1 in 10 children in Virginia are experiencing hunger.
Why we started
Founder Elizabeth Ford grew up in Reston, VA. She first experienced hunger around seven years old when the babysitter turned her away after school because her mother hadn't paid the bill. The babysitter was the primary source of food for Elizabeth in the evenings, as she provided sliced hotdogs on toast.
From there, Elizabeth and her mother moved three more times due to evictions. During these times, Elizabeth's primary food source was 7-11. She would sit outside and ask people for quarters to earn enough to purchase hotdogs or whatever else she could purchase that day. Elizabeth's mother suffered from mental health issues and was not well enough to function healthily for her and her daughter. Where Elizabeth grew up, no food pantries or resources were provided to help.
Because of a lack of education, love, and food support at home and school, Elizabeth made finding ways to earn money to survive a priority. She dropped out of high school at the end of her 9th-grade year and obtained her GED. From there, it was a job to job waiting tables. She would work double shifts to get a free meal at work that day and then eventually fell into an abusive marriage, not understanding signs or what "safe love" was while looking for a way out of poverty.
She, later on found her way to become single, work full time, and then went to college online and obtained her BS Degree in IT and made it her mission to help other children that live daily with food insecurity.
Our Mission
Is to feed anyone who says "I am hungry" and to disrupt generational patterns by providing children and families with food, educational assistance, and life-skill services. We show individuals the educational and job-related opportunities they can and are capable of pursuing and inspire hope for a bright future ahead. Every child should know they are loved, cared for, and not forgotten.
We believe that by providing food, educational assistance, and life-skill services, we can help break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future for individuals and families in need. Through our programs, we provide individuals with the resources they need to succeed, inspire hope, and empower them to pursue their dreams.
Our Vision
Our vision is to change lives one meal at a time. We envision a world where no child or family goes hungry, where every individual has access to quality education, and where job opportunities empower communities to thrive. We aspire to create a brighter future for children and families, breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering a society where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Together, we can make a lasting impact, one meal at a time.
Our Why
Every day, a child is born into poverty. It is not the child's fault. The child will skip a meal or more per day. This child's main source of food will come from free or reduced lunches at school.
But what happens when school ends? Do they sleep without dinner?
I founded this program after learning one day from an amazing person - about two boys in my local county. The school employee felt she heard some kids sneaking into the lunch room after school hours - assuming they were up to no good, she went in to find out. She learned they had been going in daily to pull out leftover food from the trash to bring home for dinner that evening.
This happens in different ways every day. Children steal, not because they are bad, but because they are born without and are hungry. They don't have anyone to help them learn. There is another way. They lose hope early on.
We have an opportunity to feed them and help them not lose hope. Help them not think about food in school so they can focus on their school work instead. Help them become strong Americans versus searchers feeling left out.
We have the opportunity to help them.
Poverty doesn't come in a box. It looks like you and me. It is your neighbor, friend or your child's best friend from school.