A Family

Mission: To nourish our neighbors with food and compassion.

Population Served: At-risk individuals and families in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

History: Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays, founded by Virginia Sampson and Ann Elliot respectively, merged in 2021 to combat food insecurity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Loaves & Fishes began in 1975, providing food from Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, while Friendship Trays started in 1976, delivering meals to elderly residents. Today, their combined efforts serve over 500 people daily, highlighting the dedication of these organizations and their founders in addressing hunger in the community. They now go by the name of Nourish Up.

Approach: Nourish Up is a network of emergency food pantries and the primary Meals on Wheels program in Mecklenburg County providing nutritionally balanced groceries for neighbors in need and healthy prepared meals for those unable to prepare or secure meals for themselves.

How Love Builds Up

Myers Park Presbyterian Church hosts food drives throughout the year to support Nourish Up. Nourish Up promotes opportunities to volunteer in their warehouse and serve as delivery drivers, in addition to maintaining a Friendship Trays ministry team that is responsible for one of the Meals on Wheels routes in Charlotte.

If you would like to engage in Myers Park Presbyterian Church’s partnership with Nourish Up, formerly Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays, please email outreach@myersparkpres.org.