Guide to programs from Action Pathways in the Fayetteville, NC area
If you are looking for the Cumberland County NC community action, you are in the right place — the agency operates as Action Pathways. It is the community action agency for Cumberland County and nearby parts of southeastern North Carolina, and it runs the same core anti-poverty work: early childhood education, food assistance, and help making homes more affordable to live in.
This page lays out what Action Pathways offers, how each program works, and how to reach the right office. The main office can be reached at (910) 485-6131. Action Pathways has served the Fayetteville area since 1964, first as the Cumberland Community Action Program and now under its current name.
Food assistance through the Second Harvest Food Bank
Action Pathways operates the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina, which supplies food to a network of pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters across Cumberland County and nearby counties. The food bank itself is a warehouse and distribution hub rather than a walk-up pantry, so the way to get groceries is to find one of the local sites it stocks.
The easiest way to do that is the food locator on the food bank's website, https://hungercantwait.org/find-help/find-food/, which lists distribution sites by area. If you do not have internet access, calling Action Pathways can point you to a pantry near you. The food bank's own number is (910) 485-6923 - or look here for a list of Cumberland County NC food pantries.
Weatherization, heating repairs, and home efficiency
A large part of what Action Pathways does is make homes cheaper and safer to live in. Through the Weatherization Assistance Program, income-eligible households may receive improvements like added insulation, sealing of air leaks, and other fixes that lower heating and cooling costs. A related program, known as HARRP, may repair or replace a home's heating and cooling system when it has broken down or become unsafe.
There are also home programs funded through utility and insurance partners, including a Duke Energy fund for additional home repairs and a Blue Cross Blue Shield healthy-home effort, which may cover work that improves a home's safety and efficiency. To ask about any of these, call the weatherization office at (910) 223-0116.
Weatherization lowers your bills going forward, but it does not pay a past-due utility bill. For help with the bill itself, North Carolina runs two programs — LIEAP and the Crisis Intervention Program — through county social services rather than through Action Pathways - see the NHPB guide to LIEAP in North Carolina. To apply, contact the Cumberland County Department of Social Services at https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/dss-group/department-of-social-services.
Affordable rental housing
Action Pathways also offers some affordable rental housing in the area. The number of units is limited and availability changes, so the best step is to call the main office to ask what is open and whether you qualify.
Working toward self-sufficiency with ASPIRE
ASPIRE is Action Pathways' case-management program for people working toward long-term financial stability. A counselor helps you set goals around steady employment and income and then works alongside you to reach them. Funding is limited, so the program selects participants based on their readiness and commitment to follow through. ASPIRE operates from offices in Cumberland County and in Sampson County, and the Cumberland office can be reached at (910) 223-0116.
For younger residents, Action Pathways runs a Summer Youth Employment Program through ASPIRE, which gives eligible teenagers and young adults a paid summer work experience. Details and sign-up windows change each year, so check the website or call to ask when applications open.
Free preschool through Head Start
Head Start is Action Pathways' early childhood program, providing free preschool and child development services for children from birth to age five in low-income families. It also serves children with disabilities and supports pregnant women, and it is built around preparing children for kindergarten while connecting their families to other help. The program runs centers around the area, and you can find the nearest one and start an application through the website or by calling Head Start at (910) 487-9800.
Getting in touch
Its corporate office is at 4525 Campground Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314, and the main number is (910) 485-6131. Each major program also has its own direct line — Head Start at (910) 487-9800, weatherization and ASPIRE at (910) 223-0116, and the Second Harvest Food Bank at (910) 485-6923 — so calling the program you need directly is often the fastest route. More detail on each is available at https://actionpathways.ngo/.
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