CORA exists to build a community without hunger by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Chatham County.
Our primary goal is to enhance the quality of life by offering healthy food in a respectful and welcoming environment. Through our choice food pantries, Mobile Markets, and seasonal programs that fill gaps when school is out, we provide critical support to residents while promoting well-being, dignity, and community resilience.
As an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, CORA is sustained primarily through the generosity of individual donors, philanthropic organizations, and local business partners.
The Need
Right now, lower-income families in our community are struggling more than ever to afford groceries. For many, the weekly trip to the store is no longer about choosing between brands or meals—it’s about deciding what they can do without. Will it be milk this week or fresh produce? Will they have enough to pack lunch for their children or cover the rising rent?
Approximately 11% of the population in Chatham County lives at or below the poverty level, and 27% is considered low-income. 1 in 7 children in Chatham County experience food insecurity.
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 is essential to life, but it is also more than just calories and nutrients. Sharing food is a fundamental part of what it means to be humans in a community. No child should go hungry, no struggling parent should feel alone, and neighbors in need should have a place of hope.
CORA is recognized as exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
A copy of our most recent 990 is available here.
EIN: 56-1668767
Legal Name: Chatham Outreach Alliance
Donate online or mail checks payable to CORA to:
CORA
PO Box 1326
Pittsboro, NC 27312
