Hatteras Island Meals takes the reins of the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry

Starting on January 1, (and for the first time in its history), the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry will have new management overseeing its operations – local nonprofit organization Hatteras Island Meals.

For 34 years, the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry has been under the care of the Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men (CHUMM), and specifically, Ray and Claire Schaaf, who have worked tirelessly for more than two decades to keep the food pantry well supplied and available to residents in need.

“In their 24 years of 7-day-a-week work, they have never evacuated and seldom taken a vacation, so that they could be here to serve,” said Dennis Carroll of CHUMM in an announcement about the couple’s retirement, and the change of management. “They served more than just food. They provided a comforting presence and often a shoulder to cry on for those in need, or were suffering.”

With the Schaafs stepping down after years of service, CHUMM began looking in the fall of 2024 to find safe and secure hands to keep the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry going strong.

And the new partnership with Hatteras Island Meals was both serendipitous, and an obvious fit.

“My husband, J.D. [Joe] Diemer, is the new director of CHUMM as of last month,” said Cathy Diemer, Avon Community Manager for Hatteras Island Meals (HIM). “And when Dennis [Carroll] approached Joe about taking over as director, he mentioned the turnover of the food pantry, and Joe and Dennis said, ‘Well, let’s reach out to Hatteras Island Meals.’ Because, obviously, Joe knows someone at Hatteras Island Meals.”

This initial conversation occurred in September, and since then, HIM volunteers have been working tirelessly to learn the ropes of the new food pantry venture.

The Cape Hatteras Food Pantry and HIM both address food needs for Hatteras Island residents, but the two organizations are very different in terms of operations, management, and budget.

HIM is a grassroots nonprofit organization that began in 1987 as an informal endeavor, where local folks prepared meals for their neighbors. Today, it has grown to include around 60 volunteers and approximately 60 homebound clients from Rodanthe to Hatteras Village, and the organization is on target to deliver a total of 11,700 meals by the end of 2024.

The Cape Hatteras Food Pantry has more parties involved in its day-to-day operations. Folks are referred to the food pantry by Dare County Social Services, and the donated food is provided under the umbrella of the Albemarle Food Bank, and via a partnership with Food Lion in Avon and other local businesses, like Conner’s in Buxton. The food pantry has a more formal structure, with boards, committees, and necessary training for the folks who pick up, deliver, and distribute the donated food items.

But despite now managing two food-centric organizations on the island, HIM is clearly up to the task, as evident by the enthusiastic response when new food pantry director Cathy Diemer sounded an alarm for volunteers.

“Over 32 people responded that they wanted to help with the food pantry, so this is going to be more of a community effort,” said Diemer. “We’ll have lots of Hatteras Island Meals volunteers who will also be helping with the operation of the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry.”

“Because we serve food, and because we have such a huge volunteer base with HIM with very committed people, it was just such a natural fit,” added Diemer. “ I was absolutely humble when I saw the names flying in from emails of people who wanted to help.”

Despite the overlap in volunteers, Diemer is clear that the two organizations – the food pantry and HIM – are distinctively different entities.

HIM and the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry have their own separate budgets which do not mix, and donations are needed for both institutions in order for them to thrive.

“There was a bit of concern about having donors for HIM, and having the donors for the pantry. We don’t want to double dip,” said Diemer.  “So, we hope [the community] continues to donate to Cape Hatteras Food Pantry, in addition to any donations for Hatteras Island Meals. Both need our community’s support to run.”

Drumming up donations for both organizations is arguably going to be the hardest part of the transition moving forward, as the local need for both HIM and the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry continually grows.

But Diemer is both confident and excited about taking over the reins of the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry, and after months of hard work and training, HIM is ready to flip the switch starting on January 1, 2025.

“We’re thrilled to pieces. Everything just feels so right,” said Diemer. “Hatteras Island Meals volunteers are already interwoven in a lot of things on this island, and we feed the community anyway, so it just makes sense that Hatteras Island Meals also helps with the food insecurities here on Hatteras Island.”

“I’m nervous, I’m hopeful, and I’m excited,” said Diemer. “And the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry will operate just the same, without missing a beat – it’s just under new management.”

How you can help Hatteras Island Meals and the Cape Hatteras Food Pantry 

• The Cape Hatteras Food Pantry is wrapping up its annual island-wide Food Drive, which ends on December 31. For more information on needed donations before the first of the year, click here.
• For more information on HIM, including volunteer or donation opportunities, visit Hatteras Island Meal’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HatterasIslandMeals or email hatterasislandmeals@gmail.com.