Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank CEO Kari Diener Appointed to Virginia’s Commission to End Hunger
Food Bank leader to help shape statewide strategies to reduce hunger across the Commonwealth
VERONA, Va. (July 15, 2026) — The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank announced today that CEO Kari Diener has been appointed to the Virginia Commission to End Hunger, a statewide body convened by the legislative branch and dedicated to advancing coordinated, sustainable solutions to eliminate hunger across the Commonwealth. Diener is serving as a representative of a community organization for a two-year term, effective now and ending June 30, 2028.
The Commission develops a two-year plan to end hunger in Virginia, monitors progress, and promotes cross-collaboration among government entities, schools, nonprofits, and businesses. It seeks funding for nutrition programs, helps ensure students receive healthy meals at school, works to remove barriers to food access, and supports partnerships between public and private groups. Each year, the Commission reports to the Governor and General Assembly.
Diener’s appointment supports the Food Bank’s ongoing commitment to advancing broader change and to supporting policies that improve food security and financial stability for households in central and western Virginia.
Diener brings more than 25 years of experience in humanitarian aid, food security, and community resilience. In addition to her role as CEO of the Food Bank, this includes leadership positions with Mercy Corps in Jordan and as Executive Director of the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, a global network of more than 400 organizations. She is a resident of the Shenandoah Valley and is actively involved in the local community.
“It’s an honor to serve alongside leaders across Virginia who share a commitment to ending hunger,” Diener said. “Every day, families in our communities face impossible choices in order to put food on the table. This Commission gives us an opportunity to build stronger systems so that everyone has reliable access to nutritious food. I look forward to contributing the Food Bank’s experience and perspective to help shape statewide solutions.”
With Diener as CEO, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank supports an average of more than 177,000 guest visits each month across 25 counties and eight cities through a network of nearly 400 partner agencies, schools, and community organizations.
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About the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization serving western and central Virginia. Founded in 1981, the Food Bank serves 25 counties and 8 cities through distribution centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Winchester, and its headquarters in Verona. Each month, the Food Bank supports an average of 177,000 guest visits, reaching record numbers of Virginians through a network of 400+ community partners—food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and program sites. As a partner food bank of Feeding America®, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank pledges to continue innovating and adapting to secure, store, and distribute more food to more individuals, families, children, and seniors experiencing hunger. For more information, visit www.brafb.org.
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Contact: Les Sinclair
434-962-5403
lsinclair@brafb.org
www.brafb.org
