Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves 8 cities and 25 counties in central and western Virginia.

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that provides nutritious food to over 170,000 people on average each month through a far-reaching network of more than 400 community partners—food pantries, soup kitchens, schools, churches, and other nonprofit groups.

05/29/2026

🧡

“I love country living, I really do. But it has a downside, because you don’t have as many options.”Living in a rural ar...
05/29/2026

“I love country living, I really do. But it has a downside, because you don’t have as many options.”

Living in a rural area on a small budget requires you to be savvy, according to D’Anna. The single mom of 2 growing kids lives in Luray and visits her local food pantry, Page One, a partner of the Food Bank, regularly.

“My kids are 3 and 14 years old, and I don’t just want to make sure they have enough to eat. As a mom, I want to make sure they eat healthy, too. And that can be difficult.”

She says that she can easily spend $70 on just a couple days' worth of food in Luray. So, she’ll carpool with a group of local moms to shop in Harrisonburg, where prices are lower, once or twice a month.

The food she receives at Page One of Page County also makes a difference.

“I’m grateful to have access to healthy foods,” she says of the food pantry. “It’s important for my kids. They are my priority”

She does what she can and plans to start her own garden to further supplement their access to fresh produce.

“I have the space to do it. Living in a rural area is wonderful, you just have to be as savvy as you can be.”

🍅 The price of tomatoes surged in April, up nearly 40% from a year earlier.Overall, food prices in grocery stores rose 2...
05/28/2026

🍅 The price of tomatoes surged in April, up nearly 40% from a year earlier.

Overall, food prices in grocery stores rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Meanwhile, fresh fruits and vegetables soared 6.5 percent, impacted by bad weather, tariffs, and the high cost of transportation. 🥒🥝

Do you or someone you know need free groceries? Go to http://foodfinder.brafb.org to find food pantries near you.

Working-age adults are more than twice as likely to report food insecurity as those ages 65 and older, according to a 20...
05/27/2026

Working-age adults are more than twice as likely to report food insecurity as those ages 65 and older, according to a 2025 study.

However, previous studies have found there are wide disparities within the senior population. For many of our senior guests on fixed incomes, food pantries and programs are a lifeline. ❗

“Everything has gone up so high. For a lot of people I know, it comes down to, am I going to pay rent, am I going to get medicine? So, the food is left out. And it’s sad,” says Pamela, a guest of one of our partner food pantries.

She speaks about a life change of “having everything, to having nothing,” after becoming disabled.

This , we celebrate and honor our senior neighbors; while also recognizing the unique challenges many face while navigating food security.

Because everyone should have enough to eat. 🧡

A retired truck driver who worked in the logging industry in Buckingham County, Thomas visits the Mobile Food Pantry reg...
05/22/2026

A retired truck driver who worked in the logging industry in Buckingham County, Thomas visits the Mobile Food Pantry regularly.

This time, he is joined by his trusted canine, Toby, who nibbles on a biscuit while they wait.

“I’m hanging in there,” he tells us—remaining optimistic, despite a difficult year. He had lost Carol, his wife of 37 years, to cancer only a few months prior. Now, he faced a cancer diagnosis of his own.

The Mobile Food Pantry lightens some of the load.

“This Mobile Food Pantry helps a great deal,” he says. “These groceries take a lot of the pressure off. Sometimes, you just don’t know if you have enough money left at the end of the month. So, this helps tremendously.”

Thomas will use what he receives to cook up some Southern staples, which he enjoys alongside the fresh and healthy produce.

“I’ve learned to make a few things I thought I would never eat. Collard greens were new to me, being from Chicago. And I love biscuits and gravy. My wife loved them, too.”

There’s nothing wrong with needing help.We often hear from neighbors that they wish they had sought out food assistance ...
05/21/2026

There’s nothing wrong with needing help.

We often hear from neighbors that they wish they had sought out food assistance sooner.

As costs rise and essentials like food become increasingly difficult to afford, the Food Bank and our partners are here for you—from one neighbor to another. 🧡

Do you or someone you know need free groceries? Go to http://foodfinder.brafb.org to find food pantries near you.

In case you don’t hear it from us enough.Want to help spread the word with a shirt of your very own? Volunteer for 3+ sh...
05/19/2026

In case you don’t hear it from us enough.

Want to help spread the word with a shirt of your very own? Volunteer for 3+ shifts to start repping the Food Bank’s signature orange. 👕🟠

The Spanberger Inaugural Committee has graciously awarded $1 million to Virginia food banks, with the goal of strengthen...
05/15/2026

The Spanberger Inaugural Committee has graciously awarded $1 million to Virginia food banks, with the goal of strengthening hunger-relief efforts.

“At a time when federal resources for food-insecure families are shrinking, Virginians have to step up for each other," said Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

"This gift to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks is one way the Inaugural Committee is putting its resources to work for the Commonwealth—supporting the farmers, food banks, and community partners doing essential work in every corner of Virginia.”

We are grateful for this generous gift, which will bolster inventories of fresh, healthy foods here and at food banks across the state. 🥗🧡

As a nonpartisan organization, we do not support or oppose any candidate or political party.

“From the bottom of my heart, for the first time in a long time I feel like somebody.”Susan connects with you the moment...
05/14/2026

“From the bottom of my heart, for the first time in a long time I feel like somebody.”

Susan connects with you the moment you step into the pantry. A senior working hard to overcome after a challenging year of health setbacks, she discovered the Fluvanna Leaders for Race & Diversity food pantry just three weeks prior to our visit.

At the pantry, she’s able to shop for the food she needs to support her health needs. But she says what matters most is being able to come out and talk to people.

“It took me the longest time to realize that there were good, kindhearted people out there didn't judge me,” she says about the people she’s met there.

Divorced after 40 years of marriage and grieving the loss of her son, she is determined to be independent, even keeping her 2001 car running herself.

What keeps her going is Babe, the dog she’s been caring for over the past year, and the sense of connection she has found at the pantry, where she says she finally feels that she is somebody.

According to USDA data, there has been a 13% drop in SNAP participation in Virginia since March 2025.Since the enactment...
05/12/2026

According to USDA data, there has been a 13% drop in SNAP participation in Virginia since March 2025.

Since the enactment of H.R. 1, we’ve seen a 10% drop.

The need for programs like SNAP has not changed. Join us today in saying 📣

🔗 https://www.brafb.org/snap-ed/

Address

96 Laurel Hill Rd
Verona, VA
24482

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+15402483663

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Blue Ridge Area Food Bank posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Blue Ridge Area Food Bank:

Shortcuts

Share