Broad River Community Market FAQs and Answers

  • Broad River Community Market distributes free food in Cleveland County, NC.

    • Jefferson Park in Shelby
      915 Buffalo Rd, Shelby, NC 28150

    • Grover Town Hall in Grover
      207 Mulberry St, Grover, NC 28073

      Check our Facebook page for updates and additional events.

  • Yes. All food is completely free. No payment, no catch.

  • No. You do not need ID, proof of income, or SNAP benefits to receive free food.

    Broad River Community Market does not require that you be receiving any kind of government assistance to take food from our markets. Our mission is to serve the needs of our community. We recognize that people’s food needs and circumstances can change quickly, even week-to-week, and we trust that people can determine their own need.

    Anyone can take food, no questions asked.

  • Anyone who needs food assistance near Shelby, North Carolina is welcome. If you live in or around Cleveland County and could use support, you are more than welcome to come to a pop-up market and pick up food.

  • These are only three of the reasons we need free food resources in Cleveland County like Broad River Community Market and our local food banks:

    • Overall Food Insecurity Rate: ~14%–16.2% of residents.

    • Child Food Insecurity: Roughly 17%–25% of children in the county live in food-insecure homes.

    • Low Access to Food: 16.7% of the population has low access to a grocery store.

    Our markets help fill that gap by bringing free, healthy food directly into the community.

  • Our free food markets serving Cleveland County, North Carolina offers wholesome food, including:

    • Local, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables

    • Eggs

    • Other locally produced food when available

    Every market looks different depending on what we’ve growing and what other local farms are providing.

    Here are some things we have offered at recent markets:

    • Greens like Collards, Kale, and Swiss Chard

    • String beans, Broccoli, Cabbage

    • Squash and Zucchini

    • Tomatoes

    • Hot and Sweet Peppers

    • Watermelon

    Our goal is to provide healthy, high-quality food all year-round.

  • Our general philosophy is that we take what we need and give what we can. With that in mind, we ask that everyone takes a fair share so we can serve as many people as possible.

  • There are a few ways to get involved:

    • Volunteer at one of the free food markets

    • Donate to support free food for Cleveland County

    • Partner with us as a local business or farm

    Every contribution helps us reach more families.

  • Broad River Community Market is a nonprofit Cleveland County food assistance resource funded through individual donations, small fundraising events, grants, and community support.

    To donate, visit broadrivermarket.org/donate.

  • Broad River Community Market partners with local farms in an effort to support both their operations and our community. We both purchase local produce and receive donations from our partner farms.

    Currently, our partners include: