Food distribution is and always will be at the core of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s work. However, these activities alone will not end hunger in our region.
Hunger is a complex issue linked closely to lack of money. So, the Food Bank has made a strategic decision to connect neighbors with resources that support their food security, health, and financial well-being.
This effort is in addition to our core mission. We will always be about food first. But we must do more to break the cycle of poverty that so many families experience.
Meet Gabby
Every week, Gabby comes to Loudoun Hunger Relief—a Food Bank partner pantry in Leesburg, VA—to help provide for her family of five. As a small business owner living in an expensive area, financial stressors like childcare, rent, and rising grocery costs are taking a toll.
“Times are hard. Food prices are going up. And there’s not a lot of work like it was before,” she explains, pointing out that prices are going up, but the wages and benefits her family depended on during the pandemic didn’t increase. Until March of 2023, she received around $400 in SNAP and WIC, but now it’s only $150. “So, any little bit really helps,” Gabby shared. “I have a baby and a family to feed, you know?”
Meet Rose
“I’m starving to death. I’m hungry. I need to get some food,” Rose told us plainly as she waited in the line of cars to pick up food at The Community Table, a Food Bank partner serving Rockbridge County. With the rising cost of living, her Social Security benefits and part-time job don’t provide enough money to make ends meet.
Her poor health means eating the right foods is vital, and some of those are available at her local food pantry, the Rockbridge Area Relief Association’s Neighborhood Grocery. When we met, Rose was picking up a hot meal from The Community Table, saying, “I really like coming here. They serve really good food,” and “It really helps.”
The root cause: It’s about income, not just food access
Not having enough food to thrive is a symptom of a larger issue—not having enough money. And the basic needs of life simply cost much more today when compared to this time last year.
- Food prices are still rising in 2024, though not as fast as in the last few years.
- Most families with children can’t afford childcare. Childcare is unaffordable for most Virginians with young children. A 2022 report shows that at least 74% of Virginia families with preschoolers or younger simply cannot afford childcare. Those numbers are much higher for Virginians with low incomes. Working to pay for childcare may be more expensive than staying home.
- The older population living on a fixed income continues to grow: One in five Virginians will be over the age of 65 by 2030. When seniors live on a fixed income, it’s a challenge keeping up with rising prices. Turning to outside support, like free groceries, allows more money for things like housing, medication, gasoline, and utilities.
It takes more than food to solve the problem: The Food Bank becomes a connector
The Food Bank’s leadership knows that addressing hunger takes food and more. Single mothers, workers paid low wages, seniors, and children all face financial hurdles. While we are dedicated to our core mission of providing food, we are also committed to supporting our guests in other ways to overcome these financial barriers.
LEFT: SNAP education and enrollment assistants from James Madison University help guests at a recent Mobile Food Pantry distribution.
CENTER: In her role for the Food Bank, Monica Kelley, Public Benefits Outreach Manager, helps guests access SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamps).
RIGHT: Senator Mark Warner visited the the Food Bank in 2021 to hear from food access leaders about how they responded to the COVID-19 crisis.
Through our work we are well positioned to help people lift themselves out of poverty. Here’s how:
1. Encouraging public benefit access:
- We educate and encourage our guests to apply for essential public benefits such as medical and mental health care, educational programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and various other community programs and services.
- We partner with organizations to aid guests in applying for public benefits like these.
2. Partnering for comprehensive support:
- For example, peer-led SNAP education and enrollment assistants help guests at local food pantries, the University of Virginia, James Madison University, and other partners.
- Our partnership with Sin Barreras enhances our outreach to Spanish speakers with eligibility screening and application assistance.
3. Forming alliances with other community organizations:
- Aligning with outside programs that help provide housing, transportation, employment, healthcare, legal and other services means our guests are closer to the services they need, while we continue to do our core work.
- The Food Bank employs a Public Benefits Outreach Manager who trains partners and volunteers to help guests apply for public benefits. We also help guests connect to other social services at partner food pantry sites or at our own program sites.
4. Advocating for change:
- Engaging at the state and national levels, we advocate for systemic changes to improve local communities and enhance the overall quality of life.
- We use our connections with influencers and lawmakers to push for meaningful change to help more Virginians thrive.