This video was posted to our Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram accounts on 7/10/2020.
Building on the success of our dairy initiative, The Piedmont Environmental Council worked with Fauquier Community Food Bank and Lakota Ranch to pilot a new initiative — purchasing high-quality, locally-raised beef to donate to local food pantries experiencing shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As the dairy initiative grew to 19 food banks in eight counties, we learned that food pantries also have a big need for ground beef, which families can use to make so many different meals,” said PEC Buy Fresh Buy Local Coordinator Matt Coyle. “Meanwhile, Lakota Ranch, which had previously subsidized beef for a Madison County food pantry, heard about the dairy initiative and approached us to see if there might be a similar need for beef. The answer was a resounding ‘yes.’”
Food banks and food pantries’ need for fresh, healthy food is greater than ever. We’re now raising money to expand this program to food pantries and farmers in each of our nine counties.
Once fully implemented, not only will the initiative help meet the needs of food-insecure populations throughout Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties, it will also help cattle farmers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
We need your support to make this happen! To donate, contact Director of Advancement Nora Seilheimer at [email protected] or (434) 977-2033 x7008.