Salvation Army asks Kernersville for $20,000 to bolster food pantry

Brandon McCann, development director for the local Salvation Army, briefed the Kernersville Board of Aldermen on the organization’s food pantry operations and requested $20,000 in town funding to support vehicle maintenance, gasoline, supplies and a Spanish interpreter.

McCann said the pantry served an average of 396 households per month (about 1,100 people) last year and distributed just over 11,000 food boxes; he described the typical food box as weighing about 40 pounds and said roughly 95–98% of pantry clients are Kernersville residents. The pantry operates three days a week and partners with six local grocery stores and Second Harvest Food Bank’s emergency food assistance program (TFAP) for monthly distributions.

McCann thanked town police and fire partners for logistical support and noted the pantry uses a mix of volunteers and a small paid staff. "Our goal here with the food pantry is to combat food insecurity in Kernersville," McCann said. He noted the Salvation Army’s grant request to the town — $20,000, unchanged from last year — helps cover recurring costs and a new interpretation need.

Board members thanked the presenters for their work; no formal vote on the request was taken at the meeting. The request will be considered in upcoming budget discussions and during the town’s normal financial review process.