This month, Fairfax County residents in need will have several opportunities to stock up on free fresh produce and other food.
The Cathy Hudgins Community Center in Southgate participates in the Capital Area Food Bank’s Community Marketplace program, which provides fresh produce every second Saturday of the month. The next distribution is scheduled for Saturday (August 13) from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the center, located at 12125 Pinecrest Road in Reston.
The partnership is the product of an alliance between the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhoods and Community Services and the food bank, which aims to distribute food to communities in need.
Recently, nonprofit partners have reported high levels of food insecurity in the state and district. Food insecurity is a growing challenge for moderate-income families in an area with an increasingly high cost of living.
According to the food bank, one in 10 residents in DC County is food insecure, nearly a third of whom are children.
The Willson Multicultural Center at Seven Corners will also be holding a food drive this month through a partnership with Comunidad, a nonprofit organization in Falls Church that aims to engage and assist local community leaders.
The event serves over 250 families each month, with volunteers taking food boxes to the homes of local Ukrainian families.
The community market concept aims to offer a farmer’s market-style opportunity with high-quality, fresh produce for people who are food insecure. Events often include cooking demonstrations, utilities, health screenings and recipe demonstrations.
