SWAP is Coming to LHR!

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.

Loudoun Hunger Relief Has New Board Chair at the Helm

Loudoun County, VA
Loudoun Hunger Relief (LHR) is pleased to announce the election of Board Chair Charlie McQuillan. Mr. McQuillan has served on the board of LHR since 2014 including on the Executive Committee as Secretary and has been among the directors seeing the organization through a time of unprecedented growth. His steady guidance of the organization will see LHR through the next year of change and challenge.

Mr. McQuillan is General Manager, Federal Health Markets, for Octo Consulting. He has more than 20 years of executive experience in human capital management, health, and media services. Mr. McQuillan is a resident of Ashburn.

Mr. McQuillan will be joined on the LHR leadership team by Vice Chair David McOmber, Executive Vice President Public Sector & Federal Sales at QTS Data Centers, Secretary Lorna Campbell Clarke, Director of Communications for the Reston Community Center, and Treasurer Roman Blazauskas, Principal at SpeedPro Northern Virginia. Carol Barbe, President of Backflow Technology, LLC and LHR’s longtime board Chair, will continue board service in the role of Immediate Past Chair.

Ms. Barbe served as Chair of LHR for an unprecedented eight years, during a major leadership transition and through periods of high demand for LHR’s services. Her attention, expertise and leadership have been crucial as LHR has continued to evolve to meet the shifting needs of our community. During Ms. Barbe’s tenure she has overseen a radical shift toward healthy and whole food choices, significant organizational growth, and unprecedented demand for LHR’s services, particularly during the height of the pandemic. Her leadership has been invaluable, and Loudoun Hunger Relief is incredibly grateful for her many years of dedicated service.

We thank outgoing directors, Maristeve Bradley, Tom Ciolkosz, and Rose Ann Hamberger for their contributions and board service. All three directors served the organization for ten years and provided key leadership throughout their time.

Chair McQuillan said “I want to personally thank each member of Loudoun Hunger Relief’s Board of Directors. Every person makes a unique and valuable contribution to the organization’s direction and governance through their volunteer service. Thanks go to the directors who have completed their terms and are now LHR board alumni. I am grateful that Carol Barbe is remaining to lend her guidance as Immediate Past Chair. LHR will continue our work to provide high quality food assistance; and to be crisis responders with regard to hunger and food security.”

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

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

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

Reading suggestions for Hunger Action Month (September)

We have some reading suggestions for learning more about the problem of hunger—really the problem of poverty— in America.

Adult Books:

-Big Hunger: The Unholy Alliance Between Corporate America and Anti-Hunger Groups by Andy Fisher

-Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement by Janet Poppendeick

-Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries by Katie S Martin

Children Books:

-Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt, Illustrated by Vin Vogel

-Lulu and the Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin, Illustrated by Sheryl Murray