Chew On This
When you step through the doors of Good Samaritan Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, located in Orange, Virginia, you’re greeted immediately by a pleasant floral scent. You hear a chorus of laughter and goodwilled wisecracks from the volunteers working in the back.
A voice calls out, “How are you? How can we help you today?”
After checking in at the front desk, you walk through the waiting area—the walls lined with children’s drawings and pictures of family members—and you make your way into the food pantry. A sign above the entrance reads: “Big Al’s Room.”
The shelves are stocked with canned fruits and vegetables, soups, tins of tuna and chicken, boxes of pasta and rice, and cooking oils and spices. Coolers are filled with fresh produce and dairy, and freezers are stuffed with frozen meats. You’re given a shopping cart, and a volunteer walks the aisles with you, helping you pick out food for your family.
“Do you need anything else? How about a warm coat for winter?” The volunteer leads you to the clothing closet in the back. There’s another sign; this one reads: “Ozella’s Room.” You walk past racks of clothing and beautifully decorated fitting rooms, each space named for a beloved family member or friend.
This is what it’s like to visit the food pantry as a guest. A partner of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Good Samaritan is the brainchild of Valencia and Tommie Bailey. They opened in 2014 after seeing a rising need in their community.
The pantry room is named for Program Director Valencia’s father, Alfonso, or “Big Al” and the clothing closet is named for her mother, Ozella. Their mission is inspired by the spirit of giving passed down through generations.
“My grandfather owned over one-hundred acres of land. We fed everybody in the community,” Valencia shared during a recent visit. Her father and mother were the same way—committed to feeding everyone in their neighborhood.
