Food banks to seek Va. help

Virginia's food banks are trying to feed more people in a tight economy by getting help from the state government.

The Federation of Virginia Food Banks will ask the General Assembly to fund a $1 million emergency food-purchase program to be shared by the state's seven food banks.

The food banks are requesting $1 million "because we didn't think we could get $10 million," said Roy Peters, a member of the federation board. He's also vice president of finance and administration for FeedMore, which operates the Central Virginia Foodbank and Meals on Wheels with a combined budget of $6.5 million to $7 million.

During the fiscal year that ended June 30, the Central Virginia Foodbank distributed $18 million worth of food, Peters said. He estimated the total value of food distributed throughout the state at $70 million or more.

Most of that food is donated, but an increasing amount has to be purchased. In October, the Central Virginia Foodbank spent $68,000 buying food, compared with $27,000 the previous October, Peters said.

From July through September, $276,000 went to purchase food, compared with $203,000 during the same time last year. Even with that increase, the food bank purchased only 12 percent of the food it distributed.

"It's a constant fight to raise money," Peters said. "We're asking people, depending on the generosity of the community, going to any sources we can get it from. We are very fortunate. The people of central Virginia . . . have stepped up to the plate and helped us a lot."

Statewide, food banks are seeing a 20 percent to 30 percent increase in people going to partner agencies for food, said Leslie Van Horn, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. She expects demand to increase even more next year.

At the same time, donors are cutting back because of their own economic pressures.

As a result, food banks have empty shelves at times. When people are focusing on getting kids ready for school in the fall, for instance, they tend to forget about the need to donate food, Peters said.

"That's really what that million would be used for, to help fill in especially at the end of summer and fall when all the food banks are really suffering," he said. A $1 million appropriation from the state could buy more than 671,000 pounds of food.

At least 26 other states, including North Carolina, give money to food banks, Van Horn said.

McGuireWoods Consulting will help the federation make its case to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and the General Assembly, which will be dealing with its own budget problems.

"We understand there's a cut in the budget this year," Van Horn said. "The bare necessities are what we're trying to take care of, which is putting food on the table. I would love to ask for more. This would take a little bit of the pressure off if we could get this funding." Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or .