Capital Area Food Bank sees growing demand as FOX 5 volunteers help pack meals for local seniors

WASHINGTON - As FOX Corporation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, FOX 5 DC joined the Capital Area Food Bank on Wednesday to honor the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors through a day of volunteer service and community outreach.

What we know:

The effort comes as the Capital Area Food Bank reports a growing need for food assistance across the Washington region. According to the organization, one in three people in the D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia area experiences some level of food insecurity.

Officials say the need has continued to rise in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic and has been compounded by economic uncertainty, workforce reductions and disruptions affecting the region.

"Folks who were experiencing food insecurity five years ago are probably now experiencing even more food insecurity," said Abby Fenton, the Capital Area Food Bank’s Chief Advancement Officer. "I don’t think we ever rebounded from COVID, and now we’re in the situation where we’ve had reductions in the workforce, we’ve had government shutdowns, so the region is really being impacted quite intensely."

On Wednesday, FOX 5 employees joined food bank staff and volunteers to pack 400 boxes of food destined for low-income seniors across the D.C. region.

Those boxes represent just a small fraction of the organization’s daily operation.

The Capital Area Food Bank distributed 65 million meals last fiscal year and expects to surpass that total this year as demand continues to grow. The organization works with more than 400 community partners, including local food pantries, schools and nonprofit organizations, to identify communities with the greatest need and deliver food directly to families, children and seniors.

Meeting that level of demand depends heavily on volunteers.

"The food bank does not run without our volunteers," said Melanie Minzes, Deputy Chief Development Officer. "We have 13,000 that come every year."

Beyond simply providing food, the organization says it is focused on making nutritious options available to the people it serves.

"I think it’s really important that people understand that 40% of what we give away to communities is fresh produce," Fenton said. "We have very high nutritional standards, so if folks are donating to us, think about what you want on your table. You want greens, you want whole grains, you want protein."

While food donations and financial contributions are welcomed year-round, officials say the summer months can be one of the slowest periods for donations—even as the need remains high.

For those looking to help, the Capital Area Food Bank says there are several ways to get involved, including volunteering, donating food or making a financial contribution to support its hunger relief efforts.

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