North Tulsa Pantry Seeks Holiday Food Donations

Donors and businesses supporting North Tulsa can help as rising grocery costs push more families to the Potter Project pantry.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Philanthropy

Plain wooden crates of bread and milk sit on a concrete loading dock beside a brick building under a pale blue sky. — The Potter Project, an independent North Tulsa food pantry, is seeking holiday donations as rising grocery prices push about 132 families a month to its doors. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think food affordability is getting worse in your area?

The Potter Project, an independent nonprofit food pantry in North Tulsa, is serving growing numbers of families struggling with grocery costs as the holiday season approaches. The organization serves approximately 132 families each month and is seeking more food donations to keep up with demand.

Why it matters

Rising grocery prices, gas prices, and other household expenses are squeezing family budgets, forcing families to choose between paying household bills, keeping housing, and buying groceries. For Tulsa's philanthropic and nonprofit sector, the pressure on food assistance providers signals rising demand and the need for steady donation flows heading into the holidays.

The Potter Project serves approximately 132 families monthly and typically sees five to seven families on each day it is open. An estimated three out of eight North Tulsa residents lack food security, but the source offers no prior-year pantry figures to measure how demand has shifted.

The players

The Potter Project

An independent nonprofit food pantry serving North Tulsa, providing food assistance to families, seniors, veterans, and anyone experiencing food insecurity.

The details

The pantry operates on a set schedule, open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Many clients walk to pick up food, and when a client cannot carry a heavy box home, volunteers arrange transportation. When supplies run short, the organization refers families to other nonprofits so they can get additional assistance. The most-needed items are milk, cheese, bread, and water.

Pantry serves approximately 132 families each month.
Regular open hours are Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Additional open hours are the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, 9 a.m. to noon.
The organization needs more food donations ahead of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

Market Landscape

The Potter Project operates as one local node in a network of independent food pantries that depend heavily on donated inventory and referral partnerships, as coordinated nationally by Feeding America. When a single pantry runs short, the referral system is the fallback that keeps families connected to aid.

Local businesses and donors should plan for elevated holiday demand on food pantries, with milk, cheese, bread, and water among the most needed items. Companies considering donation drives can coordinate with the pantry's open days on Mondays, Wednesdays, and the second and fourth Saturdays to time contributions.

The takeaway

Demand at local food pantries is rising as grocery and household costs strain family budgets, making steady donations before the holidays a practical way for businesses to help. Organizations looking to support North Tulsa families can time drop-offs to the pantry's open hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and the second and fourth Saturdays.