In this urgent time of need, GoochlandCares, UP RVA, and Henrico County Family and Community Engagement are partnering in a safe and supervised drive-by food drive. The event will collect canned foods and other non-perishable items Wednesday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot located at the Tuckahoe Village Shopping Center in front of Holland Family Chiropractic in the 11226 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23238.
Items needed: paper or plastic bags, canned meats (chicken, tuna, pork, and beef), soups and stews, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, canned milk, and beans. Flip-top cans are helpful, especially for younger clients.
One in eight Central Virginians is food insecure, meaning that more than 193,000 of our neighbors are not receiving the necessary nutrition. Of that number, more than 47,000 children, or one in seven in Central Virginia do not know when or where they will receive their next meal. This was before the Covid-19 public health crisis.
In order to ensure the health and safety of event volunteers and those providing donations, compassionate and safe social distancing will be practiced. Tables will be in the parking lot, so community members can drive through and drop off items, gloves and masks will be utilized, and the donations will be distributed to the organizations where quarantining will take effect as per their donation protocol.
Event organizer Nicole Holland says every effort has been made to ensure social distancing guidelines are followed. “We have tents ready, and one volunteer will be working at each drop-off station in the parking lot,” Holland says, adding that she expects vehicles to flow through the parking lot in an organized fashion after dropping off donations and that there will be no close contact as volunteers unload donations.
The new issue of Richmond Family Magazine will be distributed to each vehicle.
Community members can support these organizations individually by volunteering or making a direct monetary donation at the links provided below:
GoochlandCares: GoochlandCares Terry Ebright
UP RVA: UP RVA Toby Desch
Henrico Co. Family & Community Engagement: Henrico County Schools. Van-Neisha V. Johnson
If you would like more information on how to support this event, please contact Nicole Holland 804-306-2728 or Nancy Lucy 804-306-3638.
