ACTS, SERVE food pantries to benefit from joint grant

We contacted area food pantries this week from Manassas to Fredericksburg and asked if we could help them get out the word about how people can donate food and other needed items in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

ACTS in Dumfries responded, and tells us:

The Hunger Prevention Center (HPC) is in need of the following food items:

–Peanut Butter
–Jelly
–Bread
–Microwaveable Foods
–Water
–Cereal
–Shelf sustainable Milk
–Canned Soup
–Any cleaning supplies

Thank you in advance for your assistance in reaching out to the great people in our communities during this time of crisis.

The information comes as ACTS, and SERVE in Manassas will receive a joint $40,000 grant from the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and construction materials manufacturer Allan Meyers.

Today, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and Allan Myers announced their joint effort to contribute $40,000 to two area food banks in response to the economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 virus.

“In this unprecedented time, with efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus, many Prince William residents and businesses are experiencing significant economic hardships,” said Debbie Jones, President and CEO of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. “As the weeks go by, the strain becomes more difficult and as the need for basic necessities increases, the impacts on families and communities will be significant,” she said.

The Chamber has teamed with Allan Myers, an employer of Prince William residents and contractor in the County for more than twenty years, to raise funds in support of the food programs of Action in Community Through Services (ACTS) and Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) SERVE Campus.

Ross Snare, Director of Chamber Government Relations, commented, “The genesis for our effort to raise these funds was the leadership and action of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors who recently contributed to these non-profits to help Prince William families with an important basic need – food.”

Curtis Hall, a Vice President and General Manager for Allan Myers, stated, “We are very pleased to partner with the Chamber to raise the resources to help meet this critical need. This effort is consistent with Allan Myers’ core commitment to providing a helping hand to our local communities.”

Steven Liga, CEO of ACTS, said, ““This donation could not have come at a better time. With grocery store shelves so limited, we are having to purchase food from distributors in greater amounts than ever before. Just last week we purchased $1,000 worth of corn flakes, since cereal is so hard to come by! This $20,000 will be put to good use right away. Thank you to Allan Myers and our other fellow Chamber business partners for this support.”