AFAC Serves Record Number Of Families Leading Up To Thanksgiving

ARLINGTON, VA — The Arlington Food Assistance Center served a record 3,807 families in need of food assistance during its Thanksgiving “Chicken Week.”

During the week of Nov. 13-18, AFAC gave out 3,579 whole chicken roasters in addition to its weekly grocery distribution to ease the burden of added financial costs on neighbors in need leading up to the holiday season.

“The record-breaking week and the steady increase in families seeking assistance emphasizes the critical need for ongoing local support,” AFAC CEO Charles Meng said in a statement. “We are grateful for the generosity of our donors, volunteers, and partners who enable us to make a direct impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity in our community.”

In 2022, AFAC served 2,900 families during its distribution the week preceding Thanksgiving. The consistent rise of 50 to 100 new families coming to its doors every month underscores the persistent need for food assistance in Arlington County and the surrounding areas, AFAC said.

In the past, AFAC provided whole turkeys the week leading up to Thanksgiving. However, this year they made the switch to giving out whole chicken roasters.

AFAC said this decision allowed the food bank to now allocate a significant amount of the extra funds that would have gone to purchasing turkeys on other essential food items.