On average, AFAC serves 1,600 families (3500 adults and 1500 children) per week.

The Arlington Food Assistance Center provides supplemental food assistance to Arlington County residents. Read more about our clients and client policies. You can find our most current newsletter here.

AFAC Sees Record Demand

The week of Thanksgiving 2011, a record high of 1,802 families were served, 4,687 individuals.
View a video produced by a volunteer about AFAC.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Food Drives

Over 65% of the food AFAC distributes is donated to us. Follow the link above to learn more about organizing a food drive for AFAC.

Hunger in Arlington

MYTH: There is no hunger in Arlington.
FACT: Hunger IS a problem in Arlington.
The high cost of living here means many families simply cannot make ends meet. Learn More >

Plot Against Hunger (PAH)

AFAC's PAH program provides access to nutritious food for clients through donations from local gardeners and farmers and through gleaning. We promote gardening by schools, faith-based organizations, and community organizations. We seek to educate AFAC clients to the ways fresh produce can be incorporated into a healthy diet. Learn More >

AFAC Young Professionals

Arlington Food Assistance Center Young Professionals is a group of 21-40 year olds in Arlington who raise awareness of hunger in our community and support AFAC's mission through volunteering, social, and networking events.

About our Work

Watch a short video to see how families and individuals are given extra food to make groceries last a little longer.

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Annual Volunteer Appreciation
Picnic!

Please join us for our annual Volunteer Picnic on Sunday, June 3rd from 5-7pm.

We'll have music, food, and raffle prizes! Here are the photos from last year's event.

RSVP to volunteer4afac@afac.org

 

Thankful Spring!

Saturday sure was busy! We appreciate all the groups around town who held events which benefited AFAC. Thank you to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and the Old Dominion Civic Association for their Community Yard Sale; Arlington Church of the Brethren, Bethel United Church of Christ, St. Hildegard's Old Catholic Church also had a Community Yard Sale; Lee Heights Shops - Lee Heights Day made AFAC the beneficiary of their day of events; and AFAC's Young Professionals collected almost 300 lbs of food at their Giant - Food Drive. AFAC appreciates all the donations - food and monetary.

Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church's "Change the World Day" on Sunday resulted in painting our inner office a sunny yellow and cleaning our coolers and waiting room!

 

 

 

Two local hotels were here last week: Residence Inn - Courthouse came to bag carrots and rice and Ritz-Carlton - Pentagon City held a food drive for AFAC and came in to bag rice.

 

 

 

 

 

Schools around town have also been very busy helping AFAC:

Oakridge Elementary School Student Government held a food drive for our backpack buddies program and sold snacks at a school dance! They raised $350 for AFAC.

Kenmore Middle School's Student Council Association raised $440 and collected food donations for AFAC during their annual talent show.

Barrett Elementary School YES Club spent a month collecting $746 and promoting AFAC's backpack buddies program.

McKinley Elementary School Girl Scout Troop #2975 held a reusable bag drive for AFAC and collected 310 bags! The scouts also bagged onions and carrots at AFAC last Friday.

 

Thank you to the following groups/organizations who have held food drives for AFAC this past week: Arlington County Democratic Steering Committee, Arlington Republican Women's Club, Arlington Science Focus School, Girl Scout Troop #6252 from Randolph Elementary School, Evans Incorporated, Gunston Middle School, H-B Woodlawn, Kenmore Middle School, Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Rock Spring Church, St. Ann's Catholic Church, St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, Young Professionals, and Zonta Club of Arlington.

Thank you to the following groups and individuals for donations of vegetable seedlings and spring crops: Arlington Central Library, Campbell Elementary School, Clarenmont Elementary School, Columbia Pike Farmers Market, Courthouse Farmers Market, Crystal City Farmers Market, Don Weber, Dorothy Acosta, Episcopal High School, Faith Lutheran Church, Ft. Barnard Community Garden, J. Weaver, Karen Landini, Lisa Crye, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Chuch, OVG Potomac Overlook, Rock Spring Church, Susan England, Susi Lill, Tuckahoe Elementary School, and USDA.

Ways to Help AFAC
There are many ways that you can help AFAC “Serve Hope, One Person at a Time.”  It is our pledge and commitment to you that we will respectfully use your gift for the purpose for which it was given. More information on AFAC’s charitable giving options is available online, or contact the Director of Development, Donald Coates:  donald.coates@afac.org or 703-845-8486.

Food Needs & Donation Drop-Offs

AFAC likes to provide as much choice as possible for our clients. Having a food drive for AFAC? Recently, clients have been requesting the followin items:

condiments (ketchup, mustard), cooking oil, flour, masa, evaporated milk, squeezable jelly, and pancake mix. No glass, please!

Donations (food, seedlings, reusable bags) can be dropped off at AFAC M-F 8am-430pm and Saturday 9-11am.

Garden Talks at Central Library

Rooftop Roots Demonstration Garden at Arlington Central Library & Talk.

Please visit the patio array of sub-irrigated planters at Arlington Central Library (tennis court side) installed recently by Rooftop Roots. This project illustrates one method for planting a garden on an urban rooftop. All harvest from this garden will come to AFAC.

Thank you to Thomas Schneider, Rooftop Roots volunteers and the donors who supported this project through monetary and in-kind donations of soil and plants. Thomas and other local rooftop garden experts will talk about "Rooftop gardening at Arlington Central Library this coming Wednesday, May 30th at 7pm."
Hope to see you there!