How do I apply for SNAP?

Apply through your state's Department of Human Services — online, in person, or by phone. Approval for basic cases can happen in 30 days; expedited SNAP is available within 7 days for households in severe need. Bring ID, proof of income, rent/mortgage, and utilities.

Can I use a food bank without applying?

Yes. Most food banks and pantries don't require income verification, ID, or applications for initial visits. Feeding America's online locator (feedingamerica.org) finds nearby pantries by ZIP code. Most pantries let you visit once or twice a month.

Are custodial fathers eligible for WIC?

Yes. WIC covers custodial parents (including fathers and grandparents) of children under 5, and breastfeeding or postpartum mothers. It's commonly assumed to be mother-only — it isn't. Apply at your local WIC clinic. Income limit is 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.

What is summer food service?

USDA's Summer Food Service Program feeds children 18 and under during school breaks. No application required — kids just show up at a participating site (schools, parks, libraries). Text FOOD to 304-304 to find a nearby site, or call 211.

Food Assistance in North Carolina

17 verified resources.

About Food Assistance for Fathers

Food assistance programs for US fathers and families include SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), WIC (Women, Infants, and Children — which serves custodial fathers of children under 5), the National School Lunch Program, food banks through the Feeding America network, and Meals on Wheels. SNAP is administered state-by-state; eligibility is generally based on household income below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. Food banks operate in every state and are the fastest way to access food without an application — most require no ID or income verification for initial visits. TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) supplies food banks with USDA commodities. Summer Food Service Programs feed children during school breaks. This directory includes each state's SNAP office, regional food bank networks, and WIC clinics.

Food Assistance in North Carolina

North Carolina district courts handle family matters in all 100 counties, with some counties having dedicated family court sessions. The Child Support Services Section operates under DHHS. Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, and Winston-Salem are the largest metros. Legal Aid of North Carolina is the primary LSC-funded statewide civil legal aid program.

17 Resources

1. NC SNAP (Food & Nutrition Services) — Free

North Carolina's food stamp program providing monthly nutrition benefits via EBT card usable at grocery stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers. Fathers and households with children can apply online through ePASS or in person at the county DSS office. Benefits are based on household size and income. Call 1-866-719-0141 for assistance. Apply at epass.nc.gov or visit your county DSS. Open 24/7 for online applications; offices Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

1-866-719-0141 · Statewide – apply online or at county DSS · ePASS 24/7; offices Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC — Free

Serves 34 counties across central and eastern North Carolina through 800+ partner agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. Fathers in need can find their nearest food pantry by calling 919-875-0707 or visiting foodbankcenc.org. Mobile pantries and home delivery are available in some areas. The food bank also distributes emergency food boxes for households in crisis. Located at 3808 Thistledown Dr, Raleigh. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm for inquiries.

919-875-0707 · 3808 Thistledown Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC — Free

Distributes millions of pounds of food annually across 18 counties in northwest North Carolina through partner agencies and mobile pantry programs. Fathers in need can find their nearest food pantry by calling 336-784-5770 or visiting secondharvestnwnc.org. Mobile pantries bring food directly to underserved communities. Emergency food boxes are available for households in immediate need. Located at 3655 Reed St, Winston-Salem. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm for pantry locator and inquiries.

336-784-5770 · 3655 Reed St, Winston-Salem, NC 27107 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. MANNA FoodBank — Free

Serves 16 counties in western North Carolina distributing food through 200+ partner agencies with emergency food boxes, mobile markets, and nutrition education programs. Fathers can find their nearest partner pantry or mobile market by calling 828-299-3663 or visiting mannafoodbank.org. MANNA also runs school snack programs and senior nutrition initiatives. Located at 627 Swannanoa River Rd, Asheville. Open Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm. No ID required at most partner pantries.

828-299-3663 · 627 Swannanoa River Rd, Asheville, NC 28805 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

5. Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina — Free

Serves 24 counties in the Charlotte region operating mobile pantries, Kids Cafes, and senior hunger programs distributing millions of meals annually. Fathers can find their nearest food pantry by calling 704-376-1785 or visiting secondharvestmetrolina.org. Mobile pantries bring food directly to neighborhoods with limited access to grocery stores. Emergency food boxes are available for immediate need. Located at 500 Spratt St, Charlotte. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm for pantry locator and inquiries.

704-376-1785 · 500 Spratt St, Charlotte, NC 28206 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

6. NC WIC Program — Free

Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program providing supplemental foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support for eligible households. Fathers can apply on behalf of their children and pregnant or postpartum partners. Benefits include monthly food vouchers for healthy staples and formula. Call 1-800-367-2229 to find your local WIC office. Apply at your local WIC office statewide. Eligibility is based on income and nutritional risk. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; hours vary by office.

1-800-367-2229 · Statewide – apply at local WIC office · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; hours vary by office

7. Inter-Faith Food Shuttle — Free

Serves Wake, Durham, and surrounding counties with food distribution, community meals, nutrition education, and culinary job training programs for adults. Fathers facing food insecurity can access pantry partner locations or community meals throughout the area. Culinary job training provides hands-on workforce development. Call 919-250-0043 to locate services. Located at 1001 Blair Dr, Suite 120, Raleigh. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm. No eligibility screening required for food access.

919-250-0043 · 1001 Blair Dr, Suite 120, Raleigh, NC 27603 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

8. NC School Nutrition Programs — Free

Free and reduced-price school meals for eligible students through the NC Department of Public Instruction with the Community Eligibility Provision available in high-need schools at no cost to all students. Fathers can apply for free or reduced meals at their child's school at the start of each school year. Applications are confidential and income-based. Call 919-807-3506 for program questions. Apply at your child's local school. Available during the school year for all enrolled students.

919-807-3506 · Statewide (apply at local school) · During school year · Visit Website

9. Loaves & Fishes - Charlotte — Free

Emergency food assistance for Mecklenburg County families through a network of 15+ food pantries across Charlotte. Provides a week's supply of groceries to households in crisis at no cost. Fathers can access food assistance multiple times per year depending on need. No income verification required at most pantry locations. Call 704-523-4333 to find your nearest pantry location. Located at 648 Griffith Rd, Charlotte. Open Mon-Fri 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm.

704-523-4333 · 648 Griffith Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217 · Mon-Fri 9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm · Visit Website

10. Durham Community Food Pantry — Free

Emergency food distribution for Durham County residents providing supplemental groceries through walk-in and mobile pantry programs. Fathers and families can access food assistance without prior appointments at most distribution days. No income verification required. Call 919-683-7975 for schedule and location information. Located at 410 Liberty St, Durham. Open Mon-Fri 9am-12pm. Mobile pantry events are held at community locations throughout Durham County on a rotating schedule.

919-683-7975 · 410 Liberty St, Durham, NC 27701 · Mon-Fri 9am-12pm

11. Feeding the Carolinas — Free

Network of seven food banks serving all 100 NC counties coordinating food distribution, disaster relief feeding, and community hunger programs statewide. Fathers can find their nearest food bank or pantry through the Feeding the Carolinas website or by calling 984-355-7181. The network provides emergency food boxes, mobile pantries, and children's programs across all NC regions. Located in Raleigh. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm for pantry locator and program information.

984-355-7181 · Statewide network (Raleigh, NC) · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

12. Backpack Buddies NC — Free

Programs across NC providing discreet backpacks of nutritious food for school children to take home on weekends and holidays, addressing child hunger for families with limited resources. Children receive bags filled with easy-to-prepare foods each Friday throughout the school year. Programs operate through local schools in partnership with regional food banks. Visit foodbankcenc.org to find a Backpack Buddies program near you. Available statewide through local schools during the academic year. Free for participating students.

Statewide (through local schools) · School year · Visit Website

13. Greensboro Urban Ministry — Free

Emergency food assistance, financial aid, and social services for Guilford County residents operating one of the largest food pantries in the Triad region. Fathers and families can access a large selection of groceries at the pantry with no prior appointment at most distribution times. Emergency utility and rent assistance also available. Call 336-271-5959 for hours and services. Located at 305 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro. Open Mon-Thu 9am-3pm and Fri 9am-12pm.

336-271-5959 · 305 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC 27406 · Mon-Thu 9am-3pm; Fri 9am-12pm · Visit Website

14. Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM) - Food Programs — Free

Community ministry in Wilmington providing food distribution, hot meals, and emergency food assistance for families in New Hanover County. Fathers in need can access pantry food boxes and hot meal service without eligibility screening at most programs. Call 910-399-7563 for current schedules and service locations. Located at 908 Fanning St, Wilmington. Open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. No ID required at most food distribution events. Volunteers and donations are welcome to help the community.

910-399-7563 · 908 Fanning St, Wilmington, NC 28401 · Mon-Fri 9am-4pm

15. Fayetteville Area Food Bank (Second Harvest) — Free

Food distribution hub serving Cumberland County and surrounding areas with mobile pantries, partner agencies, and emergency food programs. Fathers facing food insecurity can locate nearby partner pantries or attend mobile distribution events throughout the region. Emergency food boxes available for immediate need. Call 910-485-6923 or visit secondharvestmetrolina.org for pantry locations. Located at 725 McArthur Rd, Fayetteville. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. No ID required at most pantries.

910-485-6923 · 725 McArthur Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28311 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

16. Society of St. Andrew NC Gleaning Network — Free

Volunteer organization salvaging fresh produce from NC farms and distributing it to food banks, shelters, and feeding programs across the state. Gleaning events recover fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste after harvest and deliver them free to communities in need. Father volunteers can participate in gleaning events. Call 800-333-4597 or visit endhunger.org to find gleaning events near you. Statewide NC operations with seasonal availability. All produce is distributed free.

800-333-4597 · Statewide (NC gleaning operations) · Seasonal; varies · Visit Website

17. Asheville Hot Spot / Homeward Bound — Free

Community meal service and housing assistance in Asheville providing daily meals, emergency shelter, and housing stability programs for men and families in western NC. Homeward Bound operates the Hot Spot community meal program daily alongside rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing services. Call 828-258-1695 for housing program intake. Located at 235 N Ann St, Asheville. Meals served daily 12pm-1pm. Office hours Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm for housing inquiries.

828-258-1695 · 235 N Ann St, Asheville, NC 28801 · Meals daily 12pm-1pm; office Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

Food Assistance — Common Questions

How do I apply for SNAP?: Apply through your state's Department of Human Services — online, in person, or by phone. Approval for basic cases can happen in 30 days; expedited SNAP is available within 7 days for households in severe need. Bring ID, proof of income, rent/mortgage, and utilities.
Can I use a food bank without applying?: Yes. Most food banks and pantries don't require income verification, ID, or applications for initial visits. Feeding America's online locator (feedingamerica.org) finds nearby pantries by ZIP code. Most pantries let you visit once or twice a month.
Are custodial fathers eligible for WIC?: Yes. WIC covers custodial parents (including fathers and grandparents) of children under 5, and breastfeeding or postpartum mothers. It's commonly assumed to be mother-only — it isn't. Apply at your local WIC clinic. Income limit is 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
What is summer food service?: USDA's Summer Food Service Program feeds children 18 and under during school breaks. No application required — kids just show up at a participating site (schools, parks, libraries). Text FOOD to 304-304 to find a nearby site, or call 211.