Where to find free food resources in Greensboro

Finding enough food should never be a luxury, yet for many families in Greensboro, rising grocery costs and political and economic shifts can make putting meals on the table feel overwhelming. Thankfully, our city is rich with kindness and community-driven resources that include pantries, fridges, mutual-aid groups, churches, neighborhood organizations, and volunteers. These folks show up every single week to make sure no one goes hungry. Whether you need fresh produce, pantry staples, hot meals, or help navigating SNAP and other benefits, there are caring neighbors offering support without judgment and without barriers.

Greensboro has long been known for its generosity and grassroots energy, and that spirit is alive in these programs and resources. The people who run these facilities care deeply about dignity and access, and they operate with the belief that food is a human right.

If you or someone you know needs help feeding themselves or their family, you’re not alone. Below we’ve listed many of the free food resources available across Greensboro, from long-standing food pantries to newer mutual-aid initiatives that meet people exactly where they are. Whether you’re looking for help today or simply want to share this with someone who might need it, here’s where to start.

Getty Images

The Freedom Fridge at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

The Freedom Fridge at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Greensboro is a striking example of how grassroots mutual aid can be embedded in local community infrastructure. Located in the Warnersville neighborhood at 1100 Curtis Street, this outdoor public refrigerator and pantry was launched in the midst of the pandemic by the community-organizing group GSO Mutual Aid in collaboration with the church. 

Unlike traditional charitable food distribution models, where one side gives, and the other receives, the Freedom Fridge operates on a “give what you can, take what you need” basis, grounded in the principle of solidarity rather than hierarchy. The idea is simple, yet powerful: remove barriers and trust that community members know their needs and resources.

Warnersville, the neighborhood where the church sits, has long been identified as a food desert, or an area where a lack of grocery access combines with higher poverty levels. Recognizing this, the church’s urban teaching farm and its location became a practical hosting site for a hub of fresh produce and shelf-stable foods, among other necessities. Volunteers built the wooden structure around the fridge, a mural was painted on the exterior by a local art teacher, and local farmers and gardeners began contributing fresh produce weekly. 

The fridge is available 24/7 and open to anyone. Donations can be dropped off at the site; those in need can simply come and take what’s available. No application, no bureaucracy, just community trust. It’s important to note, however, that this kind of project requires ongoing community engagement to keep it stocked, maintained, and safe. 

The Triad Health Project (THP)

The Triad Health Project (THP) is a well-established nonprofit organization based in Greensboro whose core mission is “Our Future Free From HIV.” While its primary focus has been providing sexual health services, outreach, and advocacy for people living with HIV/AIDS, the organization has also built a robust food assistance program to help meet critical needs in the community. 

At its Greensboro office, located at 801 Summit Avenue, THP operates a dedicated food pantry for clients, particularly those whose health or life circumstances make reliable access to nutritious food especially urgent. On the food-pantry page of their website, THP notes that more than 3,600 bags of groceries were shared in recent years with neighbors living with HIV, underscoring their commitment to nutritional wellness as part of holistic care.  The types of items listed in donations include grains (rice, oatmeal, whole grain cereal), proteins (canned chicken, tuna, peanut butter), low-sodium canned vegetables, juices, and other shelf-stable staples. The pantry emphasizes that sustained access to health-supportive food is vital to wellness. 

Beyond the pantry, THP also describes on its site how its aim is to support broader food security in Guilford County through partnerships and public-facing initiatives. According to a “Keeping Food on Every Table in Guilford County” article on their site, THP is actively engaging with community food programs such as the Community Fridge listed above, located at 1100 Curtis Street, and other mutual-aid networks in the region. This signals that while THP maintains a more formalized pantry infrastructure, it recognizes that community-built spaces like public fridges and volunteer-run resources are vital complementary parts of the food-security ecosystem.

THP also invites donors and volunteers to participate in their food-security work. Through their “Help Fill THP’s Food Pantry” initiative, the organization details how individuals or groups can host food drives, donate funds or gift cards, or volunteer time. They highlight that even modest financial amounts can help fill several bags of groceries and that community involvement is critical. 

For someone seeking support, THP’s pantry is accessible during their office hours, and they note the possibility of contacting the office for delivery of food to the door.  For someone wanting to contribute, THP lists very specific “most-needed” items, from low-sodium canned vegetables to small-size condiments and nutritional supplements like Ensure or Boost. 

By maintaining a formal pantry and collaborating with grassroots food-sharing efforts, THP provides multiple pathways for community members to both give and receive support in Greensboro. 

A Simple Gesture (ASG)

A Simple Gesture (ASG) is a Greensboro-based nonprofit deeply committed to addressing hunger in Guilford County by bridging food surplus and community need. Rather than simply operating one pantry, the organization partners with dozens of local food pantries and meal programs; since its founding, ASG has directed more than eight million meals into the local network. 

ASG deploys a multi-program model. For individuals, the “Green Bag” program invites recurring non‐perishable donations from households to fortify pantry shelves across the county. For businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, and event venues, ASG’s Food Recovery program moves surplus usable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to agencies feeding the hungry. For schools, their SHARE program equips school-based refrigerators where leftover, unopened food from the school nutrition program is made available to students who might need an extra meal. 

What sets ASG apart is the combination of food-waste reduction and hunger relief. By rescuing surplus food from the commercial supply chain and repurposing it into meals for neighbors in need, they create benefits both environmentally and socially. According to their site, the Food Recovery program “is designed to rescue surplus food by matching food industry businesses with vetted nonprofits that serve the community.” 

Volunteers are central to the operation. Every week, drivers pick up “Green Bags” or food donations, deliver to pantries, and help manage the logistics of surplus collection. Individuals looking to give time can sign up to drive, sort donated items, support community events, or help the school SHARE program. 

The organization also functions as a network builder. Rather than each pantry working in isolation, ASG connects pantries, collects data on needs and gaps, and collaborates with larger umbrella efforts. For instance, the county’s “OneGuilford: Support Our Pantries” initiative lists ASG as a key partner helping coordinate food-security efforts across jurisdictions. 

In practical terms, if someone in Greensboro or Guilford County needs food assistance, ASG’s website offers a “Find Food” tool that can direct them to a nearby pantry location. If someone wants to donate or help, the organization provides clear pathways for recurring giving, food drives, or volunteering. 

Food Not Bombs (FNB)

In the Glenwood neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina, a grassroots food-distribution effort led by the local chapter of Food Not Bombs (FNB) has become a vital resource for neighbors in need. Originally launched around 2022 at the former Glenwood United Methodist Church building on Glenwood Avenue, the pantry and refrigerator system served residents from the carport and later an indoor space, making fresh produce and cooked meals available to the community. 

For a time, the pantry was something of a self-organized mutual aid hub. Volunteers from the neighborhood collected surplus food, sorted and stocked a set of refrigerators and free shelves, and provided a walk-up resource for households facing food insecurity. The model relied on community contributions and the trust of local residents, hundreds of whom spoke in recent local news about relying on the pantry daily. 

However, in June 2025, the operation ran into a serious setback when the city of Greensboro intervened. Citing multiple complaints about sanitation issues—including pests, improperly stored food, and lack of temperature control—the city removed refrigerators, discarded food and equipment, and shut down the location without prior notice to organizers.  The action triggered an outcry among residents and volunteers, many of whom felt the city should have engaged collaboratively instead of dismantling the service. 

Following the disruption, FNB GSO and the City initiated discussions to restore food service. By late July 2025, the pantry was reported to be back in operation at the same site, now with two new refrigerators in place and renewed volunteer efforts collaborating with neighborhood and municipal stakeholders. The city’s elected representative for the district emphasized that the goal remains to ensure reliable food access in Glenwood and acknowledged the importance of the pantry to local residents. 

Today, the Glenwood Food Not Bombs pantry stands as a compelling example of community-led food access work through neighborhood mutual aid. It remains subject to the challenges of operating outside traditional institutional frameworks (food safety, municipal compliance, volunteer capacity) but also highlights the power of local people organizing directly to meet needs. 

GSO Mutual Aid Hub

The GSO Mutual Aid Hub is a grassroots, member-driven Facebook group based in Greensboro, North Carolina, dedicated to connecting local residents with resources and building a community network of support. The group describes itself as a “hub to connect residents of Greensboro to resources needed…”. 

What makes the GSO Mutual Aid Hub distinct is its open, participatory approach. Members regularly post requests for help—whether that’s for food, clothing, transportation, utility assistance, or other urgent needs—and other members respond with offers of what they can share. This group reflects the immediacy of need and the peer-to-peer support that can help build community. 

In addition to direct help requests, the group organizes announcements and community events, such as free markets, mutual aid gatherings, and drives. There’s an example of a “Community Celebration for Freedom Fridge” being promoted via the group, showing that the Hub is also a platform for mobilizing localized action. 

The GSO Mutual Aid Hub also functions as a resource aggregator: group posts include lists of 24/7 food pantry locations, links to utility support, and drive opportunities for donations. One post explicitly lists “Greensboro 24/7 Food Pantry locations.”  Because it is peer-run and largely unscripted, the vibe is informal and built on trust. There’s no formal application process or centralized gate-keeping, which helps reduce barriers for people in immediate need.

Because the group is public and actively used, it’s a good place to see real-time community needs. For those more formally inclined, it also serves as a place to learn about upcoming drives or be notified about resource gaps. But because the group operates via Facebook and depends on community volunteer responses, it has some limitations. The volume of requests versus offers can be uneven, some posts may go unanswered, and some resources may not be verified. It’s best used as a complement to more formal support systems.

If you’re posting a request, it helps to be clear about your location, the type of help you need, and any constraints (time, mobility, transport). If you’re donating or offering help, specifying what you have and your ability (when you can drop off, etc.) helps responses be faster.

Additionally, here are some of Greensboro’s food pantries:

Greensboro Urban Ministry Food Pantry

Located at 305 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27406, the pantry operated by Greensboro Urban Ministry serves Guilford County residents Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Guests may return once every 14 days. 

The Blessed Table Food Pantry

The Blessed Table Food Pantry is at 3210 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405, and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for distribution of groceries and hygiene items. 

Manna House of Coliseum Boulevard

At 1906 Bailiff St., Greensboro, NC 27403, the Manna House of Coliseum Boulevard offers food pantry services by appointment on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; clients are asked to call in advance for scheduling. 

Out of the Garden Project

While not a traditional pantry, the Out of the Garden Project serves families and children across the Piedmont, including Greensboro. Located at 300 NC Highway 68 South (rear of The Church on 68) in Greensboro, NC 27409, the donation drop-off (which supports their outreach) is open Monday/Tuesday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Thursday 3 p.m.-6 p.m., and Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 

St. Paul the Apostle Food Pantry

Located at 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro, NC 27410, the pantry at St. Paul’s has been serving the community for over 30 years. The food-distribution hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., and patrons receive two bags of groceries plus a small bag of toiletry items. 

Grace Life Outreach Food Pantry

Grace Life Outreach operates out of 2317 Stanley Road, Greensboro, NC 27407, and offers food pantry service on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays, each from 9 a.m. to noon. This schedule allows families in that part of the city to plan accordingly for food assistance. 

Friendly Avenue Church of Christ Pantry

At 5101 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27410, the pantry at Friendly Avenue Church of Christ provides bags of groceries to families in need. The pantry operates by appointment only. 

The Salvation Army Greensboro Food Pantry

The Salvation Army at 1001 Freeman Mill Road, Greensboro, NC 27406, runs a food pantry and hunger-relief program that includes pantry services alongside hot meals and other assistance. Hot meals are served every third Thursday from 5-7 p.m. Pantry service hours are subject to change, and donations and recipient requirements can be found on their website.