Our Mission
The Verona Community Food Pantry (VCFP) is 150+ volunteers drawn together by their commitment to provide food to those in need in Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro, Virginia. We are an independent all-volunteer, 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation.
Our mission at Verona Community Food Pantry (VCFP) is to help provide food to people who need it.
Who We Serve
Statistics for the year-end 2023 show that we served an average of 2,196 clients per month. The individuals 60 years and above totaled 429, those 18 and under were 721, and ages of 19-59 were 1,046. We distributed a total of 1,226,450 pounds of food for the entire year.
Those individuals receiving food from the Verona Community Food Pantry indicated they appreciated the wonderful, friendly, and helpful volunteers. The ability to have a large selection of various products and choosing what fulfilled their needs vs. a pre-packed box was a very positive approach.
Volunteer hours during the 2023 year totaled 16,832 hours. The average number of volunteers serving during the year on a monthly basis was 117 per month.
In the last quarter of 2023, we served 2,824. For the last quarter of 2022, we served 1,821. This represented and increase of 55% over 2022.
Donations
A general donation for purchasing food and general/administrative expenses is always a welcome gift. Please make checks payable to VCFP and send to Verona Community Food Pantry, P. O. Box 187, Verona, VA 24482.
Food Banks vs Food Pantries
Many people are confused about the difference between Food Banks and Food Pantries, particularly since the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is also in Verona, VA and easier to find!
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is a wonderful organization, whose primary mission is to provide food to Food Pantries such as ours across 25 counties and 8 cities! In total, the food they give away feeds over 100,000 people a month. But they do not, as a rule, give food to individuals and families. They donate/distribute to Food Pantries such as ours and WE distribute the food to those who need it regularly. If someone is hungry, they connect that someone to a Food Pantry.
Donations to the Verona Community benefit people directly in the Staunton/Waynesboro/Augusta County area. While some of our food does, indeed, come from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, quite a bit comes from donations from other sources, including local grocery stores, businesses, and individuals.