Upon announcing changes to SNAP EBT beginning October 2021, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack described the plan as an “investment in our nation’s health, economy and security.” Since 2006, SNAP benefits have not changed despite differences in affordability. The benefits program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, was first introduced in 1988. The program, run by the
SNAP Benefits on Amazon
Since its November 2020 start, Amazon’s program to provide food for SNAP members has grown tremendously. Currently, SNAP recipients in 45 states and D.C can utilize Amazon. The program extends to all states except Alaska, Montana, Louisiana, and Hawaii. SNAP refers to the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP supplements the food budgets
Scott Walters Memorial Garden aims to produce 500 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables
Last spring, when the pandemic caused food insecurity in Fairfax County to increase drastically, Erica Meadows and her husband Scott Walters knew they wanted to do something to help. They decided to use their small garden to grow fresh produce for families without enough food. When a neighbor heard about their plans, he offered to
FFO and ICNA Relief provide key items to families observing Ramadan
This April, Food for Others is partnering with ICNA Relief in Alexandria to provide a few key, culturally important food items to families observing Ramadan.
ICNA Relief is a national organization which works to alleviate human suffering through programs which provide food, transitional housing, health services, school supplies, disaster relief, and Muslim family services. Over the last year, the ICNA Relief location in Alexandria has expanded its food distribution services to help families during the pandemic.
Who is impacted by food insecurity in Northern Virginia?
One year after the first closures of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are looking forward to returning to normalcy in the months ahead. However, thousands of local families are still recovering from the financial losses they suffered during the initial lockdowns. And many people’s lives are still disrupted entirely.
FFO partners with She Believes in Me to start food pantry
Food for Others has partnered with She Believes in Me, a local organization that supports young girls, to start a food pantry at their location in Herndon.
She Believes in Me primarily works to empower and teach life skills to girls but they’ve added food distributions to their services to help families struggling as a result of the pandemic. Pre-COVID, SBIM would host in-person events with presentations and activities and send girls home with resources like emotional support items, hygiene products, or small amounts of food.
Getting Power Packs to hungry students during online learning
Although Fairfax County Public Schools are online this fall, Food for Others is still providing Power Packs to students facing hunger. When schools moved online in March, many parents of students at Fairfax County Elementary Schools were left wondering how to feed their kids without FCPS school-provided lunches. Fairfax County operates daily Grab & Go
FFO expands operations with CARES funding
This year, more than 100,000 families in Fairfax County are predicted to experience food insecurity as a result of COVID-19. At Food for Others, we saw the demand for food quadruple – almost overnight—back in March when schools and workplaces closed unexpectedly. To help us respond to the new need for food in the community,
Junior Fencing Champion raises “Ton of Food” for Food for Others
Hadley Husisian is an exceptional 16-year-old. She’s an international fencing champion who has won a Junior World Cup silver medal in Bratislava, Slovakia and a team Cadet World Cup gold medal in Grenoble, France. She is also the current Cadet (under 17) Women’s Epee national champion and ranked #1 in the country at both the
More than 100,000 in Fairfax County could face food insecurity due to COVID-19
Fairfax County is predicted to experience the highest growing rate of food insecurity in the DC area this year, according to the Capital Area Food Bank’s 2020 Hunger Report. Families facing food insecurity do not have consistent access to enough healthy food and as a result, they may start eating less food, cutting out meat