18 Virginia food pantries to donate your time, money, & food to this holiday season
If you’re looking to give back this holiday season, here are 18 food pantries in Virginia where you can donate your time, money, and food to help fight hunger.
Food pantries are working overtime in Virginia to ensure no one goes hungry this holiday season. From Northern Virginia to Southwest Virginia, these organizations rely on the generosity of those willing to donate their time, money, and food to keep their shelves stocked and food in the hands of those in need. Whether you have a few hours to help distribute food, a little extra money left over after your holiday shopping, or some spare pantry staples, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute to your local food pantry. Here are 18 pantries across the commonwealth that are eager to receive your assistance.
Northern Virginia food pantries
Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank
Location: 3631 Lee Hill Dr., Fredericksburg, VA 22408
A member of Feeding America, the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank provides food to over 51,000 people in the Central Rappahannock River Region. In 2024 alone, it distributed 8.8 million pounds of food, which is the equivalent of 7.4 million meals.
The food bank’s volunteering page includes a range of options for getting involved, including working at food drives and in the warehouse.
Information on how and where to donate can be found here. Shelf-stable items like canned fruit in natural juice and instant potatoes are listed as the most needed items.
ALIVE!
Location: 2723 King St., Alexandria, VA 22302
ALIVE! serves the greatest number of people in need of food assistance of any organization in Alexandria: up to 20,000 individuals a month. It was founded in 1969. Today, the organization serves the community through food hubs, pantry partnerships, and distribution sites.
Those interested in volunteering have a range of options, including working in food distribution, administration, translation, and transportation. Dip your toes in by volunteering at the warehouse by unloading donations and sorting food on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings. Advanced registration is required.
PathForward
Location: 2020-A 14th St. N., Arlington, VA 22201
By providing more than 48,000 meals each year, PathForward seeks to support the 7.1% of Arlington residents who are food-insecure. A great way to support this mission is to volunteer for the Bagged Meal Program. Volunteers assemble and distribute easy-to-carry meals that consist of two sandwiches, snacks, fruit, and a beverage. Learn more about volunteering here.
Food donations are also accepted—currently, there is a need for healthy snacks and electrolyte drinks.
Coastal Virginia food pantries
Healthy Harvest Food Bank
Location: 55 Commerce Parkway, Warsaw, VA 22572
Healthy Harvest Food Bank serves a six-county area in the Northern Neck and Upper Middle Peninsula, making it the only organization of its kind in the region.
Those who donate to the organization can rest easily knowing that 94% of its operating expenses go directly to feed those in need. If you’d like to donate food, peanut butter, canned chicken, and canned fruit are listed as needed items.
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
Location: 800 Tidewater Dr., Norfolk, VA 23504
In an area where 152,720 people are said to be food-insecure, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is distributing more than 24 million pounds of food per year to those in need. Established in 198, the foodbank relies heavily on its 7,000 volunteers. The foodbank maintains a volunteer opportunity calendar where those interested can find opportunities that align with their interests and availability.
Donations can be made here, with each dollar donated helping provide two nutritious meals.
Central Virginia food pantries
Henrico Community Food Bank
Location: PO Box 6300, Glen Allen, VA 23058
The Henrico Community Food Bank’s mission is to fight food hunger in Henrico County through direct food delivery. In fiscal year 2025, it served 24,751 clients with the help of 2,638 volunteers. You can contribute to the organization’s work by donating food or your time. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers can help out in the administration hub or at a distribution event.
Emergency Food Network
Location: 900 Harris St., Charlottesville, VA 22903
The Emergency Food Network has been providing three days’ worth of food to those in need on the same day of request to those in Charlottesville and Albemarle County since 1973. Its efforts are aided by more than 100 volunteers. To become a volunteer, you can fill out this form and note your preference, including whether you’d like to work in distribution, in the office, or stocking pantry shelves.
Donations can be made to the nonprofit, with 90 cents of every dollar going directly to service programs.
Loaves & Fishes
Location: 2050 Lambs Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22901
Loaves & Fishes bills itself as a healthy food pantry, seeking to provide nourishing food with “respect and dignity to all who seek assistance.” Those who are assisted through the pantry receive roughly 100 pounds of groceries twice a month.
To support the pantry, you can donate your time, money, or food. You can join the ranks of the 125 volunteers who keep the pantry going by inspecting, sorting, packing, and distributing food. Shifts range from 90 minutes to four hours. Learn more about volunteering here.
Waymakers Foundation
Location: 7106 Hull St Rd., Richmond, VA 23235
The Waymaker Foundation is unique in the fact that it provides culturally relevant groceries to Latino families in Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Petersburg, and Richmond through its walk-in program. Pantry staples include rice, beans, corn tortillas, arepa flour, frozen meats, and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Volunteer opportunities are open to both general and specialized volunteers. Donations can also be made here.
Colonial Heights Food Pantry
Location: 530 Southpark Blvd., Colonial Heights, VA 23834
The Colonial Heights Food Pantry operates from the perspective that everyone should have access to healthy food. To make that possible, it relies on 200 hours of volunteer “peoplepower” each week. Volunteers help with food pick-ups, sorting, packing, and distribution. Every year, volunteers donate more than 9,000 hours of their time to the pantry.
To find out what opportunities currently exist, visit this page. One-time or recurring donations can also be made here.
Shenandoah Valley food pantries
Highland Food Pantry
Location: 446 Highland Ave., Winchester, VA 22601
The vision of the Highland Food Pantry is to end hunger in the northern Shenandoah Valley through its food assistance programs. Removing barriers to assistance, anyone in need is welcome at the pantry without documentation or proof of residency. Given its open policy, it comes as no surprise that it served 19,500 individuals in 2022.
The pantry accepts food donations of cereal, canned chicken or tuna, rice, pasta, canned soup, and boxed macaroni and cheese.
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
Location: 96 Laurel Hill Rd., Verona, VA 24482
Part of Feeding America, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank has been striving to end hunger in the Blue Ridge region since 1981. The bank has a total of 171,200 guest visits each month. In a 12-month period from July 2024 to June 2025, it provided 32 million pounds of food.
Those interested in contributing to the food bank can make a monetary donation, donate food, or volunteer. Notably, every $1 donated provides slightly more than three meals. Food donations can be made at the bank’s warehouses daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Southside Virginia food pantries
God’s Storehouse
Location: 750 Memorial Dr., Danville, VA 24541
Volunteers in Danville and Pittsylvania County contributed 20,641 hours in 2024 to help distribute 2,092,662 pounds of food. Volunteers perform tasks like checking in customers, distributing food boxes, and picking up food donations.
Those who’d prefer to donate money can do so through the website, which lets you designate where you’d like the money to go. For example, $50 provides 50 pounds of food, enough to feed a family of four for three to four days.
Community Storehouse
Location: 128 East Church St., Martinsville, VA 24112
The Community Storehouse has served three million meals to 8,000 families in Martinsville and Henry County. Its programs include on-site grocery pickups and home deliveries aimed at helping children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Donations can be made through the storehouse’s website, which allows you to specify what you are donating. For example, for $5, you can buy five boxes of instant potatoes or two cases of family-sized peanut butter for $34.
Volunteer opportunities also include serving as an apparel intake specialist, lobby host, or cleanliness coordinator. The storehouse welcomes those with just a few hours to contribute and those with lots of time on their hands.
Southwest Virginia food pantries
Manna Food Pantry
Location: 402 4th St. SE, Roanoke, VA 24013
Part of the crisis intervention center, The Rescue Mission of Roanoke, the Manna Food Pantry is a weekly grocery box distribution program for families in the Roanoke region. Volunteers can help with food pantry operations from 12:45-3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. To register as a volunteer, go here.
St. Francis Food Pantry
Location: 820 Campbell Ave. SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
In operation since 1973, St. Francis Food Pantry helps those in the Roanoke Valley by providing monthly food pickups. It also delivers food to low-income seniors. Vittles for Vets, a program aimed at feeding veterans in Roanoke and Salem, uses it as its primary food pantry.
Those interested in volunteering for the food pantries operated by Commonwealth Catholic Charities can fill out this form.
Feeding Southwest Virginia
Location: 125 Electric Rd., Salem, VA 24153
With perhaps the biggest footprint of any food pantry on this list, Feeding Southwest Virginia serves a 26-county and nine-city region. Founded in 1981, it’s part of Feeding America. Today, the organization operates a network of over 400 feeding programs that nourish 114,494 people each month.
Join the more than 2,500 volunteers who help make Feeding Southwest Virginia food programs happen. Opportunities are available in Salem and Abingdon.
If you can’t volunteer, know that of every dollar donated, 95% goes directly to support Feeding Southwest Virginia’s food programs.
Lake Christian Ministries
Location: 13157 South Old Moneta Rd., Moneta, VA 24121
The mission of Lake Christian Ministries is to create a poverty-free Smith Mountain Lake. Its food assistance program ensures that members of its client families receive enough monthly supplies for 10 nutritious meals, including staples like meat, eggs, bread, and vegetables. Importantly, during the holiday season, client families receive meal supplies on the Saturday before each holiday, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Non-perishable food can be dropped off at the food warehouse on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Those interested in volunteering should know that opportunities are geared towards an individual’s background and interests.
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