GUILFORD COUNTY

FOOD SECURITY

Harvest Hope Newsletter

October 2025

Program Highlights

2025 GHPFA Food Summit

The Greater High Point Food Alliance's (GHPFA) 2025 Food Summit took place on September 19th at The Loft at Congdon Yards. It was a great success and brought over 150 community members, partners, and leaders together to transform ideas into action and strengthen our collective advocacy for food security. A heartfelt thank you to all who attended for helping make the event a wonderful experience!

Melodie served on the Planning Committee for the 2025 Food Summit and can be seen above enjoying the Photobooth with fellow Extension colleagues (left) and friends at Out of the Garden Project (OOTGP) (right). OOTGP also won the 2025 Rooted in Community Award; congratulations! OOTGP was previously featured in our Community Partner Spotlight, which you can read here.

Upcoming Events

2025 Piedmont Triad Farmers Market

The Piedmont Triad Farmers Market is back!

The Guilford County Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department (SBED) and NC Cooperative Extension - Guilford County Center are partnering with the Triad Black Faith Leaders & Black Farmers Network (TBFL&BFN), City of High Point, and East Greensboro NOW for the Sunday Farmers Market in High Point. The Farmers Market will be held on November 2nd, 2025, from 10 AM – 4 PM at Mendenhall Station in High Point (220 E. Commerce Ave., High Point, NC 27260).

The Farmer's Market is part of Piedmont Triad Business Collaborative Week. Visit PTBusinessCollab.org for more events and information.

This community event will feature farmers offering fresh, locally grown produce. This event will also showcase live music, DJ Tito, performances, craft vendors, and local food trucks. There is no admission fee to attend the Farmers Market.

This market is more than just shopping—it’s a growing movement. Last year, thousands came together to support local farmers, enjoy entertainment, and strengthen food access in our community. Together, we’re building food security, economic opportunity, and a vibrant space for community voice and culture.

2025 Community Connections Open House

It's that time of year again!

Join us for this year's Community Connections Open House at the NC Cooperative Extension - Guilford County Center on November 5th, 2025 from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM! We invite you to explore the resources and intersections of our programming featuring local agriculture, horticulture, 4-H, community and school gardens, family and consumer sciences, food security, and digital literacy. Join us for interactive workshops, conversations with Extension staff, public and non-profit vendor tables, and more!

Please click the button below or scan the QR code to register for free! Registration is not required, but is appreciated so we can keep count of attendees. This will help us plan ahead and prepare our space for the participants.

Community Partner Spotlight

This month's spotlight goes to Guilford Backpack Ministry!

1 in 4 children in the rural northern and northwest Guilford County community are at risk for going hungry. Due to the rural and expansive nature of the school district, delivering to schools affords Guilford Backpack Ministry the opportunity to distribute food directly to students, eliminating the costly transportation and time constraint burdens for these families. Guilford Backpack Ministry's dedicated volunteers have worked diligently to help fight childhood hunger in the area since 2010. Guilford Backpack Ministry's Spring 2025 Impact Report can be viewed here.

Guilford Backpack Ministry is a 100% volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide food and basic necessities to students in need in northern and northwest Guilford County area schools. Every week during the school year, Guilford Backpack Ministry provides bags of nutritious, easy-to-prepare, shelf-stable food to close the weekend food gap for local students. Working directly with school officials, Guilford Backpack Ministry is currently serving over 400 K-12 students in 12 schools. Those same students and their families are also supported through their annual Christmas Store.

At a glance, Guilford Backpack Ministry:

Fills bags with a weekly average of 7 lbs of food
Sends home bags of nutritious, shelf-stable, easy-to-prepare weekend meals
Prepares weekly Snack Packs for school days
Provides extra food to support families during holidays and breaks
Sends school supplies and special treats throughout the school year

Beth Waterfield, Director of Guilford Backpack Ministry, says, "Guilford Backpack Ministry has been serving the northern and northwest schools of Guilford County since 2010. We are the primary food resource for the students and their families in this area. This year we are placing a greater focus on educating the community and promoting the program in the schools so that we can reach all those in need and increase community support." Thank you, Beth!

There are a few ways to get involved with Guilford Backpack Ministry!

1.) Volunteer! Guilford Backpack Ministry welcomes new faces and has several opportunities for you to help throughout the school year.

2.) Donate food! Guilford Backpack Ministry takes non-perishables of all kinds and offerings can be brought to the lobby at the Oak Ridge Methodist Church (2424 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge, NC 27310).

3.) Donate money! With each donation, you are helping Guilford Backpack Ministry close the weekend food gap for students in northern and northwest Guilford County.

You can also donate by mail. Make checks payable to:

ORMC - Backpacks

P.O. Box 538

Oak Ridge, NC 27310

Please include your email address and phone number with your donation.

Thank you, Guilford Backpack Ministry, for helping Guilford County's rural families combat food insecurity! For more information about Guilford Backpack Ministry and the wonderful work they're doing, please click the button below!

GUILFORD BACKPACK MINISTRY

Click the links below to learn more about the Food Security Program, our partners, and local happenings:

GUILFORD COUNTY CENTER EVENTS

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

N.C. Cooperative Extension - Guilford County Center, 3309 Burlington Rd, Greensboro, NC 27405, United States
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