Chew On This
Every September, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank joins the Feeding America network to observe Hunger Action Month—a nationwide campaign dedicated to raising awareness about food insecurity and inspiring action to end hunger.
This year, the need is more urgent than ever. Across the Blue Ridge region, 1 in 9 people faces hunger, including children, seniors, and working families. That’s why we’re calling on our community to come together and make a difference.
Why Hunger Action Month matters
According to Feeding America, more people than ever in the U.S. are experiencing food insecurity. And that reflects our experience: The Food Bank served an average of more than 171,200 guests each month last year—the most ever in our 44-year history.
This includes guests like Vanessa. This Lynchburg resident celebrated a 45-year career as a nurse but now, as a retiree, visits a local food pantry on a regular basis. The high cost of living makes it difficult for Vanessa to pay for her expenses without help.
With 400+ partner pantries and program sites across our service area, we help many neighbors, including Vanessa.
But we can’t do it alone.
How you can take action
This September, we invite you to be part of the solution. Whether you have a few minutes, a few dollars, or a few hours to give, your contribution matters. Here’s how you can get involved:
- Donate: Every $1 provides more than 3 meals for neighbors facing hunger. Your gift goes directly toward helping families across the Blue Ridge.
- Volunteer: Join the dedicated team that helps serve more than 171,200 people each month. Last year, 1,776 volunteers worked one or more shifts!
- Advocate: Use your voice to support strong hunger-relief policies, including the upcoming Farm Bill. Policy change starts with people like you.
- Raise awareness: Share stories, wear orange—the color of hunger awareness—and spark conversations in your community and online.
“Every action matters—whether it’s giving, volunteering, or raising your voice. Together, we strengthen our community and prove that no effort is too small to help end hunger.”
The Power of community
Last year, the Food Bank saw incredible support from our community during Hunger Action Month. For example, community members collected more than 4,700 pounds of food through 20 food drives, contributed more than 2,000 volunteer hours, and made significant financial donations to the Food Bank.
This year, we aim to go even further. With your help, we can ensure that every person in the Blue Ridge region has access to nourishing food and the opportunity to thrive.
Food insecurity is a complex issue, but the solution starts with simple acts of kindness. Whether it’s making a donation, sharing a story on social media, working a volunteer shift, or starting a conversation that raises awareness, your actions have the power to change lives.
Join us
Hunger Action Month is a great time to turn compassion into action. Visit www.brafb.org/get involved to learn more and get involved.
