Loudoun Supervisors Set Aside $150K For Emergency Food Relief

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved $150,000 in emergency food assistance to help local food banks that are serving Loudoun residents during the coronavirus crisis.

Local food banks are reporting a significant increase in the number of people who are seeking emergency food assistance. In some cases, the numbers are double or triple the people who were asking for help prior to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Loudoun Hunger Relief, a nonprofit group, is reporting spending $15,000 more per week above its normal weekly budget since the start of the crisis. The Dulles South Food Pantry is serving 114 households a week, up from 86 households before the crisis. The Tree of Life Center is helping an average of 42 families per week, an increase from an average of eight families per week prior to the crisis.

To be eligible for emergency funding, organizations must be located in Loudoun County and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a religious institution; provide food assistance on at least a biweekly basis to Loudoun residents; and follow established federal food safety protocols.

Applicants also will be asked to supply documentation of the costs per client in addition to information about their typical service level prior to the coronavirus crisis and their current level of service.

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The Loudoun County Department of Finance and Budget will create a process for qualifying food assistance sites to request funding and ensure there is equitable distribution of funding among the organizations.

To apply, food assistance programs should complete and submit the online application.

Members of the public who are seeking assistance for basic needs, such as food, housing and other needs, can find resources posted on the county’s website. Residents who would like to help the community in various ways should visit the county’s website to view options for how you can help.

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