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UVA Community Health team members across Northern Virginia, Culpeper, and Fauquier County came together this spring for a shared mission: helping address food insecurity in the communities we serve. 

UVA Health and ABC7 On Your Side partnered once again, along with FH Furr and the Capital Area Food Bank, for the second annual “Feeding the DMV” Peanut Butter Drive — engaging medical centers, clinics, community leaders, students, and local nonprofits in a coordinated, region-wide effort.

UVA Health Haymarket and Prince William Medical Centers, UVA Community Health Medical Group clinics, and community members and leaders collected 1,847 pounds of peanut butter and jelly culminating during the live event, with an additional 180 pounds donated online, expanding access to nutritious food for families across the region. Food services partner Morrison once again donated a generous amount of peanut butter and jelly! 

Building on last year’s successful effort, this year’s drive expanded to include UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center and UVA Community Health Medical Group clinics in Warrenton, broadening its reach and impact. 

All participating sites collected non-perishable donations for two weeks leading up to the live ABC7 broadcast, generating early momentum and strong community engagement across UVA Community Health and supporting our strategic plan's philanthropy initiative.

Northern Virginia: Feeding the DMV 

The drive culminated on May 8 with a live, ABC7 On Your Side broadcast from the main parking lot at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on Sudley Road in Manassas. Team members arrived before sunrise to prepare for the morning broadcast, which aired multiple live segments between 5 and 7 a.m., highlighting the drive and encouraging community participation. 

Community leaders and UVA Health executives joined the event, including: 

• Manassas City Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger (pictured above left), who spoke live on air about the importance of addressing hunger locally.
• Prince William County Potomac Supervisor Andrea Bailey, who attended and donated during the event, as well as greeted and spoke with Project SEARCH students who also played an active role by donating items and assisting with collection efforts throughout the morning. 
• Michelle Strider, MSN, RN, CPHQ, Chief Nursing Officer, UVA Community Health 
• Mike Barkema, Assistant Vice President of Operations, UVA Health Prince William Medical Center (pictured above, right)
• UVA Health Prince William Medical Center Associate Chief Nursing Officer Eyad Abdel Latif, RN, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, LSSGBC, and Nurse Manger Jessica Harasek, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, spoke with Good Morning Washington’s Veronica Ogbe to discuss this year’s National Nurses Week theme: The Power of Nurses. 

“Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for many families in our region,” says Barkema. “What makes this effort so meaningful is seeing teams across UVA Community Health come together to support our neighbors in a very tangible way.”

Culpeper: Supporting the Culpeper Food Closet 

At UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center, team members collected donations throughout the two-week campaign. All items gathered at the medical center and surrounding clinics were delivered to the Culpeper Food Closet, a local nonprofit that provides food assistance to individuals and families throughout the area. 

The effort reflects a continued commitment to meeting local needs and strengthening partnerships with community organizations addressing hunger close to home. 

Fauquier County: Warrenton Clinics Support Fauquier FISH 

In Fauquier County, team members at UVA Health Medical Park Warrenton and Piedmont Family Medicine Warrenton collected donations for Fauquier FISH (Feed, Inspire, Support, Health) Food Pantry Services, which helps families across the county. 

By directing donations locally, the Warrenton clinics ensure contributions directly benefit neighbors in the communities where patients live and work. 

A Shared Commitment Beyond Clinical Care 

Across UVA Community Health, the success of this year’s drive reflects more than a single day of giving. From Prince William to Culpeper and Fauquier, teams came together over weeks of planning, collecting, and volunteering to support families facing food insecurity. 

This truly is a team effort — teams from Public Safety, Facilities, Guest Services, Morrison, Strategic Marketing and Communications, Community Engagement, UVA Community Health senior leadership, volunteers, and numerous departments all joined together to make a difference in the community. Whether staffing early-morning broadcasts, donating food, helping with logistics, or encouraging community participation, UVA Community Health team members demonstrated that their commitment to health and wellbeing extends far beyond hospital walls and into the everyday lives of the communities they serve.