More than 850 volunteers collected and sorted nearly 30,000 pounds of food Saturday, Sept. 12, to stock pantries at 60 public middle and high schools across Northern Virginia.
The drive was the first Red Bag collection of the school year for Food For Neighbors, a Herndon-founded nonprofit now in its 10th year. The organization said its programs provide more than 12,000 students access to food through school pantries in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington counties and the City of Falls Church, Reston Patch reported.
The collection landed during Hunger Action Month and marked a jump from the nonprofit's September 2024 drive, when about 600 volunteers gathered roughly 26,000 pounds for 47 schools, Connection Newspapers reported.
Participating households receive a reusable bag and a grocery list. They fill the bag with food and toiletries and leave it outside their door on scheduled collection days. Volunteers pick up the bags, others sort the donations, and the food goes to schools. Five collection days are scheduled each school year.
Food For Neighbors founder and executive director Karen Joseph said hundreds of individual bag donations added up to the nearly 30,000-pound total. Courtney Erland, area manager for the nonprofit's original Herndon location, said demand keeps growing.
"The need has not only grown, but different schools and organizations have reached out for assistance," Erland said.
Among the volunteers Saturday were mothers and sons from Young Men's Service League chapters. Twenty volunteers from the Great Falls chapter sorted food at Herndon Middle School. Another 15 came from the Maple Avenue chapter. Employees of Lumen Technologies also joined the drive.
More than one-third of Fairfax County students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, according to Food For Neighbors. The nonprofit is looking for more households to sign up as Red Bag donors for the 2026-27 school year. Details are available at foodforneighbors.org.
Closer to home, the South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry holds its 9th annual "Do It Your Way 0.5K" fundraiser Sunday, Sept. 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza. All proceeds support more than 500 students and families in the South Lakes pyramid each week.
Upcoming Reston community events
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Reston Multicultural Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Reston Town Center
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Reston Association Fall Yard Sale, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 27: South Lakes PTSA "Do It Your Way 0.5K," 2 to 4 p.m., Lake Anne Plaza
- Thursday, Oct. 8: Reston Association public hearing on proposed 2027 budget, 6 p.m., RA headquarters
- Saturday, Oct. 10: Rocktoberfest, Reston Town Center
- Saturday, Oct. 17: Reston Home Tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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