Who We Serve

There are more people at risk of hunger in our area than ever before, yet they’re easy to miss.

The child sitting quietly in the back of the classroom. The coworker skipping lunch.

There’s no outward sign that they’re hungry, yet more people than you might imagine—over 1 in 10 in the Blue Ridge region—can’t take their next meal for granted. And 4 in 10 of these are children.

Those who receive food include the most vulnerable in our communities – children, the elderly, struggling families, the working poor, people with disabilities and the homeless.

They are hungry because they’ve run out of options. So they cut back, miss meals, and make the food they have last as long as possible.

• Half must choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or fuel
• Another 50% choose between buying food and putting gas in their cars
• More than 3 in 10 choose whether to buy food or pay their rent
• Another 30% must decide between eating and buying medicine or paying for medical care