About Food For Neighbors
For many students, school meals are the only guaranteed nutrition they receive.
What happens after school hours, during weekends, and holidays? That’s where Food For Neighbors steps in. Unlike traditional food pantries, Food For Neighbors is all about bringing the community together to uniquely address hunger among middle and high school students. We collaborate closely with local schools, providing them with essential food supplies. These supplies are then discreetly distributed by school social workers to students facing food insecurity, ensuring they have access to nutritious meals without stigma or barriers.
If you’re in need of food donations, click here to find local resources that can help provide the support you need.
Our Mission and Vision for a Brighter Future
We are committed to ending teen hunger in Northern Virginia by raising awareness and inspiring community action. When people understand the need, they step up—because no teen should ever go hungry.
Our vision is a community where every child has reliable access to nutritious food, supported by neighbors who care and take action to end childhood hunger.
What is food insecurity? Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life. It can result from economic, social, or environmental factors, leading to uncertainty about where the next meal will come from and insufficient resources to meet basic dietary needs. Even people with a steady income and access to affordable housing can experience a temporary setback that leads to food insecurity, including job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster or family crisis.
Hunger is Closer Than You Think
About Our Impact in Northern Virginia
In Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun County Public Schools, more than 98,000 students are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals (source). Schools partnering with Food for Neighbors often have even higher eligibility rates, with some reaching nearly 91% of their student body qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.
1 in 5
children in The United States
In the U.S., 1 in 5 children experience food insecurity, leading to effects like reduced focus, frequent absences, increased illness, or disruptive behavior.
1 in 7
CHILDREN IN VIRGINIA
In Virginia, 963,980 people are facing hunger. And 252,480 of them are children. That’s 1 in 7 children.
1 in 3
children in fairfax county
In Fairfax County Public Schools, over 65,000 children qualify for free and reduced price meals. This represents 36.64% (over 1 in 3) of total students.
1 in 4
children in LOUDOUN AND ARLINGTON COUNTIES
In Arlington and Loudoun County Public Schools, over 28% of students qualify for free and reduced price meals.
Benefits of Addressing Food Insecurity in Adolescents
When adolescents have consistent access to nutritious food, it can have several positive impacts, including:
Improved Academic Performance
Proper nutrition supports cognitive function, leading to better focus, memory, and academic success.
Better Mental AND Physical Health
Adequate nutrition improves physical health by preventing chronic illnesses and boosting immunity, while also supporting better emotional well-being by reducing stress and anxiety.
Increased Social Engagement
With stable access to food, adolescents are more likely to participate in social activities and have better relationships with peers.
Higher Self-esteem
Feeling secure about food can boost confidence and overall self-worth.
Your donation today can help give local students a greater chance for success.
How We Began
As PTA President at her son’s middle school, Karen was shocked to discover how many students relied on the free and reduced-price lunch programs. She learned that many of these students participated in Saturday service projects—primarily because lunch was provided. A Social Worker revealed that for many of these students, school meals were often their only source of nutrition for the day, leaving them without food over the weekends.
Further research showed that while there were several organizations supporting elementary students in similar situations, there was a lack of resources for middle and high school students. The challenge came in finding groups to support a weekend food program for the older students attending middle and high school. The reasons were mostly about numbers–there were just too many students in need.
Determined to make a difference, Karen and her husband Mark decided to take action. They saw an opportunity to help these older students by rallying the local community. Knowing they’d need a strong volunteer team and additional resources to make it sustainable, they founded Food For Neighbors to provide weekend meals for middle and high school students in need.
Learn About bringing food for neighbors to your community
Are you passionate about uniting your community to support local teens? Does your middle school or high school need a food pantry or food program? We’d love to talk to you and discuss how we can bring our program to your area.
Food For Neighbors is expanding across Northern Virginia, and we’re excited to partner with schools in your community. Let’s work together to make a difference!
