Chew On This
Since 1977, Page One of Page County has been assisting Page County residents with a plethora of support services, including food assistance, financial help, transportation needs, and affordable household goods. For almost 50 years, the nonprofit has served as a beacon for so many in the small, rural community, offering not just vital resources and help, but a pathway to stability.
“Ultimately, that is why we do what we do,” said Executive Director of Page One Justin Horn. “We want to get people to a place where they can take care of themselves.”
Rural challenges
That’s easier said than done. Of course, there are plenty of cases where people just need a little help to get them back on track, according to Justin. But living in a rural community that has changed so much over the years comes with its own set of challenges, he explained.
“It’s what you see so often when we talk about rural hunger,” Justin said. “Many of the people here are retired seniors on fixed incomes. Many don’t have transportation to get around, there’s no public transportation available, and (there are few) grocery stores in the county. Especially in times when life gets more expensive, those folks turn to our food pantry for help.”
The Food Bank has partnered with Page One for many years to make sure those in Page County who need food, have access to it.
A challenging employment landscape
But even for those who are working, rural Page County isn’t the place it once used to be. Historically, the county benefited from manufacturing and food processing operations, which provided relatively stable, year‑round employment. Those jobs have mostly disappeared. Now, tourism is one of the most visible economic drivers, offering mostly part-time, seasonal jobs without benefits.
“It makes it difficult for people to make ends meet,” Justin said. “It’s also the reason Page One offers so many different programs.”
“Our food pantry is our biggest program,” he said. “Since we know our guests so well, we try to accommodate individual needs as much as possible.”
That means that when Justin and his team know a guest prefers a specific food item over another, they include it, and vice versa.
Guests sign in on the main floor, and a Page One rep checks in with them about their household needs. Then their order sheet makes its way to the pantry volunteers downstairs. The amount of food per guest is determined by the number of people in the household. By way of a pager, guests are alerted when their food is ready for pickup.
Page One Food Pantry now has two locations –one in Luray and one in Shenandoah.
Last fiscal year, more than 2,500 individual guests walked through the doors of the pantry, the equivalent of 11% of the total population of Page County.
By The Numbers (July 2025-May 2026):
2,571 individuals served with food
647 children served
304,000 pounds of food distributed
500 families received financial assistance
$145,000 in financial assistance for rent/utilities
Financial assistance
Through the Family Assistance Program, Page One helps residents who experience financial crises cover essential expenses such as rent, utilities, and other urgent needs.
“Of course we have some guardrails in place, but this is an important part of how we support the people of Page County,” Justin said. “Last year alone, we supported 273 households with financial help to pay their electric bill. That total cost was $75,000.”
Page One also supports people who are unhoused by providing tents, sleeping bags, portable stoves, food, and hygiene items. And, since many in the county don’t have access to reliable transportation, Page One provides rides to medical appointments, a local pharmacy, or the post office.
And the next program is already in the making: home delivery of groceries.
“Within the next few weeks we are getting a refrigerated van,” Horn said. “That will enable us to deliver groceries to those who really have no means to come to the pantry.”
Thrift stores keep the lights on
Another way Page One advances their mission is to help people with access to affordable clothing. Page One operates three thrift stores in the county that together make up the operating budget for the nonprofit; it keeps the lights on, and staff paid.
“For me, it means I wear many hats,” Justin aid. “One moment, I’m dealing with something in the food pantry, and the next moment I’m dealing with something at one of the thrift stores. It keeps me busy, and it keeps things interesting for sure.”
Guests are grateful for all Page One has to offer
“I am a single mom of two growing kids,” guest D’Anna told us during a recent visit. “And I love living in this rural community. But it comes with challenges. I need to make sure my kids don’t just have enough to eat, I need to make sure they eat healthy. When my grocery budget runs out, I get that healthy food here.”
To stretch her budget and her monthly SNAP benefits as much as possible, D’Anna and a group of other local, single moms, carpool to Harrisonburg once or twice a month to shop.
“Prices are lower there, and we have more options.”
For Justin, his staff, and the volunteers at Page One, the work is never done.
We try to do as much as we can. We keep adding new programs or redeveloping programs already in place, to help as many people as possible.
