About Us
With a mission to provide emergency food assistance to individuals and families over the past 20 years, Feed Your Neighbor Community Food Pantry is a non-profit committed to helping those in need. Food insecurity is on the rise nationwide, and it’s affecting our neighbors.
Our Story
The story of the Feed Your Neighbor Food Pantry began more than 20 years ago at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Greenville, NC. In response to increased requests from hungry people knocking at the church’s office door, several staff and parish volunteers started collecting non-perishable food items. This practice grew as word spread and soon one of the closets in the office became a “pantry” as more and more members responded to this growing need. The Food Pantry soon outgrew the closet space and then found a home in one half of the Canterbury House which sits adjacent to St. Paul’s Church.
Over the years, St. Paul’s Food Pantry has helped thousands of people, but food insecurity continues to rise as our Food Pantry witnessed a 50% increase in the number of people served since 2023 with expectations of additional increases in the future. In order to combat this rise, the decision was made in 2024 to become a 501c3 non-profit which would facilitate potential goals such as a larger facility, additional equipment, higher quality food and delivery services and thus help us better feed our hungry neighbors. As a result, the Feed Your Neighbor Community Food Pantry non-profit is even in a stronger position to erase food concerns for anyone in need.
Feeding Our Neighbors
Today, our Food Pantry feeds 450 people weekly, totaling 175,000 pounds of food annually.
Our Pantry is open on Thursday afternoons between 1-3 p.m. We distribute food 51 weeks of the year.
Our volunteers are invaluable! It takes about 2,000 volunteer hours annually to operate the food pantry.
A Growing Need
The growth of our Food Pantry over the years has correlated with the increasing needs of our community. According to Feeding America’s Pitt County data, 14% of the overall population is food insecure, and more than 23% of Pitt County’s children are food insecure. Tragically, food insecurity can happen to anyone at any time. All it takes is the loss of a job with earned income, an illness that requires extra funds from the household budget, rising inflation costs, or a different unexpected expense.
When food becomes unaffordable, the Food Pantry becomes a lifeline for many families. With food insecurity on the rise nationwide and in our community, our assistance becomes essential for individuals and families who are facing empty cupboards, barren refrigerators, hunger and despair.
Our Board Members
Pamela D. Hopkins
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OCCUPATION: Director, Center for Communication Excellence, School of Communication, East Carolina University; Teaching Associate Professor, School of Communication, East Carolina University; Adjunct Associate Professor, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University.
EDUCATION: B.A., Clemson University, 1982; M.A., The Pennsylvania State University, 1985; Ph.D., East Carolina University, 2010.
BOARD & VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: St. Paul's Episcopal Church Vestry (Greenville, NC); Front desk volunteer, St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Greenville, NC); Pitt County Guardian ad Litem volunteer (Greenville, NC); Radio Reading Services for the Blind volunteer (Greenville, NC); Joy Soup Kitchen volunteer (Greenville, NC); St. Peter's Catholic School volunteer (Greenville, NC).
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OCCUPATION: Attorney, licensed in North Carolina, admitted to various United States courts, employed by Eastern District of North Carolina Standing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee.
EDUCATION: B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005; J.D., Campbell University, 2012.
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Junior Warden, St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Greenville, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Vestry (Greenville, NC); Boy Scouts of America East Carolina Council volunteer (Greenville, NC); Upward Sports youth basketball volunteer (Greenville, NC); Future Stars youth soccer volunteer (Greenville, NC); Loaned Executive volunteer, United Way of Wilkes County (North Wilkesboro, NC).
Isaac A. Johnston
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OCCUPATION: Retired, Executive Director, Creative Services, North Carolina State University; Retired, Director, Humanities Extension/Television Services, North Carolina State University.
EDUCATION: B.A., North Carolina State University, 1968.
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: East Carolina University Lifelong Learning Program Founding Chairman (Greenville, NC); Pitt County Historical Society Board of Directors (Greenville, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry Co-director (Greenville, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Director of Live-streaming operations (Greenville, NC).
Ronald E. Kemp
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OCCUPATION: Community Volunteer
EDUCATION: B.S.B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1981.
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: East Carolina University Medical and Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors (Greenville, NC); Boys and Girls Club of the Coastal Plain Board of Directors (Winterville, NC); North Carolina Aquarium Society Board of Directors (Raleigh, NC); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Visitors (Chapel Hill, NC); Co-Chair of Stone Soup, a Meal to Benefit the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry (Greenville, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Vestry (Greenville, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry volunteer (Greenville, NC); Meals on Wheels volunteer for over 30 years.
Suzanne P. Pecheles
Donald Painter
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Occupation: Retired, Distager, Social Security Administration Field Office, Wilson, NC.
Education: B.A., East Carolina University, 1993.
Board and Volunteer Experience: Columbus County Theatre Actor/Volunteer (Whiteville, NC), United Way Grant Distribution Advisory Board (Wilson, NC), Greenville Evening Rotary Club Treasurer (Greenville, NC), Vestry Member, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, (Greenville, NC) St. Paul's Food Pantry Volunteer, Feed Your Neighbor Community Food Pantry Volunteer (Greenville, NC)
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OCCUPATION: Public Communications Specialist for East Carolina University's College of Business.
EDUCATION: B.A. in Communications, Geneva College, 2001; M.A. in English, East Carolina University, 2019; EdD in Educational Leadership, East Carolina University, 2024
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: This would be my first board. When I lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, I volunteered with the Miracle League of the Lakeshore and My Team Triumph. Here in Greenville, I have been a volunteer baseball and soccer coach a number of times. I teach Youth Faith Formation - or Sunday school - at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
EXTRA: I have worked at ECU for the past 10 years. Prior to that, I was a television news anchor and reporter, even spending a year at WNCT here in Greenville, from 2011 to 2012. My last job was as the morning and noon anchor at WFRV-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I have nearly a quarter of a century of experience in communications/media. Storytelling is something that I really enjoy and will aim to bring that skillset to the Feed Your Neighbor Community Food Pantry.
Richard Klindworth Jr.
D. Jordan Whichard, III
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OCCUPATION: Retired, President and Publisher, The Daily Reflector, Cox North Carolina Publications, Inc.
EDUCATION: B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1979.
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: (Currently) Chairman, East Carolina University Health Foundation (Greenville, NC); President, The Episcopal Foundation for the Diocese
of East Carolina (Kinston NC); North Carolina Aquarium Society Board of Directors (Raleigh, NC); North Carolina Global Transpark Foundation Board of Directors (Kinston, NC); St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry volunteer (Greenville, NC); (Formerly) Chairman, Boys and Girls Club of the Coastal Plain Board of Directors (Winterville, NC); Chairman, UNC School of Journalism and Media Foundation Board of Directors (Chapel Hill, NC); Chairman, General Alumni Association of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Directors (Chapel Hill, NC); Vice Chairman, University of North Carolina Health Care System Board of Directors (Chapel Hill, NC); Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina Board of Directors (Research Triangle Park, NC); Chairman, North Carolina Economic Development Board (Raleigh, NC); Chairman and President, Southern Newspaper Publishers Association
(Atlanta, GA); East Carolina University Board of Trustees (Greenville, NC); Chairman, North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research Board of Directors (Raleigh, NC); Public Broadcasting Service of North Carolina Board of Trustees (Research Triangle Park, NC).
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OCCUPATION
Assistant Professor, ECU Brody School of Medicine, Department of Public Health
EDUCATION
B.S., Colorado State University, 2001
M.S.P.H, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009
BOARD AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Greenville Summer Swim League volunteer judge (Greenville, NC)
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Vestry (Greenville, NC)
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church Mission and Outreach Committee (Nashville, TN)
McCabe Park Little League volunteer baseball coach (Nashville, TN)ption text goes here
Aaron M. Kipp
Sydney Womack
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Originally from Danville, Virginia.
Graduated from George Washington High School
Attended St. Mary’s College for 2 years
Graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BA in Education.
Notable Community Service and volunteer activities:
Chairman of Recreation and Parks Commission
The Boys and Girls Club of Pitt County Board of Directors
North Carolina Zoo Council for over 20 years
Active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and involved in numerous ministries including volunteering with St. Paul’s Community Food Pantry since its inception
I feel very passionate about our mission to “Feed Our Neighbors”
Get Involved!
As the need for emergency food assistance grows in our community, we need your help. We are actively seeking volunteers to assist both on-site and behind the scenes. We also welcome financial or in-kind contributions to provide more food bags, feed more families, expand distribution, and explore future growth opportunities. Contact us today to learn how you can help your neighbors.