The energy in the room was high as Coast Guards and USDA officials gathered Friday at the Capital Area Food Bank to launch what stands to be the biggest food drive in our history.
“Hunger happens 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—but giving by the community is often highest between Thanksgiving and New Year’s,” said CAFB President and CEO Nancy E. Roman. “So Feds Feed Families helps us get the resources our neighbors need, when they’re needed.”
The Feds Feed Families food drive—which last year engaged federal employees to collect 600,000 pounds of food for the CAFB to provide across DC, Maryland and Virginia (17.9 million nationally)—creates access to food during a time of the year when other food drive donations are historically low.
Dr. Gregory L. Parham, the USDA’s Assistant Secretary for Administration, celebrated the launch with his own remarks, noting that “The federal family is an important component of providing food to more than half a million people in this area.”
In addition to providing food, the event made it clear that Feds also have the power to build community wellness by prioritizing donations of the healthy items that our partners and those in need most often request. From beans to peanut butter, and tuna to granola bars, the full printable list of the CAFB’s Most Wanted Foods is here.
Through Feds Feed Families, the “federal family” will be making a big impact through the food they provide, from helping senior absorb medications better to keeping a child concentrating on learning in school rather than a growling stomach.
So rev your engines, Feds – we can already tell this will be the biggest year yet!
Join the movement.
