Blue Ridge Area Food Bank invites students, organizations to donate to School Fund Drive

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank invites public and private schools in its service area to participate in the annual School Fund Drive from March 3-21.

Students should sign up by February 21 to participate to collect food for donation to the food bank and its food pantry partners in the area. A fundraising component will be included in this year’s event.

Public and private school students, as well as organizations, in Albemarle, Augusta, Buckingham, Culpeper, Greene, Fluvanna, Madison, Orange, and Rockingham counties, along with the cities of Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, and Staunton, are invited to participate.

Sign up, more information and a toolkit that makes participation simple and enjoyable are available by contacting volunteer and food drive manager Livia Marrs via email [email protected]. This year’s student leaders are Lily Stendig from Albemarle High School and Sofia Smith from Tandem Friends School. Food will be collected at designated areas within participating schools during the drive and donated to the food bank once it concludes.

“This food drive shines a spotlight on what the young people in this community are doing to make a difference. We are joining together across schools, organizations, and even counties to help provide food for families that need it,” said Stendig.

Smith said more than 20 schools and organizations participated in the 2024 event and enough food was collected to provide more than 5,000 meals.

“This year, we’re expanding our reach and hope to reach even more schools and organizations to help provide even more food within the community,” said Smith.

The School Food Drive was inspired by a local student and began in 2011. Countless public and private schools have taken part in this annual event. Some schools compete to see who can collect the most pounds of food. Businesses and organizations are also invited to offer their support and participate.

“We are solving hunger, every day and the young folks participating in this drive every year are a big part of it. It’s an inspiration to see them rally around the community and in turn the community rally around them. Demand for food assistance in our area is increasing, making this food drive crucial, right now. The food and funds collected from the drive are vital to helping restock our shelves so that more people can have access to nutritious meals,” BRAFB CEO Michael McKee said.

All food collected helps provide meals for individuals and families experiencing hunger, who are served by the food bank and its partners such as soup kitchens, shelters, nonprofits and programs throughout the region.

Since 2011, 101,909 pounds of food, equivalent to 84,925 meals, have been collected through the annual drive for community members living with hunger. The effort highlights how young people are making a positive impact in communities.

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.