Old Mill Townhomes

Living in a townhouse in Lynchburg, VA, you know that government statistics show that about 17% of residents don’t have ready access to the food needed to maintain health and wellness – pantries are reporting rising numbers of clients seeking help.

Many families in the Lynchburg area are choosing to pay the bills or buy groceries. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those affected are school-age children.

Food pantry workers and volunteers say the growing need has far outpaced donations.

Numerous area agencies, organizations and businesses have stepped up efforts to collect food and resources that can be distributed to the area families that are most in need.

Food for Families Ministry
Park View Community Mission’s Food for Families Ministry is in need of food and volunteers. The mission is located in the basement of Park View United Methodist Church at the corner of Memorial Avenue and Wadsworth Street in Lynchburg. The Mission serves low-income, no-income and homeless families living in Lynchburg and surrounding counties.

S.O.S Kids Pack
Sustaining Our Students is a backpack program created to help feed hungry children attending Paul Munro Elementary School. S.O.S provides children with food that they can take home and with snacks to eat during the school day.

Christmas Spirit Trees
The Wingate by Wyndham and Days Inn at River Ridge Mall are holding the fourth-annual Holiday Food Drive through Dec. 19. All food collected this year will be distributed to the Miller Home for Girls, Liberty Godparent Home, Salvation Army and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Lynchburg Branch. Organizers hope to collect 5,000 food items.

Community Christmas Outreach
The Lynchburg First Church of The Nazarene is holding its annual Community Christmas Outreach event on Dec. 18. This year, First Church of The Nazarene is preparing to distribute hundreds of food boxes that Sunday that will include food and a ham for Christmas dinner. They are provided to the community free of charge.

Presbyterian Homes & Family Services and the Family Alliance
Help stock the shelves of the Presbyterian Homes & Family Services and the Family Alliance Food Pantry, where supplies are running very low. The Food Pantry, located in midtown Lynchburg, is open to all clients in their programs and helps families continue to make car payments, pay rent and maintain financial stability while providing nutritious meals for their families.

Children’s gifts and food boxes
The Campbell County Department of Social Services is accepting holiday donations of wrapped gifts, cash, gift cards and food boxes to distribute to local families. The agency will screen each client to ensure that gifts are distributed to the most needy. 

Original article The News & Advance