On September 15, we invited supporters to sit down with Blue Ridge Area Food Bank CEO Michael McKee and Director of Partner Engagement Tyler Herman for an in-depth discussion of the Food Bank’s work over the past half-year. Did you miss the virtual event, or are you looking for a high-level recap? Check out [...]
After footage of mass food distributions with mile-long lines cropped up on national TV, many supporters asked how our network’s been faring over the past few months. Here’s a window into the food-pantry experience as it’s unfolding in the Blue Ridge region. Although the sun rose just a few hours earlier, the town [...]
A bustling street corner is the perfect spot to connect with neighbors “coming and going.” Karen, a first-time Food Bank client, knows this better than anyone: She just happens to live on one. “They call me the mayor,” she laughs. The polka-dot bandana around her neck adds an extra splash of spunk to her [...]
In the process of adjusting Food Bank operations during this pandemic, creativity is playing a big role in how we are making vital functions work and sustaining important partnerships. Two examples of the work being done to ensure food for vulnerable seniors illustrate the creativity and commitment of Food Bank staff and partners. [...]
Three new volunteers pause beneath the shelter of the Scottsville Pavilion. Kelly—along with her two sons, Brady and Rudy—are new to this Mobile Food Pantry operation, so they briefly huddle near a cluster of cabbage to take it all in. Although a foggy cold blankets the town, it’s been a morning of movement. The [...]
*Please note: In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the inaugural Mobile Food Pantry distribution in Reva—previously planned for March 25, 2020—has been postponed. Our Mobile Food Pantry first hit the road back in 2010. Our goal then was to provide food in a rural location where there were few—if any—food assistance resources available: We’d bring [...]
Seventy-year-old Naomi McCray transports her Bath County Fair ribbons to Ashwood United Methodist Church’s food pantry in a plastic box with a secure lid. Her collection, accrued through the years, is organized into neat piles: A stack of blue ribbons represents first-place honors for her homemade sauerkraut and pickled beets, and a massive purple [...]
The Food Bank recently launched a new volunteer project at its Thomas Jefferson Area branch in Charlottesville. Close to 60 enthusiastic volunteers rolled up their sleeves and packed more than 2,400 Senior Food boxes! After months of planning and preparation to move the packing project to its new home, many hands came together to help [...]
January brought both hope for new beginnings and economic uncertainty. Our volunteers brought their hearts to the job of helping families put food on the table. During our recent partial government shutdown, many federal workers suffered financially for an unprecedented 35 days. TSA employees had to continue working without pay and needed food assistance. During [...]
Until 10 years ago, life was good for Frank. The avid outdoorsman lived with his wife in a house they owned in Albemarle County. A building contractor by trade, Frank enjoyed hunting and fishing with his three beloved flushing dogs that he trained himself. I met Frank recently at the Scottsville Mobile Food Pantry, where [...]