The Virginia Food Industry Association (VFIA) recently announced combined donations from its members including Food Lion, Publix, Kroger and Harris Teeter totaling $10,500 to be donated to Feed More. The donation is in recognition of two food drives conducted during this year’s General Assembly Session by Delegate Kaye Kory (D-Fairfax) and the Senate Page Program. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Feed More Chief Development Officer Tim McDermott, as well as delegates Kory and Buddy Fowler joined with members of the VFIA for the announcement.
“Our members not only care deeply about the communities in which they serve, but they believe in giving back to those very communities,” said Parker Slaybaugh, VFIA executive director. “Seeing the passion that both Delegate Kory and the Senate Pages have put into helping others during the 2020 General Assembly Session, the Virginia Food Industry Association decided we wanted to recognize and reward that hard work.”
During remarks, Northam highlighted the important work done by Feed More and thanked the VFIA for helping nourish families across Virginia. Likewise, Stoney noted that students in local schools cannot be hungry for knowledge if they are just plain hungry. Along with the VFIA’s donation, Kory’s food drive collected more than 500 pounds of food and the Senate Page Program has raised nearly $7,000 for Feed More.
“We’re grateful for this generous donation from the Virginia Food Industry Association,” McDermott said. “With more than 193,000 individuals in Central Virginia struggling with hunger, we are able to carry out our mission due in large part to the support we receive from our retail and wholesale partners. This donation will allow us to distribute thousands of meals to so many across our 34 county and city service area.”
VFIA is a nonprofit trade association that serves as an advocate for the retail and wholesale food industries in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Collectively, VFIA’s members employ more than 55,000 people statewide at more than 530 retail locations.
