At DCCU, we strive to give back with a sincere dedication to affecting positive change in the lives of not only our members, but also our community. We participate in a variety of programs, initiatives, and projects all with the same goal—seeing our community changed in a positive way. Today, we’ll be spotlighting our relationship with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, an organization making a difference right here in the Valley.

Food banks perform a very important job in the communities they serve: providing nutritional meals to those in need. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB), headquartered in Verona, Virginia, has been providing our community with nourishing food since 1981. Since then, the BRAFB has grown to serve 25 counties and 8 cities in Virginia, with distribution centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Winchester, and Verona. They distribute more than 118,000 meals per month through local nutrition programs, their own food pantries, community partnerships, and more.

The BRAFB participates in many nutrition programs, such as services that connect students to meals during the summer months, mobile food distributions that deliver healthy food to rural communities, and programs targeting the elderly and disabled.

Community partnerships help to support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s mission, an effort that DCCU is proud to be part of. We help the BRAFB accomplish their mission in a variety of ways, but one of our most well-known is through Shred Days. Held twice each year, Shred Days provide our community with the opportunity to have their sensitive documents shredded, free of charge. Participants are encouraged to bring a monetary or canned food donation to benefit the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, and in 2023 alone, 2,789 individuals attended these events. DCCU collected 9,535 pounds of food and $11,110 in monetary donations, helping the food bank provide more than 52,386 meals to families right here in our community. Our Fall 2024 Shred Days season is quickly approaching as well!

At DCCU, we believe that working together helps to strengthen our community, and we encourage you to get involved! There are a number of ways you can support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, from hosting a food drive, becoming an advocate, and even volunteering your time. To learn more about current opportunities, please click here.