Blue Ridge Area Food Bank holds school food drive

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank has kicked off its annual school food drive.

This food drive is led by students, for other students throughout the Valley.

This year there have been record numbers of participation in the food drive.

“March is about the time where the food banks have the lowest amount of donations coming out of the holidays when there are a lot of food drives going on,” Emily Warren, the student representative for the food drive said.

Annually, the food bank sees a drop in numbers around March, but as the COVID snap benefits have ended, BRAFB is expecting to help even more families this march as they navigate through the benefit loss.

“Now people might be getting as low as $40 and some people weren’t even aware of the change that’s going on,” Warren said.

Along with snap benefits ending, Warren said in recent months inflation has caused a greater need for more food donations as well.

“Foods just going up like exponentially recently like we saw eggs, in particular, it was so expensive to get,” Warren said.

Donations aren’t totaled until the end of the drive but warren says there have been many volunteers helping the donations rolling in.

“The food donated will go back into the food banks which will be delivered into food pantries which eventually will go right back into the community,” Warren said.

Donations can be sent with children at participating schools.

If you don’t have a child at one of the schools involved but would still like to help you can donate directly to the blue ridge area food bank.

“Spreading awareness among younger people which is always super important and just to be aware of what’s going on and even like a donation makes a huge impact like small things can make big differences,” Warren said.

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