First Presbyterian Church to receive truckload of food through Convoy of Hope partnership
First Presbyterian Church of Kinston will receive a truckload of food and relief supplies Thursday through a partnership with Convoy of Hope, a faith-based nonprofit organization focused on hunger relief, community outreach and disaster assistance.
Convoy of Hope partners with churches, civic organizations and government agencies to provide food and essential supplies to communities worldwide. Each truckload delivers approximately 30,000 pounds of food and relief items to partnering organizations.
The delivery follows an earlier collaboration in August 2025, when Convoy of Hope partnered with Hope Preparatory Academy to distribute food locally. First Presbyterian Church’s Backpack Buddies program benefited from that shipment, prompting the church’s Mission and Outreach team to pursue a formal partnership.
In January 2026, First Presbyterian Church of Kinston became an official Convoy of Hope partner, allowing the church to receive food disbursements for Backpack Buddies and other local nonprofit organizations.
Food insecurity remains a significant issue in Kinston and Lenoir County. The Backpack Buddies program currently serves between 450 and 500 Lenoir County Public Schools students each week. Volunteers pack food bags for students identified by school counselors at seven schools: Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, Moss Hill, Woodington, Rochelle and Frink.
In 2025, volunteers delivered more than 11,000 bags of food to these schools. The program is designed to help alleviate weekend hunger and ensure students return to school on Mondays nourished and ready to learn.
Because the Convoy of Hope shipment exceeds the needs of Backpack Buddies alone, First Presbyterian Church invited several local organizations to participate in the distribution. Those receiving disbursements include Mary’s Kitchen, Hope Preparatory Academy, Greene Lamp, Friends of the Homeless, SAFE and Hope Restorations. Representatives from each organization will be onsite, along with volunteers from First Presbyterian Church, to assist with distribution.
Convoy of Hope limits community partners to one truckload per calendar year. To support the continued operation of Backpack Buddies, First Presbyterian Church will host a Walk-a-Thon at Grainger Stadium on Saturday, March 21, 2026, beginning at 9 a.m.
Individual registration is $15, team registration is $40, and businesses or organizations interested in sponsorships may contact the church office at 252-522-1921. Registration information is available at runsignup.com/Race/NC/Kinston/BackpackBuddiesWalkAThon.
“The need in our community is real, and partnerships like this allow us to expand our reach and support children and families who need it most,” said the Rev. Travis Allen, pastor and head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Kinston.
