Fifteen Vienna volunteers helped collect nearly 30,000 pounds of food for school pantries across Northern Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 12. The group from the Young Men's Service League's Maple Avenue Chapter joined more than 850 volunteers in Food For Neighbors' first Red Bag drive of the 2026-27 school year.

The drive fell during Hunger Action Month. Donations will go to 60 public middle and high schools in Fairfax, Loudoun and Arlington counties and the City of Falls Church, Patch reported.

Lisa Woestman, vice president of philanthropy for the Maple Avenue Chapter, said Food For Neighbors gives members a direct way to act on the league's commitment to fighting food insecurity. Twenty volunteers from the league's Great Falls chapter worked at Herndon Middle School the same day.

Food For Neighbors, founded in Herndon in 2016, is entering its 10th year. The FCPS Dranesville District newsletter noted that more than 12,000 students at 60 local middle and high schools rely on the nonprofit for food support. More than one-third of Fairfax County students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, according to the organization.

The need keeps growing.

"It is truly a team effort to keep a community fed," Courtney Erland, area manager for Food For Neighbors' Herndon location, said. "The need has not only grown, but different schools and organizations have reached out for assistance."

Food For Neighbors founder and Executive Director Karen Joseph said the organization wants more Northern Virginia families to sign up as Red Bag donors this school year. The program runs on five scheduled collection days; participating households receive a reusable bag and grocery list, fill it with food and toiletries, and leave it on their porch for volunteer pickup.

Residents interested in joining or volunteering can visit foodforneighbors.org.