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On full display: the commitment of UVA Health community medical centers in Northern Virginia and Culpeper to our strategic plan goal of cultivating healthy communities, through sponsorship of the “ABC7 On Your Side: Feeding the DMV” campaign supporting the Capital Area Food Bank. 

Because of its shelf stability, peanut butter is one of the most requested foods at food banks and an excellent source of protein. A peanut butter drive took place May 16 in the parking lot of UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, Virginia. Capital Area Food Bank reports that about 1,400 pounds of peanut butter, jelly, and other non-perishable food items were collected, including more than 135 jars of peanut butter from team members at UVA Health Prince William, Culpeper, and Haymarket Medical Centers. 

“We recently completed our community health needs assessment which showed that food insecurity is a major issue facing families here in Manassas,” Mike Barkema, Assistant Vice President of Operations, Prince William Medical Center, told ABC7 Reporter Joy Wang. “The timing of this could not be better as this peanut butter drive is capping off UVA Health Week which is a chance for us to pause, celebrate, and recognize our team members for their commitment to the community and providing patient-centered, high quality care.”

As part of the sponsorship, Wang and the ABC7 news team got on-air bright and early from 5 to 7 a.m. — live from the event. Recorded segments also aired throughout the day and early evening. 

“So many of our community partners share with us that there is a serious need for food,” says Community Engagement Manager Rozlyn Giddens. “There are serious concerns for families paying their rent and having enough money for food. We want to be there for them and be a good neighbor and a good friend.”

Food insecurity — the condition assessed in the food security survey and represented in U.S. Department of Agriculture food security reports — is a household-level, economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Capital Food Bank finds that hunger is a significant issue in the DMV area — with nearly one-third of residents exhibiting food insecurity. 

Monetary donations can still be made to the campaign.