Despite signs of post-pandemic economic recovery in the Dulles Corridor region, thousands of low-income people still face significant food insecurity. Continued inflation, the end of many federal benefit programs and dramatic increases in housing and transportation costs have made it challenging for families to put food on the table. To help ensure regional neighborhood pantry programs and nonprofits have enough food for the upcoming busy summer months, StarKist, Feed the Children and Cornerstones hosted their Third Annual Summer Food and Resource Rally at Cornerstones' Food Rescue Empowerment Enterprise, or FREE from Hunger Center, in Sterling, Va.

StarKist staff and volunteers before distributing more than 100,000 pounds of food and household essentials to five regional food pantries and nonprofits in the Dulles Corridor region. Credit: Chip McCrea.

United in their commitment to end food insecurity along the Dulles Corridor region, almost 100 regional business leaders, elected officials, StarKist employee volunteers, and community advocates joined forces to provide hands-on support and encourage greater community investment and volunteerism to combat food insecurity, reduce food waste and enhance food rescue initiatives.

"StarKist is committed to helping alleviate food insecurity for families in need," said Tom Aslin, vice president, Marketing of StarKist. "Through our StarKist Cares corporate giving efforts across the country, we know food insecurity has a devastating impact on lower-income communities. Our employees actively work to live our vision – to provide trusted, nutritious protein foods to more people. Here in Northern Virginia, where StarKist is headquartered, we are proud to partner again with Feed the Children and Cornerstones and are honored this year to extend our engagement to new community partners working to combat hunger in this region."

The rally helped bolster food supplies for five regional pantry programs and nonprofits. Each of the following partners received 25-pound boxes of shelf-stable food, including StarKist products,15-pound boxes of hygiene essentials such as shampoo, conditioner, lotion and personal-care items, boxes of Avon products and other items.

• Community Lodgings' mission is to lift families from homelessness and instability to independence and self-sufficiency through Transitional Housing, Affordable Housing and Youth Education Programs.
• Dulles South Food Pantry was founded in 2014 and is a community-driven nonprofit serving Dulles residents and the surrounding area, providing nutritious food, personal supplies and life-changing services to its neighbors.
• Fellowship Square is a local provider of affordable housing and services to vulnerable seniors with limited resources. With 670 apartment units that are home to more than 800 older adults, Fellowship Square ensures that residents have the stability and support they need to live independently.
• LINK Against Hunger provides food and financial assistance to qualified people in need. Supported primarily by donations of food and funds, LINK is comprised of dedicated churches, organizations and individuals serving the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn, Va., communities.
• The South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry addresses the student hunger gap by serving more than 500 students and families each week. Thanks to the support of the community and its all-volunteer staff, students and families can experience a cultural variety of food including nonperishables, produce and protein as well as toiletries and feminine products. As a result, students can more effectively focus their attention in school.

"Millions of older adults in America struggle with food insecurity due to fixed incomes and the physical challenges that make both grocery shopping and meal preparation difficult," said Christy Zeitz, CEO of Fellowship Square. "With the Summer Food and Resource Rally – and particularly the donation of easy-to-open, protein-rich tuna and chicken products from StarKist – our seniors in the Fellowship Square communities will get healthy nutritious food that they can easily enjoy."

Each local partner received 25-pound boxes of shelf-stable food, including StarKist products, 15-pound boxes of hygiene essentials, boxes of Avon products and more as part of the Third Annual Summer Food & Resource Rally hosted by StarKist, Feed the Children and Cornerstones. Credit: Chip McCrea.

For Cornerstones, this effort was an opportunity to directly support front-line agencies serving thousands of families and seniors struggling with food insecurity.

"Neighborhood food pantries and feeding program partners across the region are seeing a surge in the number of individuals and families seeking food assistance," said Kerrie Wilson, CEO of Cornerstones. "According to the 2023 Capital Area Food Bank Survey, an estimated 24% of Fairfax County residents are food insecure. Another major report notes that while the rate is lower in Loudoun County, more than 29,000 people are food insecure. Cornerstones' FREE from Hunger Center works closely with a growing network of corporate, business, faith, community, and nonprofit partners to rescue excess food, store it safely, and ensure that neighborhood pantry and feeding programs can quickly provide it to families in need. Our Summer Food and Resource Rally with StarKist and Feed the Children was an ideal opportunity to help supplement these vital partners' summertime food supplies and connect them with new community partners, employee volunteers, and advocates eager to support their mission-driven work. Thanks to valuable opportunities like today, we can help to better expedite distribution of healthy, nutritious food to vulnerable neighbors in need."

For Feed the Children, the Summer Food and Resource Rally in Northern Virginia is another prominent opportunity to make a tangible, meaningful difference in the region. "Thanks to our generous partners at StarKist and Cornerstones, we can help Northern Virginia families rest a little easier this summer knowing they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from," said Travis Arnold, Feed the Children president and CEO. "We know that when we combine our efforts, we have a greater impact on the lives of the families who need us most."

Throughout the past 15 years, StarKist has contributed over 1 million pounds of tuna and chicken products to help food-insecure children and families across the U.S., and more than $939,000 to support Feed the Children's disaster- and emergency-response efforts. This is the latest in StarKist's continual efforts to alleviate hunger and food shortages, dating back to 1917 when there was a nationwide protein shortage during World War I and StarKist helped fill the void.

Source: StarKist Co.