Red Bag Event Collects 22,300 Pounds Of Food For NoVA School Pantries

FAIRFAX, VA — A Food For Neighbors Red Bag collection in Fairfax County brought in about 22,300 pounds of food Saturday during the nonprofit’s final event of the school year, according to the organization.

The group said more than 425 volunteers from Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun counties helped collect and distribute more than 30,000 pounds of food overall for 57 middle and high school pantries serving more than 10,500 students in Northern Virginia.

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Food For Neighbors supports 38 schools in Fairfax County, according to the organization, including Fairfax High School, Centreville High School, Falls Church High School, Whitman Middle School, Herndon Middle School, Twain Middle School and West Springfield High School. The group said the food from Saturday’s event was especially important because it was the last Red Bag collection of the school year.

“National Volunteer Month is the perfect time to recognize the power of community,” Karen Joseph, founder and executive director of Food For Neighbors, said in the release. “This Red Bag event demonstrates what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose. Every bag collected represents care, compassion, and has a real impact on students facing food insecurity.”

Collection sites included volunteers from a volleyball team in Centreville, National Charity League members in Fairfax, Kiwanis and Centennial Technologies staff in Falls Church, and Walmart employees and Whitman Middle School Lovely Accomplished Ladies students in Fort Hunt, according to the release. In Herndon, Food For Neighbors said ST Engineering iDirect sent nearly a dozen team members to help at a sorting site and gave the organization a $5,000 check.

“No student should have to worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Julie Bettinger, chief marketing officer at ST Engineering iDirect, in the release. “Food For Neighbors is tackling that reality head-on with dependable, meaningful support for teens across Northern Virginia. As a company whose mission is to connect people everywhere, we’re committed to investing in the communities closest to us. Our team was energized to take part in supporting this Red Bag event, and we’re proud to support an organization that gives students the nourishment and confidence they need to stay focused and thrive.”

At the Falls Church site, Saishree Shetty of Centennial Technologies said, “At Centennial, we believe strong communities are built when we care for one another. By sharing our time, we hope to spread kindness, fight hunger, and remind everyone that no one stands alone.”

Food For Neighbors said 36 percent of students in Fairfax County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price meals, while many families facing hunger do not qualify for aid. The organization said it continues its work year-round.