After 40 years of nourishing individuals and families, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s depth of experience – especially during the pandemic – propels the region forward.
So too do the community members who support our work. To observe four decades of leading the Blue Ridge region in combatting hunger, the Food Bank is reigniting the spirit of community and sharing.
Whether it’s donations of time, food, funds, or voice, our neighbors choose to embrace community and champion kindness.
“This 40th year has been like no other but so has the level of community support,” says Michael McKee, CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “We’re so thankful we live in a caring region in which residents are willing to stand with us and feed hope.”
Hunger impacts an entire community, and it takes an entire community to address hunger. The pandemic is subsiding, but thousands of household budgets remain strained. In our service area, the numbers of unemployment insurance claims have not yet declined below the number of filings before March of 2020.
Today, as our communities safely reopen, we’re asking community members to reconnect with our cause in numerous ways.
“Community members can volunteer at a pantry, invite us to speak about the problem of hunger with professional and community organizations, follow the Food Bank’s social media channels, and share about our work with family, friends, and people in their social networks,” McKee said.
Also affected by the pandemic: large-scale community food drives.
Community food drives offered an important way for the Food Bank to mobilize the public until the pandemic changed everything. To help families stretched thin, we’re holding our first annual Unity in Community Food and Fund drive Aug. 7-14.
Financial gifts can be made online that week, matched by a generous donor (up to $40,000). Food will be collected from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 13-14 at Food Bank locations.
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