Created in March as a way to safely feed the community amid the coronavirus pandemic, Carrboro United announced on Tuesday that it has hit $1 million in sales.

“Conceived as an urgent response to the local food economy closing down at the beginning of the pandemic,” reads a release from the organization, “Carrboro United has not only been a safe way for the community to enjoy and support local food for the last six months but has been a lifeline for restaurants, farmers and local food artisans.”

The milestone is also marked by Carrboro United relocating its contactless, drive-through food hub permanently to the parking lot of University Place mall in Chapel Hill — a location accessible to Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham residents.

In addition to feeding the local community, Carrboro United was created to help support the local economy at a time when executive orders had shuttered dine-in service at restaurants across North Carolina.

“Obviously if people aren’t able to go to restaurants, the restaurant industry is decimated,” Tom Raynor, the former CEO of Fleet Feet and one of the organizers of Carrboro United, told 97.9 The Hill in March. “That rolls down to the local providers, the local farmers they do business with, the local truck drivers they do business with and the delivery people they do business with.”

Now, organizers said they had no idea how long their services would be necessary for the local community.

“When we launched Carrboro United back in March, we had no idea how long it would be needed or what to expect,” said Zoë Dehmer, director of operations & planning at Acme Food & Beverage and one of the founders of Carrboro United, in the release. “What began as a grassroots initiative has now become an integral part of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro food economy. We are excited to be able to expand our reach to include more restaurants and be more accessible to local families.”

Carrboro United offers contactless delivery for family meals from local independent restaurants, local roasted coffee, local eggs, humanely raised meats, grocery staples, and more. The service is available for pick up on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at University Place mall.

Visit the Carrboro United website for online ordering and to learn more.

Featured image via The Splinter Group

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