Our companion nonprofit

NC Meal Train Ministry

The ministry that led us to open a food commissary, and the reason the doors at 813 Griffin Street opened at all.

Our story began with Manny the Meal Train.

He is the logo for our companion nonprofit, NC Meal Train Ministry. We wanted to bring cooked meals to those in need in our community who were unable to make it to traditional resources.

We learned that North Carolina law requires a food commissary if we wanted to use a mobile food unit to accomplish our mission. The closest dedicated food commissary with commercial kitchen space was over sixty miles away. Then, in a chain of events one could only attribute to divine guidance, we were able to secure a location and open a food commissary.

We are excited to offer local food entrepreneurs fully licensed and permitted commercial kitchens, approved by the Health Department, to grow their businesses in. Our private culinary classroom lets us reach out to the community and teach both children and adults the art of cooking. Our mission is to make YOU SUCCESSFUL.

To every hand that showed up, and every gift that made it possible

Thank you. None of this happens without our volunteers and donors.

You built raised garden beds for Veggies for Vets. You baked 300 bread puddings from donated loaves so nothing went to waste. You staffed the table and served 100 meals at the Fay Cares resource center job fair, so a neighbor between jobs didn’t have to go without lunch. Every one of these started with someone giving up a Saturday, or giving what they could so we could buy the ingredients and supplies.

We see you, and we’re grateful.

A large group of volunteers gathered behind newly built raised garden beds, with a Veggies for Vets sign

Because of you

Work for Fay Cares

Volunteers kneeling together, planting seedlings in a raised garden bed — Hands in the dirt

Finished raised garden beds full of young vegetable plants — What their work grows

Rows of vendor tents set up in a parking lot for a community resource fair — Setting up to serve

Volunteers smiling behind an information table at a community resource fair — Welcoming neighbors

A volunteer serving drinks from a Smart Drinks truck to attendees at a resource fair — Coffee and smoothies for the line

A line of neighbors waiting at food trucks during a community resource fair — A meal close by

Kitchen counter stacked with donated bread loaves and mixing bowls — Donated bread, ready to bake

A tall rolling rack lined with trays of bread cubes drying for bread pudding — Torn, dried, and stacked

Trays of bread cubes on a commercial kitchen range, prepped for baking — Deep in the kitchen

Three full pans of bread pudding prepared for a community meal — 300 puddings, made with love

Join us next time

There’s always another meal to make.

Every event on this page started with a handful of people who said yes. The next resource fair, the next batch of puddings, the next raised bed, we’d love for that to include you. Whether you have an afternoon or a standing donation, it goes straight back into the community.

Donate or volunteer

Contact the commissary

Or call (910) 807-7850 and ask about the next Meal Train event.