The Hunger Challenge
Food insecurity affects 1 in 3, or 32%, of residents in the Greater Washington region. In Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, thousands of individuals and families struggle to put food on the table every day. This is where Cornerstones steps in.
Serving up Solutions: Eliminate Food Waste and Expedite Distribution
Cornerstones’ FREE from Hunger Center works to ensure that food doesn’t go to waste while assisting local neighborhood food pantries and feeding programs in their efforts to expedite the distribution of food to those in need. We understand that food waste is a tragedy when so many individuals are going hungry. Our Center serves as a bridge between food donors and food service programs to efficiently connect surplus pantry stables and fresh produce with families who need it the most.
And it’s not just a problem of access: there’s a lot of food to be rescued/donated, but nowhere to store it before it expires. Some organizations lack refrigerated space to keep fresh produce, dairy, or meat — all crucial to a nutritious diet.
The FREE From Hunger Center supports and coordinates food rescue efforts in Fairfax and Loudoun County. Our mission is two-fold:
- Minimize food waste
- Ensure the rescued food gets to families who need it
Reducing food waste helps address the problem of food insecurity. But it takes a village to make it happen. At Cornerstones, we are developing a Fairfax and Loudoun Counties network to rescue excess food, store it safely, and make sure neighborhood pantry and feeding programs can expedite it to families who need it.
What is Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity happens when people have insufficient or zero access to nutritious food. It can affect anyone, even working families.*
Loudoun Hunger Relief estimates that more than 14,000 of Loudoun’s residents need food assistance each year.
Capital Area Food Bank estimates that there are 74,000 food-insecure residents in Fairfax County.
Check out how Cornerstones partnered with Feed the Children and StarKist for a memorable food drive:
Tackling Food Insecurity in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties
We regularly work with the Capital Area Food Bank and are partnering with nonprofits in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to connect families
in need with nutritious food.
We’re partnering with local pantries and nonprofit organizations to support their food storage needs and connect them with generous donors. We couldn’t make a difference without their dedication and drive — or your support.
*Source: USDA ERS
What is Food Rescue?
Food rescue entails redistributing food from farms, groceries, and eateries to families in need. It’s crucial to food assistance organizations; they can’t rely solely on individual donations.
More than 3 million tons of food is wasted by grocery stores every year, ending up in a landfill even before its expiration date. Of all food waste, 34% is produce — much of which is discarded for being unsightly.**
A lot of produce is also wasted before it ever reaches the store: if farmers can’t sell it to distributors, it often goes into the landfill.
Unfortunately for local farms and restaurants, there isn’t always an option to donate excess produce or ingredients. Pantries and feeding programs often can’t accept perishable food, or they simply don’t have room for commercial-size donations.
**Source: Food Waste Monitor
Take a look at the FREE from Hunger
Center’s storage capacity:
Working in Partnership to Close Food Gaps in the Region
Cornerstones is dedicated to bridging the food distribution gap in Northern Virginia by providing farmers and restaurateurs with an avenue to share their surplus food. Additionally, we’ve joined forces with nonprofit organizations, faith groups, schools, and local community-based pantries and feeding programs, offering them access to our state-of-the-art storage facilities for perishable and refrigerated items. Together, we’re nourishing our community and reducing food waste.
Our Food Rescue Mission for Northern Virginia
Cornerstones is living up to its mission by providing a stronger foundation to combat food insecurity. One of our strategic priorities is reducing food waste and amplifying food rescue.
Our flagship project is the FREE from Hunger Center, a 10,000 sq. ft. storage and distribution solution that offers:
- Climate-controlled and refrigerated storage
- Overflow space for food pantries
- Coordinated efforts to rescue and redistribute food to those in need
These vital resources help Northern Virginia’s food assistance organizations fulfill their mission — just another way Cornerstones offers stability, empowerment, and hope along the Dulles Corridor region.
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