Category: Information on Hunger

SWAP is Coming to LHR!

Posted on by Ashley Palmer

Loudoun Hunger Relief will soon be introducing SWAP – Supporting Wellness at Pantries is a way to help maximize the nutrition of the food we provide to the families we serve.  It uses a GREEN-YELLOW-RED system to rank foods that are either lower or higher in fat, sodium, and added sugar. The goal of this new system is to enable individuals to make choices that are best fit for them and their families. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months for how SWAP will impact LHR’s services and how this will look within our organization.

CLICK HERE for some quick facts on SWAP.

CLICK HERE for more research behind SWAP.

Hunger Action Month is Underway – Here’s How You Can Learn About the Effects of Hunger!

Posted on by Ashley Palmer

38 million people face hunger in the U.S. — including more than 12 million children. Did you know that there are around 16,000 people in Loudoun County who struggle with food insecurity, with 49% of these residents ineligible for federal nutrition programs such as SNAP? We want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn and understand how hunger affects our community.

 

Take a look at a few links from Feeding America to learn more about food insecurity across the US and in Loudoun County:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america

https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/hunger-and-health-research

https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2020/overall/virginia/county/loudoun

 

September is Hunger Action Month! – Here is LHR’s Activity Calendar

Posted on by Ashley Palmer

September is Hunger Action Month! There are many ways to support those in need of food in our community all year long, but in September, we ask your help in special ways. Check out our calendar for a weekly list of activities you can complete to take ACTION. From reading blog posts and following us on social media to starting a food drive with your family, there’s a way to get involved for everyone of every age.

 

Download the calendar PDF here

The Complex Emergency Food System: Feeding America, Food Banks and Food Pantries

Posted on by Trish McNeal

The emergency food system in the US is a complex system of food sources and distribution networks. This link is a great resource for an overall explanation of how the Feeding America food bank network functions across the country.

This post is a necessarily simplified version that explains specifically how food comes to Loudoun Hunger Relief. Continue reading “The Complex Emergency Food System: Feeding America, Food Banks and Food Pantries” →

The Big Green Produce Machine

Posted on by dev

Last summer, Loudoun Hunger had a dream. We had expanded our produce program to accept more and more from our grocery store partners, our farmer’s markets, and our farm partners. We had such healthy abundance! We were able to supply fresh produce directly to the families we serve in the pantry, PLUS we were networking with partners in the Loudoun Food Providers Network and other partner direct service agencies to get produce in the hands of families in Loudoun who don’t or can’t come to the pantry.The program was great, but needed to be better. We had a dream of an expanded partner distribution program that could reach even more people in need. We needed WAY more temperature controlled produce storage space, and we needed bins and containers specifically designed to transport various types of produce, particularly delicate tomatoes. Continue reading “The Big Green Produce Machine” →

September is Hunger Action Month–What will you do to end hunger in our community?

Posted on by dev

The month of September is Hunger Action Month each year. Hunger Action Month was created to involve and motivate the community to join forces to have a greater impact in the fight against hunger.

Hunger Action Month is a Feeding America initiative. Nationwide, food banks and food pantries use awareness campaigns during the month of September to better help the people we serve. Everyone in the community is urged to join the team to fight hunger.

Here are a few concrete ways you can help.

  1. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram or Twitter. We’re @LoudounHunger.
  2. Use social media to share hunger facts with your social following and tag us in the post. Watch our social media for posts you can share! #LoudounHunger or #NeighborsatLHR
  3. Bring in a food donation. We post our most needed items each Wednesday on Facebook and on this blog.
  4. Donate money: We can buy food at wholesale prices, and we can target purchases to exactly what is needed each week.
  5. Contact your local officials to advocate for hunger relief in our community.
  6. Wear orange on Hunger Action Day, September 12, 2019.

We invite you to be one of the #NeighborsatLHR–neighbors helping neighbors.