We share food. Neighbors choose.
Our pantry works like a grocery store — you walk the aisles and pick the food your family will love, with dignity and without ever paying. We’ve shared food with our neighbors across the East End for decades, and everyone is welcome. Whether you need food today or want to help a neighbor, you’re in the right place.
- No appointment needed
- No payment, ever
- Open to all neighbors
What we do
More than a food pantry
We’re the last mile of food security in our community — turning food from regional banks, grocers, and our own garden into real meals for real neighbors.
Shop like a grocery store
Choice
Choice food pantry
Our storefront is set up like a small grocery store. Neighbors walk the aisles and pick the food their family actually eats — including the kinds of meals their children will love.
Get involved
Food where you are
Reach
Mobile pantry
We bring fresh food out into the neighborhood at sites across the East End for neighbors who can’t reach Wood Street.
Get involved
Fresh from our garden
Grow
Urban garden
Our community garden grows fresh produce a few steps from the pantry — and gives volunteers a place to dig in.
Get involved
Food kids will eat
For kids
Meals your kids will love
We help parents find food that fits their children’s needs — healthy options kids actually want to eat, so even the pickiest eaters in the family have meals they’ll enjoy.
Get involved
Help in a crisis
When it counts
Crisis & emergency food
Emergency food is part of our regular distribution — anyone facing a short- or long-term need is welcome, and no one is turned away.
Get involvedOur story
Like a grocery store — but you don’t pay at the end
We don’t pack pre-made boxes and hand them out. Instead, neighbors shop our shelves and choose the food they want — the way anyone would at the store. That choice is the whole point. It keeps the experience human, and it keeps people’s dignity intact.
Founded by a coalition of local congregations and community leaders, Wilkinsburg Community Ministry serves everyone — regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or creed. We don’t serve “clients.” We share food with neighbors.
Get food
Come shop with us
No appointment. No account. No payment. Just walk in during open hours.
Hours
- Monday 9 AM – 1 PM
- Tuesday 3 PM – 7 PM
- Wednesday 9 AM – 1 PM
- Thursday 9 AM – 1 PM
- Friday 9 AM – 1 PM
- Saturday & Sunday Closed
Storefront
702–704 Wood Street
Wilkinsburg, PA 15221
Can’t reach us? Our mobile pantry brings food out into the neighborhood. Call us for current sites.
What to bring
- A photo ID or piece of mail with your name and address
- Reusable bags or a cart if you have them
- Yourself — first-time neighbors register on site, in person
- No appointment, no account, and no payment needed
Neighbors we serve
Living in or near one of these communities? You’re welcome here.
- Wilkinsburg
- East Homewood
- East Liberty
- Park Place
- Regent Square
- Swissvale
- Braddock
- Edgewood
- Forest Hills
- parts of Penn Hills
Volunteer
Behind every staff hour are two volunteer hours
We’re small and we’re busy — and we couldn’t share food without volunteers. The work is real: lifting 20–40 lb boxes, sorting food, wiping cans, breaking down boxes, and cleaning. It’s honest, hands-on, and deeply needed.
Starting is easy. Come to a 30-minute training, get paired with a mentor, and we’ll show you everything.
Volunteer with usStorefront help
Stock shelves, welcome neighbors, and help the pantry run during open hours.
Group volunteer days
Bring your team, congregation, or class — usually weekend deep-cleaning and sorting.
The garden
Seasonal hands-on work growing and harvesting fresh produce for neighbors.
Mobile pantry sites
Help set up, hand out, and break down at our mobile distribution sites.
Your gift puts food on a neighbor’s table
Food costs keep rising, and we run on a lean budget — so every bit of support goes a long way. What you share comes straight back to the neighbors who need it, as real meals on real tables.
Our next chapter
A permanent home at 813 South Avenue
We’ve found a building of our own — and we’re growing it into a true community center for the pantry. By nourishing neighbors today and empowering generations tomorrow, we’re not just feeding our community — we’re cultivating a healthier, more equitable future. We hope to move in by late 2026.
Every gift builds the foundation
Whether you give $25 or $25,000, you’re helping us put down roots for generations of neighbors to come.
Our impact
Dignity, at scale
We measure our work in neighbors welcomed, not boxes handed out.
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Neighbors served every day
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Neighbors served each month
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Communities in our service area
Community partners
Community Partners
Working together to ensure our neighbors have access to healthy, nutritious food.
Alongside local farmers, congregations, and community organizations, these partners help us provide food assistance to thousands of neighbors every month. Together, we turn shared resources into real meals on real tables.
Voices
In their own words
Neighbors and volunteers on what it feels like to be here.
They treat you like a person here. I get to pick what my kids will actually eat, and nobody makes you feel small for needing help.
A neighbor
Wilkinsburg
It’s the most welcoming place I’ve ever volunteered. A short training, a mentor by your side, and you’re part of the family that day.
Volunteer
Storefront team
Being able to choose your own groceries changes everything. It’s not a handout — it’s a neighbor sharing with a neighbor.
A neighbor
East Liberty
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you
Questions about getting food, volunteering, or giving? Send a note and a real person will get back to you.
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Call
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Email
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Hours
Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 9 AM–1 PM · Tue 3 PM–7 PM