FEEDING GREENE INC - THE FOOD PANTRY OF GREENE COUNTY

OUR CLIENT CHOICE PROGRAM IS OPEN EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY FROM 9AM TO 12NOON AND ON WEDNESDAYS FROM 4 PM TO 6PM AND OFFERS FREE USDA FOOD, AND PURCHASED AND DONATED PRODUCE, BREADS, AND OTHER PERISHABLES ONCE A WEEK TO QUALIFIED FAMILIES RESIDING IN VIRGINIA. ELIGIBILITY FOR USDA FOOD IS BASED ON THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP) GUIDELINES AND IS BASED ON INCOME. FAMILIES CHOOSE FROM AN ASSORTMENT OF CANNED FOODS, DRY GOODS, CEREAL, PEANUT BUTTER, PRODUCE, BEVERAGES, FROZEN MEATS, FRESH MILK, DAIRY PRODUCTS, BREADS, AND PASTRIES. WE HAD AN AVERAGE OF 178 VOLUNTEERS PER MONTH WORKING AN AVERAGE OF 2,202 HOURS PER MONTH PICKING UP, RECEIVING, SORTING, STOCKING AND DISTRIBUTING FOOD. WITH THE HELP OF THESE DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS IN 2025 WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE 967,916 POUNDS OF FOOD FOR A VALUE OF $1,839,040. THIS INCLUDES USDA, PURCHASED, AND DONATED FOOD FROM BLUE RIDGE AREA FOOD BANK, FOOD FROM 18 AREA BRAFB PARTNERS, FOOD FROM CHURCHES, BUSINESSES, CIVIC GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS FOOD PURCHASED FROM BRAFB AND LOCAL GROCERY STORES. FOOD IS VALUED AT $1.90 PER POUND AND IS BASED ON FEEDING AMERICA'S 2025 INDEPENDENT AUDIT. WE RECEIVED 21,726 VISITS AND SERVED 62,209 INDIVIDUALS IN 2025 (18,183 CHILDREN, 29,265 ADULTS, AND 14,761 ELDERLY). EACH INDIVIDUAL IS COUNTED EACH TIME THEIR FAMILY COMES IN FOR ASSISTANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH USDA REPORTING STANDARDS. WE SERVED 571 NEW FAMILIES THIS YEAR. WE OFFER FULL CLIENT CHOICE SHOPPING, ALLOWING FAMILIES TO DO THEIR OWN SHOPPING MUCH LIKE IN A NORMAL GROCERY STORE.

OUR HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM PROVIDES FOOD TO FAMILIES WITH NO TRANSPORTATION (AND OFTEN DISABILITIES) ON THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH. WE DELIVER PRE-BOXED GROCERIES TO FAMILIES IN GREENE COUNTY, OFTEN FILLING BOXES TO MEET SPECIFIC DIETARY NEEDS. THESE FAMILIES ALSO QUALIFY BY INCOME FOR TEFAP FOOD AND WE OFTEN PURCHASE LOW SUGAR AND LOW SODIUM FOODS, AS WELL AS FRESH PRODUCE FOR THIS PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 20 DELIVERY ROUTES WITH VOLUNTEERS RANGING FROM YOUNG ADUTS TO OUR RETIRED COMMUNITY. WITH THE HELP OF THESE DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, IN 2025 WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE 190,440 POUNDS OF FOOD FOR A VALUE OF $361,836. WE ESTIMATE AN AVERAGE OF 40 VOLUNTEERS/MONTH GOES TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM. WE MADE 1,587 HOME DELIVERIES TO FAMILIES IN GREENE COUNTY IN 2025. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE GROCERIES TO FAMILIES THAT ARE SICK OR RECOVERING FROM SURGERIES/INJURIES AND UNABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE GREENE COUNTY SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, JABA, AND REGION TEN TO SEE THAT FAMILIES HAVE ENOUGH FOOD EACH MONTH. THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE OFFERED FOR OUR ENTIRE 31 YEARS IN OPERATION AND CONTINUES TO BE A GREAT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.