Started at a card table. Still run that way on purpose.

How we started

In the spring of 2021, a handful of neighbors on East Franklin Avenue began setting up a folding table on Saturday mornings, stocked with whatever extra groceries people could spare. Word spread fast — within a few months, the table had become a line around the block, and it was clear the need was bigger than any one household could meet alone.

That summer, the group formalized as Zina Community Food Support. We received our federal tax-exempt determination from the IRS on July 12, 2021, recognizing us as a 501(c)(3) public charity under section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi), and registered our accounting year to close each December 31.

What guides us

We operate on a simple belief: food access shouldn't require paperwork, proof of income, or an appointment. Anyone who shows up to our Saturday pantry leaves with groceries — no questions asked. That same principle shapes our delivery routes and our food rescue partnerships: meet people where they are, with what they actually need.

Our values

• Dignity first. No means-testing, no judgment, no waiting in the cold longer than necessary.
• Neighbor-run. Most of our volunteers and pantry staff live within walking distance of Franklin Avenue.
• Nothing wasted. We'd rather rescue a grocer's surplus produce than let it go to landfill.
• Open books. Our finances and filings are public — see our transparency page.