COVID-19 Response - Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is carefully monitoring developments regarding the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in our community. We will continue to serve our community as effectively as we can for as long as we can.

Important updates

The safety of our staff, volunteers, Partner Agencies and individuals receiving food is very important. The Foodbank is suspending Friday USDA Distributions until further notice.

We are not accepting visitors at the Foodbank during this time.

How can I receive food?

The Foodbank’s Friday USDA Distribution has been suspended until further notice. The Foodbank is working with partners to implement modified distribution models to provide food safely to seniors, children and low-income families.

The Foodbank has opened four food distribution sites at YMCA locations using a drive-thru, grab and go model that is an adaptation of the Foodbank’s current Mobile Pantry Program — aimed at practicing safe social distancing and protecting the health and wellbeing of staff and individuals receiving and donating food.

The Foodbank will distribute food at these YMCA locations Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Suffolk Family YMCA
2769 Godwin Blvd., Suffolk, VA 23434

James L. Camp Jr. Family YMCA
300 Crescent Drive, Franklin, VA 23851

The Y on Granby
2901 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23504

Greenbrier Family YMCA
1033 Greenbrier Pkwy., Chesapeake, VA 23320

Distributions for the Foodbank’s Eastern Shore Branch

Fridays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Taylor and Fulton Packing
12201 Lankford Hwy., Mappsville VA 23407

Visit our Partner Agency Directory to search for food resources by zip code. Please check websites and call ahead of time for updates about individual distributions.

Additional Resources

If you are in need of assistance beyond food as a result of coronavirus, please call the United Way’s hotline at 757-858-7777 or visit this page to complete an online form.

What can I do to help?

Donate to our COVID-19 Response page. We have collaborated with partners to identify the safest and most effective ways to get food where it is needed most, and your support for these efforts is critical. We are prioritizing our efforts to distribute food to vulnerable populations in our community most likely to suffer from food insecurity during the outbreak. These include seniors, children and low-income families. To direct your donation to our efforts on the Eastern Shore, please click here to donate.

Start an online food and fund drive. Whether you are raising funds as an individual or team, the Online Food and Fund Drive platform allows you to share your fundraiser with friends, family or coworkers, post or email updates and track your progress toward your goal. You are also providing a simple and secure way to accept donations, which come directly to the Foodbank.

Donate food at one of our drop-off locations.

The Foodbank has opened five food donation drop-off sites at YMCA locations aimed at practicing safe social distancing and protecting the health and wellbeing of staff and individuals donating food. Please see our shopping list for most needed items. Personal hygiene items are needed as well.

Food donations can be made to these drop-off sites Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon and from 5 to 7 p.m.

Hilltop Family YMCA
1536 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Great Bridge/Hickory Family YMCA
633 South Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, VA 23322

Mt. Trashmore Family YMCA
4441 South Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Taylor Bend Family YMCA
4626 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, VA 23321

Eastern Shore Family YMCA: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon
26164 Lankford Hwy., Onley, VA 23418

Town of Cape Charles Firehouse: Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
515 Mason Ave., Cape Charles, VA 23310

Please note: The Foodbank headquarters at 800 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk is not accepting donations or visitors at this time. All food donations should be made at the YMCA drop-off sites.

Stay informed on our Advocacy efforts. As we work to provide emergency food to seniors, children and low-income families impacted by food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges we face are unprecedented. As a nonprofit organization, we are seeing an exponential increase in people who need food, as well as sharp declines in food donations, lost revenue and higher costs. We need Congress to increase funding for nutrition programs, and we need this next phase of the economic stimulus package to include $60 billion in relief for charitable nonprofit organizations. We ask you to use this opportunity to tell your elected officials why the Foodbank and federal nutrition programs are important to your community. As stimulus legislation is being drafted and details negotiated, we ask you to share your voice in two ways by contacting your representatives and senators.

Tweet to ask Congress to support #Relief4Charities.
Email this message to your representatives in Congress and Senate or customize it to make it your own.

Email Congresswoman Elaine Luria

Email Congressman A. Donald McEachin

Email Congressman Bobby Scott

Email Senator Mark Warner

Email Senator Tim Kaine

The House and Senate have passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to bolster the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak and address the severe impacts of the coronavirus on Americans’ personal safety and financial security.

Share our social media posts to ensure that those who need help and those who want to help can be informed of our evolving response to COVID-19.
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Is the Foodbank helping children or seniors during this time?

We remain committed to serving our community during this time, and we are focusing our efforts on distributing food to the most vulnerable populations:

Seniors with limited mobility experiencing food insecurity. Seniors are being encouraged to minimize their interactions with the public, so we will take precautions to avoid as much contact as possible while getting food to this population.
Children who depend on federal nutrition programs such as free or reduced price breakfast and lunch, after-school feeding programs and Backpack bags. During the time schools are closed due to COVID-19 we expect the number of food-insecure children to double, which would mean there would be between 80,000 and 90,000 children experiencing food insecurity.
Low-income families, which include individuals working multiple jobs to put food on their tables and may be more at risk if unable to report to work due to COVID-19.

Through a partnership with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, the Foodbank has opened four food distribution sites and five food donation drop-off sites at YMCA locations utilizing Foodbank and YMCA staff for distribution and collection operations using a drive-thru, grab and go model that is an adaptation of the Foodbank’s current Mobile Pantry Program — aimed at practicing safe social distancing and protecting the health and wellbeing of staff and individuals receiving and donating food.

The Foodbank has also partnered with Mercy Chefs to serve 2,000 premade meals a day specifically targeted to seniors and children, which are the two most vulnerable populations impacted by food insecurity during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Foodbank is working with Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia and other community partners to deliver meals directly to seniors. In addition, the Foodbank is working with school feeding sites to supplement breakfast and lunch grab-and-go distributions.

FAQs

Can I come to the Foodbank to receive food?

The Foodbank will distribute food at these YMCA locations Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Suffolk Family YMCA
2769 Godwin Blvd., Suffolk, VA 23434

James L. Camp Jr. Family YMCA
300 Crescent Drive, Franklin, VA 23851

The Y on Granby
2901 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23504

Greenbrier Family YMCA
1033 Greenbrier Pkwy., Chesapeake, VA 23320

Distributions for the Foodbank’s Eastern Shore Branch

Tuesday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Mobile Pantry
Foodbank of the Eastern Shore
24530 Coastal Blvd., Tasley, VA 23441

Tuesday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to noon Mobile Pantry
Northampton High School
16041 Courthouse Road, Eastville, VA 23347

Wednesday, March 25 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Mobile Pantry
Eastern Shore Community College
29300 Landford Hwy., Melfa, VA 23410

Thursday, March 26 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
Foodbank of the Eastern Shore
24530 Coastal Blvd., Tasley, VA 23441

Are you in need of volunteers?

In an effort to practice social distancing guidelines as recommended by health officials, the Foodbank has suspended all volunteer shifts, effective Monday, March 16. Please stay informed with us as we will promote volunteer opportunities as they become available. Two of the Foodbank’s COVID-19 Response strategic partners are in need of volunteers. Mercy Chefs is in need of individuals who can plate/portion prepared foods that will be distributed to those in need. Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia is looking for drivers to deliver meals. As always, please volunteer only if you are healthy.

What is the most impactful way to help?

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is here for our clients every day, and in this time of need we will continue to serve the most vulnerable in our community.

Donations to the Foodbank will help provide much-needed, nutritious food to those in our community most at-risk of hunger–seniors, children, and low-income families. Click here to donate.

We are developing and adapting our response to the local situation, and as information changes we can commit to using your donations to deliver targeted support to the neediest of our neighbors.

Donate today to provide meals for seniors, children, and families in need.

Once COVID-19 community needs have been met, remaining funds and food will be used to support our ongoing hunger-relief efforts.

Are you accepting food donations?