Fairfax County Stuff The Bus Kicks Off With Weekly Donation Locations

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Stuff the Bus, a food drive held in Fairfax County since 2011 to restock local food pantries, will be held weekly from Jan. 14 to Feb. 18.

Each weekend, Fastran buses will visit different grocery store locations around Fairfax County to collect nonperishable food donations for food pantries. Residents can bring donations to the back of Fastran buses at the scheduled Stuff the Bus locations.

Stuff the Bus started as a collaboration between county government and local nonprofits to restock food pantries after the holidays. Since Stuff the Bus launched in 2011, the effort has resulted in over 200 tons of food being collected for people facing food insecurity. According to the county, over 75,000 people in Fairfax County live below the federal poverty level. Feeding America estimated Fairfax County had a 5.7 percent food insecurity rate in 2020.

Items most requested by food pantries include:

• Cooking oil
• Corn Flour Maseca
• Bag (dry) beans, peas or lentils (16 oz.)
• Rice - brown or white (5 lbs. or smaller)
• Canned fruit in light syrup or juice (20 oz. or smaller)
• Healthy hot and cold cereal (42 oz. or smaller)
• Healthy snacks (e.g. raisins, granola bars)
• Canned tuna, salmon or chicken (15 oz. or smaller)
• Canned tomatoes - low sodium, no salt added (29 oz. or smaller)
• Soup - lower sodium (19 oz. or smaller)
• Canned pasta (16 oz. or smaller)
• Macaroni and cheese
• Peanut butter (40 oz. or smaller)
• Fruit jam (32 oz. or smaller)
• Instant potatoes (16 oz. or smaller)
• Pancake mix (32 oz. or smaller) and syrup
• Canned vegetables - low sodium, no salt added (29 oz. or smaller)
• Canned beans or peas (29 oz. or smaller)

Here is the upcoming Stuff the Bus schedule:

• Saturday, Jan. 14: Lorton Giant (9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) 8941 Ox Road, Lorton, VA 22079, benefiting Lorton Community Action Center
• Saturday, Jan. 14: Fox Mill Giant (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 2551 John Milton Dr, Herndon, VA 20171, benefiting Helping Hungry Kids
• Saturday, Jan. 21: Falls Church Giant (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 7235 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA 22042, benefiting Falls Church Community Service Council
• Saturday, Jan. 28: Vienna Giant (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 359 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, VA 22180, benefiting the Committee for Helping Others
• Saturday, Jan. 28: Herndon Giant (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 2425 Centreville Road, Herndon, VA 20171, benefiting Cornerstones
• Saturday, Feb. 4: Herndon Safeway (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) 413 Elden Street Herndon, VA 20170, benefiting LINK Against Hunger
• Saturday, Feb. 4: McLean Giant (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) 1454 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, VA 22101, benefiting Share of Mclean
• Saturday, Feb. 4: Mount Vernon Shoppers (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 7660 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, VA 22306, benefiting United Community
• Saturday, Feb. 11: Annandale Giant (9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) 7137 Columbia Pike Annandale, VA 22003, benefiting Annandale Christian Community for Action
• Saturday, Feb. 11: Fairfax Walmart (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 11181 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030, benefiting Britepaths
• Saturday, Feb. 11: Chantilly Walmart (9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 4368 Chantilly Shopping Center Drive Chantilly, VA 20151, benefiting Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
• Saturday, Feb. 18: Cardinal Forest Giant (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 8320 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield, VA 22152, benefiting Ecumenical Community Helping Others
• Saturday, Feb. 18: Kingstowne Walmart (9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 5885 Kingstowne Blvd., Alexandria, VA 22315, benefiting Koinonia

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.