NC State Extension Donation Station Program: Supporting Local Farmers and Feeding Communities

In 2017, N.C. Cooperative Extension partnered with the nonprofit organization Farmer Foodshare to expand a powerful initiative called Donation Stations across North Carolina. The program’s goal is simple: to support local farmers while helping food-insecure communities. Over time, this collaboration has grown, and NC State Extension has taken the reins, officially making Donation Stations a key part of its efforts to connect local food and hunger relief at the county level, as Farmer Foodshare focuses on its thriving food hub.

A Program’s Beginning

Farmer Foodshare, based in Durham, started Donation Stations as a way to help farmers and food relief agencies work together. The idea is that volunteers collect produce or monetary donations at farmers’ markets, and then use the money to purchase fresh produce from local farmers at the market. The food is then donated to local hunger relief agencies, keeping both the food and funds local. This model ensures that local farmers are paid fairly for their goods, while the donated food goes directly to families in need. Since there are no overhead costs, every dollar goes right back into the community.

Farmer Foodshare Donation Stations first launched in 2010 at the Carrboro Farmers Market and spread through the Triangle from there.  The collaboration between Farmer Foodshare and NC State Extension began in 2016 when Dara Bloom, associate professor and local foods Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, met with Farmer Foodshare program directors about shared interests and realized that expanding and maintaining a volunteer-based system across the state was a challenge for the non-profit. Bloom saw the potential fit for Extension’s model, especially since so many county offices are already involved with both farmers’ markets and supporting food security efforts. The first major success of the collaboration came in 2019, when New Hanover County piloted Donation Stations at two local farmers markets, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Seeing the program’s potential, N.C. State Extension and its partners, including the NC State Extension Master Food Volunteer Program (EMFV), worked to expand it further.

Creating a Statewide Resource

To help agents across the state adopt the program, a team of collaborators—including Morgan Marshall, EMFV Program Manager; Bloom; Julia Yao (former EMFV Program Manager) and Braedyn Mallard (Farmer Foodshare) developed comprehensive guides for agents and volunteers between 2020 and 2021. These resources, which went through extensive peer review, provided clear instructions for starting and maintaining Donation Stations within Extension. Despite delays caused by the pandemic and staff turnover, by 2021 the program was ready for a larger rollout.

An information session led to nine counties signing up for the pilot program, and by early 2022, agents received training and essential materials to launch the stations. These resources included items like a dry-erase easel, cooler bags, a food scale and a branded tablecloth—everything needed to run a successful Donation Station.

A Transition and Growth in 2024

As Farmer Foodshare shifted its focus toward operating a larger scale, aggregation, and distribution food hub model, they passed the Donation Station program fully to NC State Extension in 2024. This transition reflects the ongoing success and importance of the program, which has become an integral part of Extension’s efforts to support local farmers and fight hunger. Farmer Foodshare remains an important partner for many Extension Local Food programs, including their role in providing local food through their food hub to child care centers as part of Farm to Early Care and Education programming.

Between 2022 and 2024, sixteen counties hosted Donation Stations, with agents and volunteers working tirelessly over 225 market days and over 1,350 hours. During this time, more than 16,850 pounds of fresh produce were donated to local food relief agencies. Participating counties include Cherokee, Chowan, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Haywood, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, Rowan, Rutherford, Union, and Wayne.

In addition to annual infographics, we have created three promotional videos that can all be found on our YouTube channel to help promote and share the program with potential community partners. 

How It Works: A Win for Everyone

One of the biggest aspects of the Donation Station program is the community’s strength and involvement. Major partners include NC State Extension professionals and volunteers, the farmers market manager and vendors, and the food pantry or other hunger relief agency. Working collaboratively to promote and market the program, as well as educate market customers and food pantry clients, allows the impact to grow in more ways than just food donations. 

Volunteers play a crucial role in making this program a success. They receive training on how to set up, engage with customers, and manage donations. Throughout the market season, they help make a tangible difference in both the agricultural community and the lives of those experiencing food insecurity. While the program started under the umbrella of the NC Extension Master Food Volunteer program, as it’s grown, volunteers from the Extension Master Gardener program and 4-H have also taken a lead role, as well as agents across all Extension program areas.

Looking Ahead

As the program continues to grow, NC State Extension is excited to bring Donation Stations to even more counties, furthering its mission to support both local farmers and hunger relief efforts. The Donation Station program is grateful to have received funding from both the NC Extension Local Food Program and Steps to Health, NC State University’s SNAP-Ed Program. Looking forward, the team hopes to integrate more educational components by partnering with Steps to Health and drawing on their resources for working with farmers’ markets and food pantries to increase community access and make the healthy choice the easy choice for low-income consumers. Agents are also encouraged to provide Extension resources such as recipe cards and nutrition education to agencies that receive food donations. The transition from Farmer Foodshare’s leadership to NC State Extension reflects the program’s expansion and sustainability, ensuring that Donation Stations remain a vital part of North Carolina’s food system for years to come.

If you’re interested in learning more about Donation Stations, please contact Morgan Marshall (Morgan_Marshall@ncsu.edu).