Mission
CORA provides nutritious food to community members facing food insecurity.
Vision
A healthy, strong, connected community without hunger, where all people have access to abundant, safe, nutritious, and culturally-relevant food.
What We Do
Pantries
CORA operates two choice food pantries that welcome neighbors in need to choose the produce, shelf-stable goods, breads, proteins, and other items their families enjoy. Our pantries are located in Pittsboro, NC and Siler City, NC.
SNACK! and CORApacks
CORA operates two programs that provide groceries for children on the days they aren’t at school. SNACK! boxes are distributed at sites around Chatham County during the summer, and CORApacks are delivered to homes during the school year.
Mobile Market
Pop-up drive-through food distributions at off-site locations, offering a variety of groceries, including fresh produce.
Why We Do It
Approximately 11% of the population in Chatham County lives at or below the poverty level, and 27% is considered low-income. In addition, according to the 2024 Chatham County Health Assessment, about 1 in 17 adults reported worrying about running out of food before they had money to buy more.
Access to nutritious food is key to a healthy, vibrant community. When people have enough to eat, they’re healthier, stronger, and better able to care for their families, succeed at work or school, and contribute to the well-being of their neighbors. Feeding people isn’t just an act of compassion—it’s how we build a thriving, connected community where everyone can flourish.
Food insecurity does not occur in a silo, and systemic inequities occur on the basis of race, gender, age, immigration status, and other social identities. CORA is working towards an equitable and resilient food system for all Chatham County residents by providing healthy and nutritious foods to those facing hunger in our community.
We believe in hassle-free access to food and offer choice shopping in our pantry because everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, to feel empowered, and to be well-nourished.
We are a nonprofit organization with no political or religious affiliation. CORA is an equal opportunity provider.
Values
At our CORA, we embrace a culture that treats all individuals fairly and respectfully. We are dedicated to fostering dignity by consistently demonstrating genuine care, concern, and support. Adhering to strong ethical and moral standards ensures that CORA fulfills its mission with integrity, compassion, and efficiency.
- Compassion & Respect: Recognizing the inherent dignity of every community member.
- Collaboration & Cooperation: Engaging with a network of community members, organizations, and partners.
- Involvement & Awareness: Acknowledging our community’s unique needs and perspectives.
- Education & Prevention: Striving to understand, prevent, and eradicate the root causes of hunger.
- Stewardship & Sustainability: Being responsible stewards of all our resources.