Wilmington Fire Department teams up with Nourish NC to feed families this holiday

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Fire Department was busy loading up donations for its annual Holiday Food Drive.

Since November, the department and the community have been collecting non-perishable food items at various fire stations around Wilmington.

The food drive is a partnership with Nourish NC, a local nonprofit that focuses on providing healthy food options to hungry children.

Last year, the drive collected 1,300 pounds of food, and this year, donations have increased to 1,700 pounds.

Fire Chief Steve Mason expressed his pride in both the community and his fellow firefighters:

“Once again, the community and our firefighters have stepped up to help people in need. I mean, that’s what we do day in and day out. It doesn’t always look like putting out fires or responding to a cardiac arrest. There are so many ways that the fire department works with the community to look after people, and this is just another example of that.”

The boxes of food will be used in Nourish NC’s “Market on Market” and Backpack programs to provide meals for families who need a little extra help during the holiday season.