September is National Hunger Action Month. This month we are highlighting organizations in Orange County that are taking action to feed people, empower communities, and solve food insecurity. Our fifth story highlights Heavenly Groceries, a collaborative food security partnership between the Marian Cheek Jackson Center and St. Joseph CME Church.

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The Power of Radical Hospitality

Heavenly Groceries is a living testament to community and connection. Born in 2002 at the hands of St. Joseph Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Reverend Troy Harrison and his wife Bernice Harrison, Heavenly Groceries began as an idea for an after-church bread distribution. Since its 2009 transformation into a collaborative food security partnership between the Marian Cheek Jackson Center and St. Joseph CME Church in Chapel Hill's historic Northside neighborhood, this initiative has grown far beyond a simple food distribution service. It's a place where relationships flourish as bountifully as the fresh produce on offer.

The heart of Heavenly Groceries is the "Angels," a group of Northside elders and church members who see this work as a calling. They bring not just food, but a wealth of wisdom, laughter, and mentorship to the tables each week. The pantry has also become a space for "student growth and transformation," as Ms. Gladys Pendergraph-Brandon, a longtime church member, explains. College volunteers step beyond their campus bubble to connect with a vibrant community, learning from the Angels what it truly means to serve.

While it started by addressing food insecurity in the surrounding historically Black neighborhoods of Northside, Pine Knolls, and Tin Top in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, the pantry's impact now extends county-wide. Over 63% of its guests come from outside the Northside area, making it a lifeline for the broader Orange County community. In the 2025-2026 fiscal year alone, Heavenly Groceries served over 9,840 people from diverse backgrounds—Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, and Indigenous—many of whom are elders over 65. The pantry's open-door policy ensures that no one is turned away, embodying a spirit of radical hospitality.

This powerful effort is made possible by a model of food recovery. Instead of traditional food drives, volunteers make weekly pickups from local grocery stores, farms, and partners, rescuing produce, bread, and meat that would otherwise be discarded. This not only provides high-quality food to those in need but also combats the staggering problem of food waste.

In a world where hunger and food waste coexist, Heavenly Groceries bridges the gap with compassion and efficiency. It’s a testament to the idea that a simple act of sharing a meal can create a ripple effect of community, mentorship, and love. As the number of people served continues to grow—it saw a 32.7% increase from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025—the story of Heavenly Groceries proves that a simple pantry can be a powerful engine for change, one person and one shared meal at a time. Heavenly Groceries opens its doors to the public each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

For more information, visit jacksoncenter.info/.

Photos provided by Renna Voss.