Please read over the program requirements and related information before submitting.Ā
⢠If you'd like to volunteer regularly as a group, we offer a host of options at our facilities in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, Sandhills, and Wilmington. Check out the Volunteer Calendar to find dates and locations near you.
Additional Resources in Your Community


Get help paying for groceries.
Senior Programs
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides monthly boxes of pantry staples for low-income individuals age 60+. We add fresh produce, dairy, and protein to help meet the dietary needs of seniors in our community.
Children's Programs
Through school-based pantries, snacks at afterschool programs, take-home options, and breakfast and lunches at summer meal sites, our Child Nutrition team partners with local schools and community centers to provide support to families year-round.
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