Montford Table: Fighting Food Insecurity Among Veterans and Their Families

Montford Table is the food-insecurity initiative of the Montford Point Marine Association, Triad–Triangle NC Chapter 38. Through this ongoing project, Chapter 38 provides food assistance to veterans and veteran households experiencing financial hardship, limited transportation, mobility challenges, or inadequate access to nutritious food.
Chapter 38 is a 501(c)(3) veterans service organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Montford Point Marines while continuing their example of service, leadership, and commitment to community. Our chapter serves veterans and communities across a 22-county area in North Carolina: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Johnston, Nash, Orange, Person, Randolph, Robeson, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Vance, Wake, and Warren counties.
For many veterans, food insecurity is not simply a matter of having too little food. It can be made worse by fixed incomes, rising grocery costs, health conditions, disabilities, limited transportation, and the distance between rural communities and available assistance. Older veterans and veterans who are homebound may also have difficulty reaching traditional food-distribution locations, even when help is available.
Montford Table was created to help close those gaps.
The program is designed to hold approximately two food distributions each month, with the capacity to assist about 25 veteran households during each distribution. This represents up to 50 household distributions per month as funding, food availability, and community partnerships allow. Distributions may include groceries, shelf-stable food, fresh food when available, or grocery gift cards that allow veterans to purchase food appropriate for their households, dietary needs, and health conditions.
Chapter 38 will work with county Veteran Service Offices, veteran-serving organizations, community agencies, faith-based organizations, food providers, and other local partners to identify veterans and families who may need assistance. This coordinated approach will help us direct support to households with demonstrated needs while protecting the privacy and dignity of the veterans we serve.
Whenever possible, veterans will receive their assistance at an announced community distribution location. Home delivery may be arranged for veterans who cannot safely travel because of age, disability, illness, lack of transportation, or other mobility barriers. Chapter volunteers and approved community partners will assist with preparing, transporting, and distributing food in accordance with appropriate food-handling and safety practices.
Donations to Montford Table may be used to support:
• The purchase of groceries and nutritious food
• Grocery-store gift cards for eligible veteran households
• Food for scheduled community distributions
• Emergency food assistance when resources are available
• Transportation and fuel associated with food pickup and delivery
• Home delivery for veterans with mobility or transportation barriers
• Boxes, bags, coolers, gloves, and other food-handling supplies
• Temporary food storage and distribution-related expenses
• Outreach materials used to connect veterans with available assistance
• Other reasonable and necessary costs directly related to operating Montford Table
Our initial operating goal is to conduct two distributions per month and provide up to 50 household distributions monthly. Actual service levels may vary depending on available funding, donated food, household size, local needs, and the geographic location of each distribution.
Chapter 38 will track the number of distributions conducted, veteran households assisted, individuals represented within those households, counties reached, home deliveries completed, food or gift cards distributed, volunteer participation, and donated funds used. Personally identifying information will be protected and will not be included in public reports.
Montford Table is intended to be an ongoing source of assistance rather than a one-time food drive. Contributions received through Benevity will help Chapter 38 establish a dependable base of support, respond to needs throughout our service area, and expand the program responsibly as additional funding and partnerships become available.
Individual gifts, workplace donations, corporate contributions, matching gifts, food donations, and volunteer support can all help this project move forward. Employers may also support Montford Table by sponsoring a monthly distribution, organizing a workplace food drive, matching employee contributions, or providing volunteers to assist with packing and distribution.
Every contribution matters. A smaller gift can help purchase staple items or delivery supplies. A larger gift can help provide groceries for several veteran households, support a complete distribution, or extend assistance into a rural community where resources may be limited.
Through Montford Table, Chapter 38 makes sure veterans are treated with dignity, connected with trusted local resources, and reminded that their service has not been forgotten. With the support of donors and community partners, we place food on the tables of veterans and their families throughout North Carolina.