Support Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank  

In 2021, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank celebrates four decades of dedication to fighting hunger relief in communities across the region.  

Since opening their original location in Verona, the organization has expanded to serve over 25 counties and 8 cities, with warehouses in Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Winchester.  

“Where there’s a need, that’s where we go,” says Abena Foreman-Trice, media and community relations manager for BRAFB. “We believe everyone should have enough to eat and no one should ever go hungry … we do everything in our power to make sure we are there when individuals need us.”

Typically, BRAFB serves about 115,000 individuals a month, but since the onset of the pandemic, that number has reached closer to 140,000. In order to meet those needs, the agency acquires roughly 28 millions pound of food to provide meals, working with a vast network of partner agencies or pantries, including Cavalier Produce. 

“It never stops, and our partner pantries, they are in this with us and have stood strong as well, it’s really amazing,” says Foreman-Trice. “It’s really amazing. It’s been awe inspiring to watch in the field how they [partners] have pivoted.”  

Donating produce from the Grace’s Good Food Box program has helped BRAFB respond to the historic need see in the community. Foreman-Trice says that about 20% of visits to the pantry within March and May of last year were by people who had not accessed the food assistance network before. 

“Food insecurity can be hidden and we find where it’s hiding,” says Foreman-Trice, a University of Virginia graduate. “We work really hard to be that bridge and source for nutrition, no matter their circumstances.”  

At the start of the pandemic, BRAFB also launched a food pharmacy program, recognizing that those faced with food insecurity are at chronic risk for food-related illnesses. Greg Knight, Food Sourcing Manager for the organization, works to assess the nutritional value and density of food items to ensure that there is a nutritional mix, which the partnership with Cavalier has helped them achieve.  

In turn, more neighbors in need are able to receive fresh, wholesome produce from oranges and apples to cucumbers, onions, carrots and lettuce, which helps contribute to healthy, nutrient-rich meals. 

Knight, says, “They [Cavalier] have been a great resource for information, and Denise Yetzer, President and Owner, is readily available if I have questions about produce.”

You can easily donate to any of the charities we support when you order online!

Written by our guest blogger Eileen Mellon