Capital Area Food Bank

Good food today is essential for brighter futures tomorrow. We were honored to have Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, speak with our President & CEO, Radha Muthiah, on how our healthcare pilot programs are helping patients manage chronic health conditions through access to nutritious food. We applaud the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for launching their new #FoodIsMedicine webpage and toolkit, which brings together valuable resources for collaboration and best practices. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gT7nAKq4 https://lnkd.in/gytDxWN6

This month marks the 3rd anniversary of our partnership with Children's National Hospital on our food pharmacy! What began at the main hospital's Diabetes Care Complex has now expanded to the Columbia Heights location, allowing us to support even more families each month. By providing nutritious, dietitian-approved foods, we help patients manage their health conditions and overcome barriers to healthy eating. We’re proud to continue this important work alongside Children’s National and look forward to building on our progress to improve health outcomes in the community. #foodismedicine #foodinsecurity #foodbank #nutrition

As we wrap up our #HispanicHeritageMonth series, we’re proud to highlight one of our partners in Prince George’s County, MD: No Limits Outreach Center. Founded in 2007 by Pastor Oliver and Pamelia Carter, No Limits started by serving just 20 to 30 people a week. Today, they’re serving hundreds, including a growing Hispanic population. One of their clients, Jennifer, recognized the need for Spanish-speaking support and stepped up to become a volunteer. Now, six of their 30 volunteers are Spanish speakers, ensuring that language is never a barrier to receiving help. In fact, nearly all their volunteers were once clients themselves. With support from CAFB capacity grants, No Limits has been able to streamline their services, implementing a texting system that lets clients join the line virtually and reducing wait times. Through partnerships like this, we’re supporting communities with food and vital wraparound services, all while empowering clients to become leaders. https://lnkd.in/gpPn67MG

We’re proud to see our CEO Radha Muthiah and our work in Northern Virginia recognized by NorthernVirginia magazine, and also delighted to celebrate our board members and supporters who appear in this issue as well!

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest food pharmacy, in partnership with Unity Health Care and made possible with generous support from The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation! Located at Unity’s East of the River Health Center in D.C.'s Ward 8, this food pharmacy is designed to serve patients—especially older adults managing hypertension, diabetes, and obesity—with the nutritious, medically tailored groceries they need. Patients who screen for food insecurity at the clinic receive a "prescription" for the pharmacy, allowing them to pick up around 40 pounds of food twice a month — free of charge. They receive both shelf-stable foods and fresh produce, focusing on low sugar, high fiber, and nutrient-rich options. These groceries are specifically chosen to support the health of patients who have chronic conditions. This partnership builds upon the food pharmacy model we launched at Children's National Hospital. By working with health care providers, we can help support patients in accessing the nutritious food they need to thrive. Through initiatives like this, we are expanding the impact of Food as Medicine, and we were honored to have Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), join us to highlight the significance of these programs.

We are excited to announce the official opening of our larger, modernized warehouse in Northern Virginia! Built on the site of our previous facility, the Bedford Falls Foundation Northern Virginia Distribution Center offers nearly four times the space of our previous NOVA facility to receive and store food, engage with partners, and — for the first time — to host volunteers. Thank you to the elected officials and other supporters from across the region that joined us, including U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay and members from the Virginia Assembly. This new facility comes at a critical time, with our latest Hunger Report showing that food insecurity is on the rise in Northern Virginia and across the region. The larger space allows us not only to meet the existing demand for food assistance but also the ability to expand our reach as needs change in the future. It strengthens our ability to respond in real-time and source, store, and distribute nutritious, culturally appropriate food—while supporting local Virginia farmers and producers.

Today, we're highlighting another one of our partner organizations to celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth, the Mother of Light Center in Alexandria, VA! Serving a predominately Hispanic community, this 100% volunteer-run center provides not only food assistance but also programs that nurture those in need. Since partnering with us in 2019, their food pantry has grown to serve over 1,500 families each month, distributing nutritious food both via pickup and delivery. Through our collaboration, we also connect them with local grocery stores like Amazon Fresh to source more food through our Partner Direct program. Beyond addressing immediate food needs, Mother of Light is dedicated to building brighter futures. Their summer 'Read & Shine' literacy program, supported by a grant from CAFB, helped 70 kids and teens strengthen their reading skills and discover the joy of learning. 📚✨ Learn more about how they’re working to uplift the community here: https://lnkd.in/edETSbB9

Did you know that people facing food insecurity in our region are just as likely to be employed as those who are not? #HungerReport2024 found that 76% of the food-insecure population is employed, compared to 74% of those who are food secure. And 1 in 5 of those struggling to access enough to eat (20%) have more than one job, compared to just 7% of their food-secure counterparts. Just one example is Chelsi, a single mom with her bachelor's degree, who works full time but still struggles to support her kids. To make ends meet, she takes on extra jobs delivering food, missing valuable time with her family. Learn more about these trends by reading this year’s Hunger Report https://lnkd.in/empQSnkC

Happy #HispanicHeritageMonth! Throughout this month, we’re celebrating the incredible work of our partners who serve the Hispanic community, providing not only food assistance today but also helping to build brighter futures for tomorrow. Starting off with the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), which has been serving the DC community for over 50 years. LAYC supports youth ages 6-24 from all backgrounds, with more than half identifying as Hispanic. Their services include social support, career readiness, academic tutoring, and more. In response to the increased need during the pandemic, we partnered with LAYC in 2021 to establish a permanent food pantry, providing shelf-stable food for “grab-and-go” bags available to any young person in need. This partnership allows LAYC’s staff to meet the needs of youth across their programs. Beyond food distribution, LAYC’s Food and Nutrition Program engages youth in hands-on cooking, nutrition, and gardening classes. Read more about how LAYC is helping to build brighter futures here: https://lnkd.in/eBCppdmF

Despite rising food insecurity, many people aren’t accessing the charitable food network. Our #HungerReport2024 reveals that 54% of food-insecure individuals aren’t seeking support, with barriers like awareness, convenience, and stigma contributing to low utilization. Those who aren’t accessing help are more likely to be white, have attended college, and earn higher incomes. To address these challenges, CAFB is working to increase access by offering more diverse and convenient locations; ensuring equitable access across different regions of our service area; providing culturally familiar foods; and decreasing language barriers at food distributions. We're also strengthening connections between food relief and other social services to make support more seamless. These efforts also require collaboration with partners such as cultural centers, libraries, and home delivery networks to reach more people in need. Learn more by reading the full report https://lnkd.in/empQSnkC