PRA Group Makes $100,000 Donation to Foodbank – Funds Will Support School Backpack Program

Norfolk, VA—October 21, 2021 — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is pleased to announce that PRA Group has donated $100,000 over the next three years to support the school Backpack Program which provides food for students to take home on weekends.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support the long-term success of children in our community by ensuring they receive the sustenance they need to concentrate, play, and grow in body and mind,” says PRA Group President & CEO Kevin Stevenson. “The Backpack Program’s weekly nourishment makes this possible for more than 3,400 children each year, and we are thankful to the Foodbank for this truly incredible feat of service, and for all its work to remove barriers of food insecurity so these children can be their best.”

PRA Group has been a steady supporter of the Foodbank for nearly two decades. In addition to its generous financial contribution, its employees also provide volunteer support to the Foodbank’s many programs. “We really encourage volunteerism through organized volunteer opportunities throughout the year as well as paid volunteer time because the personal connections we make with people and causes are invaluable drivers of change for good,” says Stevenson.

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore first developed its Backpack Program on the Eastern Shore in 2008, and since then it has steadily expanded. This year, more than 65,000 bags will be distributed throughout Hampton Roads, Western Tidewater, and the Eastern Shore. “We are truly grateful to PRA Group for its commitment to help us end hunger,” says Emma Inman, Chief Impact Officer for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. “By providing nutritious food, we are able to help young people stay nourished and stay focused on their studies, thereby addressing one of the root causes of food insecurity.”

For more information, please contact Senior Director of Communications David Brandt at 757-644-5860 or dbrandt@foodbankonline.org.

About the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

For 40 years, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore has provided over 350 million meals to those in our community who face hunger. Through our programs, facilities, and large network of community partners, we “eliminate hunger” on a daily basis for many. However, we understand that our current work addresses hunger for individuals in the short term. It does not address the root causes which force individuals to return to a food pantry again and again. This understanding has led to the creation of a 3-year strategic plan aimed to move Hampton Roads closer to achieving the mission of eliminating hunger for those we serve—not only for the day, or for the week, but for a lifetime. For up-to-date information on the Foodbank, visit www.foodbankonline.org, Facebook, or Twitter.

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