It is in the most trying and challenging times that the human spirit shines at its brightest. Now is no exception.
On the 15th of May 2020, the Federal Government launched the Farmer’s to Families Food Box Program, in response to the compelling need to support communities dealing with an unprecedented economic downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This innovative program is designed to put American farmers and distributors impacted by breaks in the supply chain back to work while supporting over-burdened food banks and food insecure families. As of mid-August, over 57 million boxes containing U.S. grown fresh produce, meat and dairy worth 1.78 billion dollars have been delivered to those most in need, with 3 billion dollars in spending authorized overall under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).
When the call to action came to feed our local communities in Virginia, as part of the Food Box Program, De Lune Corp stepped up. As the only company in Virginia selected for the initial roll out of the program, De Lune tapped into its network of private sector, non-profit, and local government leaders to rapidly create a safe and efficient food delivery system.
De Lune Corp thanks the 2000 volunteers who contributed to this project and helped us establish food security for over 500,000 families in need.
Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who partnered with De Lune in launching the distribution effort, opined that: “De Lune has been an invaluable partner in our effort to meet the food challenges of the most food insecure parts of our community. Without their infrastructure, and the array of volunteers that continue to turn out week after week, its certain that the COVID affected residents of our county would be in a much less secure position than they are today.”
At distribution centers, food boxes were loaded directly into the trunks of drive-by cars in order to minimize contact in the face of the pandemic, requiring the mobilization of large numbers of volunteers by our non-profit partners. It is here – in churches, temples, and mosques, in food pantries, government centers and schools – that we were witness to the awakening of the power of the human spirit. With over 3000 volunteers flocking to distribution sites to help, we were witness to the power of compassion, the power of resilience, the power of kindness and the power of selflessness. We were witness to the fact that masks could not deter the smiles being shared with their eyes and hearts.
De Lune Corp is proud to have partnered with all those who volunteered for the Farmer’s to Families Food Box Program – we thank you for being there, we thank you for making this initiative possible, we thank you for spreading hope where it is most needed.
Here is a list of locations we received the opportunity to serve
