Your Spirit Night Ticket Feeds a Hungry Child: How October 15th Helps Kids Facing Food Insecurity in Our Community

How can one family night help feed children in Fayetteville?

Quick answer: Attend Friends & Allies Inc. Spirit Night at Urban Air Fayetteville on Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Buy the $29.99 Unlimited Play Pass at the front desk. Say “Spirit Night” when you purchase. Urban Air will donate 20% of the proceeds back to Friends & Allies Inc., helping support food insecurity programs for kids and other community services.

A fun night of jumping, climbing, and playing can do more than create family memories. It can also help provide help for hungry children in our community.

When you join us, your ticket becomes part of a larger effort. It helps Friends & Allies Inc. continue feeding children, supporting families, and connecting neighbors with practical resources.

What does child food insecurity look like in our community?

Quick answer: Child food insecurity means a child does not always have reliable access to enough nutritious food. It may look like an empty pantry, a skipped meal, or a child relying on school meals and then worrying about food on weekends, holidays, or during summer break.

Food insecurity is often invisible.

A child may arrive at school ready to learn. They may smile, play, and participate. You may never know that breakfast was small, dinner was uncertain, or there was not enough food at home for the weekend.

Families facing food insecurity may be balancing:

• Rising grocery costs.

• Rent or mortgage payments.

• Utility bills.

• Transportation expenses.

• Medical needs.

• Childcare costs.

• Job changes or reduced hours.

• Unexpected emergencies.

Parents and caregivers often make difficult choices. They may skip meals so their children can eat. They may stretch a few ingredients across several days. They may depend on school breakfast and lunch, then face a gap when school is closed.

That gap can be especially difficult during:

• Weekends.

• School holidays.

• Summer vacation.

• Snow days or unexpected closures.

• The weeks before a paycheck arrives.

Child food insecurity is not a reflection of a parent’s love or effort. It is a community challenge. It requires a community response.

Why are weekends, holidays, and summer so difficult for hungry children?

Quick answer: School meal programs provide important support during the school year, but children may lose regular access to those meals when school is not in session. Food pantries, meal programs, and community organizations help fill those gaps.

For many children, school is more than a place to learn. It is also where they may receive breakfast, lunch, snacks, and support from caring adults.

When school closes, families must cover every meal at home. That can quickly become difficult, especially for households already facing financial pressure.

A missed meal can affect a child’s:

• Energy.

• Concentration.

• Mood.

• Physical health.

• Ability to participate in activities.

• Sense of security.

That is why food insecurity programs for kids matter so much. They help make sure children have access to food beyond the school day.

At Friends & Allies Inc., we believe children deserve more than a temporary solution. They deserve care, dignity, stability, and a community that notices when help is needed.

How will Spirit Night support help for hungry children?

Quick answer: Twenty percent of Spirit Night proceeds will be donated back to Friends & Allies Inc. Those funds help us continue our mission of feeding hungry children and supporting vulnerable families.

Every ticket matters because collective action adds up.

Spirit Night proceeds can help strengthen the work behind food support, including community outreach, food-related assistance, and connections to local resources. Your participation helps us keep showing up for children and families who need support.

You can also learn more about our mission on our Donate page. Friends & Allies Inc. uses community support to provide meals, emergency assistance, safe resources, and hope.

Our broader work also includes safe shelter, housing assistance, legal advocacy, and support for veterans and military families. But this Spirit Night campaign is centered on one urgent goal:

Helping children in our community access the food they need.

How can I participate in Friends & Allies Inc. Spirit Night?

Quick answer: Follow these simple steps.

Urban Air Fayetteville is located at 2051 Skibo Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28314. You can call the park at (910) 218-0502 with questions about park policies, attractions, or accessibility.

Where can families find a food bank near me or food pantry near me?

Quick answer: Families looking for a food bank near me or food pantry near me can start with the Cumberland County Community Resources guide, Second Harvest Food Bank’s food finder, or by calling 211 for local referrals.

Resources and schedules can change. Call before visiting. Ask about eligibility, identification, appointments, and whether children’s food support is available.

Local resources listed in the Cumberland County guide include:

• Second Harvest Food Bank: Connects families with partner agencies, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and programs for children and adults.

• Fayetteville Urban Ministry: Provides food pantry assistance. Call 910-483-5944 for current requirements and hours.

• Catholic Charities: Offers emergency food assistance. Call 910-424-2020.

• First Baptist Church on Anderson Street: Offers snack pack pickup during listed service hours. Call 910-483-0477.

• Operation Blessings: Provides short-term emergency food assistance by appointment. Call 910-483-1119 or 910-483-0523.

• Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church: Offers food pantry support during listed service hours. Call 910-868-2770.

• Epicenter Church: Provides food pantry assistance. Call 910-485-8855 for current details.

Families can also ask a child’s school counselor, social worker, or cafeteria staff about school meal programs, weekend food support, summer meal sites, and other food insecurity programs for kids.

You do not have to wait until the situation becomes a crisis. Ask early. Reach out often. Use the resource that feels easiest to access.

How can neighbors help children facing food insecurity?

Quick answer: Attend Spirit Night, donate, volunteer, share local food resources, and treat every family with respect and dignity.

Community working together can make food support easier to find and easier to accept.

Here are simple ways to help:

• Attend Spirit Night on October 15.

• Share the event with parents, teachers, churches, coworkers, and neighbors.

• Donate to Friends & Allies Inc. through our online giving page.

• Volunteer with a local food pantry or meal program.

• Keep shelf-stable food available for community drives.

• Share the Cumberland County resource guide.

• Ask local schools how you can support weekend or summer meal efforts.

• Avoid judgment. Food insecurity can affect working families, military families, single-parent households, seniors, and anyone facing an unexpected change.

If you are searching for the best charity to donate to, look for an organization that is transparent, community-focused, and connected to the people it serves. Friends & Allies Inc. focuses on practical support for children, families, survivors of domestic violence, veterans, and other vulnerable neighbors.

Your support does not have to be large to matter. A ticket, a donation, a shared post, or a few volunteer hours can help move resources toward a child who needs them.

Why should families attend Spirit Night?

Quick answer: Spirit Night gives your family a chance to have fun while supporting children and families in Fayetteville.

You do not need to organize a food drive. You do not need to plan a major fundraiser. Simply show up, purchase your Unlimited Play Pass, and mention Spirit Night.

That is the easy part.

The meaningful part is knowing that 20% of proceeds will return to Friends & Allies Inc. to support our mission. Your family gets an evening of indoor adventure. Children get a stronger network of care.

That is what community can look like.

What should I do next?

Quick answer: Save the date, invite someone, and attend Urban Air Fayetteville between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM on October 15, 2026.

Bring your children. Bring a friend. Invite a neighbor who wants a simple way to help hungry children.

When you arrive, purchase the $29.99 Unlimited Play Pass at the front desk and say “Spirit Night.” Remember that Urban Air socks are not included with the pass.

If you cannot attend, you can still help by donating to Friends & Allies Inc., sharing this post, or contacting us to learn about volunteer opportunities.

Friends & Allies Inc. Contact Information

Address: 6380 Cliffdale Rd #25202, Fayetteville, NC 28314 Email:info@friendsandalliesinc.com Phone: 614-706-1352 Website:friendsandalliesinc.com

Join us at Urban Air Fayetteville. Play for a purpose. Help strengthen food insecurity programs for kids. Together, we can make sure more children have access to the food, care, and hope they need.