GOLDSBORO, N.C. — The United Way of Wayne County is calling on the community to help “Fill the Theater” this week, as the organization wraps up its two-day food drive at the Paramount Theatre.
The initiative challenges residents to donate non-perishable food items by placing them directly in the theater’s 500 seats — with a goal of collecting at least 500 items to help restock local food pantries depleted after the holiday season.
“We appreciate any kind of donation because it’s going to help us fill all the pantries in our community that are working with us,” a United Way Director, Sherry Archibald, said during an interview with Jeff Farrow on WGBR 98.3. “They’re depleted from the holidays, so we want to help fill their pantries again.”
Community response has been strong, with civic groups, churches, schools, fraternities and sororities stepping up in a big way. Some organizations have donated enough items to symbolically fill dozens of seats at once.
Organizers say the drive is also a meaningful opportunity for families to get involved. Parents are encouraged to bring children downtown to place donated items in the seats, helping them see firsthand how small acts of generosity can make a big impact.
The food drive marks just one of several major efforts currently underway for the United Way.
Annual Meeting Set for Next Tuesday
The organization is also preparing for its annual meeting, scheduled for 8 a.m. next Tuesday at First Baptist Church. The event is open to the public, though seating is limited.
Held over breakfast — prepared by the church’s men’s ministry — the annual meeting provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s fundraising campaigns, community collaborations and program impacts. Last year marked United Way’s 100th anniversary in Wayne County.
Attendees will also hear updates on the nonprofit’s evolving “issue focus,” a three-year strategic process aimed at addressing root causes of key challenges facing the community. Through multiple public summits, United Way has engaged residents, program recipients, business leaders and service providers to help shape its direction.
“We’re kind of hovering in the camp of doing business the way we have for the last hundred years, but also preparing for this issue focus,” Sherry Archibald said. “It’s really exciting stuff.”
Tickets for the annual meeting are $10 and can be reserved at unitedwayne.org or by calling 919-735-3591.
Looking ahead, the organization is also planning a spring golf tournament and additional community engagement events.
For now, the focus remains on filling every seat at the Paramount — not with people, but with hope for families in need.
