The Carrboro Board of Aldermen recently agreed to hold a public hearing Tuesday, May 23 regarding the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service’s proposed FoodFirst initiative, designed to fight community hunger and homelessness.

The FoodFirst proposal would combine several of the IFC’s services, including its food pantry and community kitchen, under one roof in a new three-story building on 110 West Main Street, the current site of the food pantry

In December 2016, the IFC submitted a rezoning request to the Town of Carrboro to attempt to make this vision a reality. The Board of Aldermen voted in March of that year to approve a text amendment allowing the organization to apply for a permit to open a community kitchen at the West Main Street location.

FoodFirst has a long and controversial history in Carrboro, as many local businesses have previously opposed the initiative. Though Carrboro mayor Lydia Lavelle says that may help the discussion at the hearing.

“There’s been so much attention and discussion about this topic over the last couple of years that I know a lot of questions have been answered and addressed,” she said.

Lavelle said the IFC has worked with local businesses on resolving issues with FoodFirst. In the past, some businesses expressed concerns about nuisance behaviors and how the increased size of the service could affect pedestrian traffic.

To address those concerns, the latest FoodFirst building proposal places the front door inside of a walled-off courtyard. This would provide a place for people to gather as they wait for meals and keep long lines from crowding sidewalks.

The IFC has investigated other sites for FoodFirst in the past, but felt its food pantry’s current location on West Main Street best served the community.

The food pantry currently serves about 1,300 bags of groceries to community members per month. Households can become members of the pantry and receive groceries once per month.

About 60,000 people received free meals from the community kitchen last year.

The May 23 hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Carrboro Town Hall.

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