Guilford County launches Donation Station at Greensboro Farmers Curb Market

The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market now doubles as a hunger-relief drop point, giving Tuesday-night shoppers a way to turn extra produce into food for Guilford County families who need it most. Guilford County Cooperative Extension launched the Donation Station at 501 Yanceyville St., tying one of Greensboro’s best-known food destinations to a countywide food-security effort.

The setup is straightforward. Marketgoers buy produce from farmers and vendors, then drop it at a volunteer-run table or give money that is used to buy fresh food from farmers at full value. After each market, the donated food is delivered to Greensboro Parks and Recreation and added to food pantries at targeted community centers across the city.

The Donation Station runs every Tuesday evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. through Tuesday, Oct. 27, the same schedule now used by the market’s weekday operation. The Curb Market shifted from Wednesday mornings to Tuesday evenings beginning April 14, a change meant to better serve working families who could not make midday shopping hours. For a market founded by the City of Greensboro in 1874, the move shows how an old institution is being repurposed for a modern need.

County officials framed the program as both a food-access tool and a support for local agriculture. By channeling donations back through farmers at full value, the county says the effort helps families facing food insecurity while also creating another outlet for growers. Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the market on behalf of the city, says it is committed to supporting households and working with public agencies on food insecurity.

The need is large. County materials say North Carolina’s food insecurity rate in 2023 was 10.9%, while Guilford County’s rate was 15.2%, meaning roughly 83,000 county residents do not have reliable access to enough food for active, healthy living. Guilford County’s Food Security Hub is intended to connect people facing food insecurity, farmers and consumers to resources, and the county points residents to the Greater Guilford Food Finder app, a free tool developed by the Greater High Point Food Alliance.

The app is available on Android and iOS and helps residents locate food pantries, free meals, community kitchens and related services across Guilford County, including options near Greensboro and High Point. Local food-resource listings also note that some county farmers markets offer SNAP-doubling or similar incentive programs, adding another layer to a growing food-access network. The Donation Station now joins that system as a visible, practical way for a market crowd to help fill empty shelves.