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Northern Virginia Food Rescue tells Manassas council it redirects millions of pounds of food to local charities; seeks volunteers and donors
Summary
Dr. Megan Franco, executive director, described a volunteer‑driven operation that rescues food from retailers and redistributes it across Prince William County, serving thousands weekly and operating school backpack and weekend programs; the group will hold a fall fundraiser Oct. 25.
Northern Virginia Food Rescue briefed the Manassas City Council Sept. 22 on its food‑rescue operations, which the organization says recover food from grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets and direct it to local pantries, schools and senior centers across Prince William County, including the City of Manassas.
Dr. Megan Franco, executive director, told the council the organization rescues food from retail and wholesale sources and redistributes it through a network of volunteers and partner agencies. "We are rescuing food from grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, restaurant distribution centers, and we're taking it and redistributing it throughout Prince William County," Franco said.
Franco provided several figures during her presentation: she said the organization rescues nearly 3,000,000 pounds of food annually in current operations, has completed nearly 50,000 rescued donations since inception, and also cited a larger cumulative figure in the meeting remarks (about 36,000,000 pounds rescued to date, equating to roughly 30,000,000 meals). She said the warehouse serves roughly 7,000 people weekly and that the group's weekend backpack program provides food for about 15,000 to 20,000 students annually; partners named in the presentation included local schools and pantries from Baldwin Elementary to Weems.
Franco described the organization's volunteer model and a licensed smartphone app volunteers use to claim and move rescues; she also noted that donors receive protection under the federal Good Samaritan Act when giving food in good faith. She invited council members and residents to visit the Manassas warehouse and to volunteer.
Julia Biggins, board chair, said the nonprofit maintains an eight‑member board focused on local representation and noted the organization's primary fundraiser, "Hunger is Scary," scheduled Oct. 25 at the Manassas Mall pickleball courts; she said net funding and volunteer capacity have become more challenged as federal support has declined while local need has increased.
Councilmembers thanked the presenters and encouraged residents to volunteer or attend the fall fundraiser. Franco left pamphlets and contact information for residents who want to learn more or visit the warehouse.
