Supervisor Rodney Lusk with Del. Mark Sickles and Del. Kathy Tran at the new Capital Area Food Bank warehouse.
In one of the most wealthy sections of the country, there are still those that go hungry in Fairfax County. Recently the Capital Area Food Bank opened an expanded food distribution center in the Newington area in a 43,000 square foot building on Cinder Bed Road.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors allocated $5 million for the project which is a building that can store not only non-perishable goods, but refrigerated and frozen food as well.
Chairman Jeff McKay joined Supervisor Rodney Lusk and other officials last week to cut the ribbon on the new building.
“I am proud that the Board of Supervisors allocated $5 million for this massive project that will positively impact so many people across the DC metropolitan area,” said Lusk.
The new facility is named the Bedford Falls Foundation Northern Virginia Distribution Center, in recognition of a leadership gift given to the building fund from the foundation of long-time Capital Area Food Bank supporter Bill Conway. The new distribution center is roughly 3.5 times larger than the previous building, which was torn down last year to rebuild on the same site. The added size and upgraded technology now allow Capital Area Food Bank to distribute more than twice the amount of food in Northern Virginia, including more fresh produce and frozen protein. The expansion also provides more space for CAFB’s partner nonprofits, and enables the food bank to offer volunteering opportunities in Northern Virginia for the first time, they said.
A CAFB-NORC general population survey found that 37% of households experienced food insecurity in the year prior to the survey from May 2023 to May 2024. That number is up five percent from the previous year. Although it may be 37 percent in the whole DMV area, the numbers for Fairfax County only have 27 percent in the "food insecure," category. In the City of Alexandria, there are 36 percent and 23 percent in Arlington.
A grocery receipt from June 17, 2020 is $25.01 for basic household foods, but those same foods cost $32.73 on June 23, 2024, according to the food bank website.
The warehouse is at 6833 Hill Park Drive in Lorton, VA. Although technically it’s a Lorton address, it’s right off Newington Road in the Cinder Bed industrial area. They are looking for volunteers too. To reach out, go to https://volunteer.capitalareafoodbank.org/