Feeding Southwest Virginia

Mission: Nourish neighbors, engage community partners, and develop solutions to address food insecurity in Southwest Virginia.

Service Area

Feeding Southwest Virginia serves a vast region encompassing 26 counties and nine cities, covering 12,400 square miles. The organization operates through three main facilities in Salem, Abingdon, and Roanoke, and partners with over 400 local feeding programs. While the primary focus is Southwest Virginia, the network includes rural and underserved areas, ensuring broad access to food resources for families, seniors, veterans, and children.

Programs and Services

• Food Distribution: Collaborates with a network of food pantries and meal programs to distribute donated food and grocery items. Food is sourced from manufacturers, grocery industries, government agencies, and individuals, and distributed through partner programs and direct services.
• Pop-Up Food Distributions: Periodic truckload events deliver free food to high-need areas in partnership with community organizations.
• Kids Farmers Market: Provides free produce and nutrition education to children, along with financial literacy activities. Children receive "Food Bank Bucks" to spend at the market, promoting healthy eating and choice.
• Mobile Food Pantry: Delivers an average of 10,000 pounds of food per truckload to 11 sites in underserved rural areas, including shelf-stable, frozen, and fresh dairy products. Focuses on areas with high food insecurity and limited access to brick-and-mortar pantries.
• Mobile Marketplace: Operates two trucks (serving far Southwest and northern regions) that sell fresh, affordable groceries, accepting SNAP and credit/debit cards. The program offers SNAP outreach and Virginia Fresh Match discounts, providing 50% off produce for SNAP customers.

Impact and Approach

Feeding Southwest Virginia is a member of the Feeding America network and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. The organization is recognized for its efficiency, spending 95% of expenses on programs. It is committed to innovation, equity, and transparency, continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of the community.

Eligibility and Access

Services are available to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity within the service region, including rural and underserved communities. Specific eligibility requirements may vary by program or partner site.

Additional Information

• Volunteer Opportunities: Community members can engage through various volunteer roles.
• Community Partnerships: Extensive collaboration with local organizations to maximize reach and impact.

For detailed information on pantry locations, program schedules, and eligibility, contact the organization directly.