The power of local businesses and community volunteers working together to make an impact was on full display this weekend when Amazon sponsored the Food For Neighbors event to mobilize the community to help fill the food pantries in local schools. Through the Food For Neighbors Red Bag Program and generous food drives from eleven area businesses and other groups, the community collected and sorted over 28,800 pounds of donations bound for 47 local schools. 31 of these schools are in Fairfax County, where more than 1,560 households donated food and toiletries and over 600 volunteers rolled up their sleeves in the Centreville, Falls Church, Fort Hunt, Herndon, South County, and Springfield areas to collect, sort and deliver.
Volunteers in Fort Hunt
“Amazon’s continued partnership and generous donations have played a pivotal role in expanding our services into new communities,” said Karen Joseph, Founder and Executive Director of Food For Neighbors. “Their support has made a real difference for thousands of students facing food insecurity and has allowed us to provide much-needed, ongoing assistance.”
Amazon volunteers helped to receive and sort food and toiletries at multiple locations, including two in Fairfax County. Working at Irving Middle School in Springfield was Melissa Robinson of Amazon Community Impact. She shared, "At Amazon, we want to be good neighbors. Food security is an issue that employees are passionate about supporting. We are proud to support the Food For Neighbors fall food event for the second year in a row."
Gonzalo de Dios was among other Amazon volunteers working in Springfield with Robinson. He noted, "We don't realize there are a lot of people who are hungry. A little effort goes a long way for people without means."
Despite Northern Virginia being among the most affluent areas in the state, over 1 in 3 students in Fairfax County were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2023-2024 school year. Food For Neighbors works to ensure that supplemental food is readily accessible to students during the school day and to take home over weekends and holidays.
"At TCG, we're committed to making a meaningful impact by actively addressing food insecurity in our communities,” shared Debbie Buchanan, FSO/Executive Assistant to the President of TCG, Inc., whose team helped at Whitman Middle School in Mount Vernon.
Christopher Kozusko, President of the Kiwanis Club of Tysons, which also had a team at Whitman, echoed Buchanan’s sentiments. "Dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time, the Kiwanis Club of Tysons appreciates this opportunity to help tackle teen food insecurity in Alexandria.” On Feb. 1, the Kiwanis will continue to make an impact through its Polar Dip fundraiser in support of Food For Neighbors and other nonprofits.
“I want our amazing volunteers and business partners to know that their contributions are making a profound impact. Thanks to their dedication and generosity, we’ve been able to reach far more students than we ever imagined when we started in 2016,” said Food For Neighbors Founder Karen Joseph. “School staff continue to share how the consistent food support is helping students attend school more regularly, stay focused in class, and improve their academic performance. Together, we are changing lives and giving these students opportunities to thrive.”
To learn more about Food For Neighbors and join more than 3,100 Red Bag donors and over 3,600 volunteers, scan the QR code below or visit https://www.foodforneighbors.org/get-involved/.