An Opportunity to Make a Difference

Supporting Virginians Affected by the Government Shutdown

To help neighbors in need, the Virginia United Methodist Foundation (VAUMF) and the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church (VAUMC) joined forces to create a special grants fund to support local food banks and ministries within the Commonwealth.

Known as the Emergency Food Pantry Grants, the first round of grants to help food banks and VAUMC church food distribution ministries awarded $500 to each grant recipient when the VAUMC church’s food pantry promised to raise or a matching $500 amount.

In total, the Foundation donated $10,000 to support food pantries within the Virginia conference, and the VAUMC contributed an additional amount to this fund. 

Data from the Federation of Virginia Food Banks (FVFB) shows about one in eight Virginians — more than a million people — faces hunger, with a statewide food insecurity rate of 12.1%. One in seven children is affected, and Black and Hispanic households are more than twice as likely to face food insecurity as white households.FVFB, which represents seven regional Feeding America food banks, said they experienced a 20% increase in pantry visits last year due to rising grocery and living costs. The federal government shutdown means countless government employees are not receiving paychecks, so the need for food donations will increase dramatically.

Virginia’s food scarcity is combatted by seven agencies servicing all counties within the Commonwealth. To find a food bank near you, go to this webpage.