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Fighting hunger one family at a time.

Providing dignified access to free groceries, allowing families to devote their limited financial resources to obligations such as housing, utilities, medication, and other basic needs.

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Feed a Neighbor

AFAC is 94% privately funded - every dollar you donate makes it possible for us to buy groceries for the many families who come to our doors weekly.

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Impact a Family

AFAC relies on dedicated volunteers to complete almost 45,000 hours of work each year. Come be a part of our mission.

Volunteer
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Support our Community

40% of the food we distribute is donated by people like you through local food drives, providing families in need with variety and choice.

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Fighting hunger
one family at a time.

Providing dignified access to free groceries, allowing families to devote their limited financial resources to obligations such as housing, utilities, medication, and other basic needs.

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140,635

visitors to AFAC received groceries in FY 2023.

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21

food distribution sites served groceries to families in need.

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24,193

grocery deliveries were made to homebound Arlington residents.

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Your neighbor deserves to know where their next meal is coming from.

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Your neighbor deserves to know where their next meal is coming from.

Body Text about how AFAC meets the need. Quisque malesuada massa ac purus laoreet ultrices. Maecenas et varius nulla. Aenean nulla leo, consectetur vel mauris ut, tincidunt hendrerit purus. Mauris vehicula, lectus in pharetra rhoncus, nulla massa tempus tellus, eget lacinia ex erat eget dui vehicula, lectus in pharetra.

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Your neighbor deserves to know where their next meal is coming from.

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The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary with a Tribute to its Roots

May 1, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18, with a tribute to the six churches that established the food bank’s presence in Arlington County. After AFAC opened its doors to the public in 1988, these congregations laid the groundwork for what would become a lifeline for thousands of Arlington residents facing food insecurity.


AFAC’s food distribution journey began by rotating through the community spaces of St. George’s Episcopal Church, Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ, Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cherrydale Baptist Church, Little Falls Presbyterian Church, and Clarendon United Methodist Church. Over the course of 35 years, AFAC evolved into the 15,000 square foot space on South Nelson St. that they now call home. Its mission, however, remains steadfast – to provide dignified access to free supplemental groceries to all Arlington neighbors in need.

“These six congregations started with nothing but a dream – that dream is now AFAC,” says Chief Executive Officer Charlie Meng. “It is time we recognized these congregations formally for their contributions in establishing AFAC and in helping to sustain us ever since.”

AFAC’s Spring Celebration not only honored its history, but also served as a reminder to the community of the rising number of families they are seeing in need of food assistance. The food bank projects a 30% increase in the number of families served since its prior fiscal year – a number that is expected to surpass 180,000 family visits by June 30, 2024.

“As we celebrate 35 years of service to the Arlington Community, we are reminded of the continued support of our donors, community partners, and volunteers,” emphasizes Meng. “Their commitment to AFAC’s mission allows us to carry on providing essential groceries to the increasing number of Arlington residents coming to our doors in need of food assistance.”
For more information about the Arlington Food Assistance Center and how to support its mission, please visit afac.org.


ABOUT AFAC: The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) is an independent, community-based non-profit food pantry that provides dignified access to nutritious supplemental groceries to its neighbors in need. Over 3,700 families are coming to AFAC each week at 20 distribution sites throughout Arlington County, Alexandria, and Falls Church to access fresh and healthy supplemental groceries, freeing up tightly stretched funds for child and health care, rent, and other financial demands.  For more information, visit afac.org and follow @afacfeeds on social media.

Contact:  Alana Rafiee | Marketing & Communications Associate

703-845-8486 

communications@afac.org 

afac.org

2708 S. Nelson St, Arlington, VA 22206

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AFAC hosts group volunteers to help bag and sort food in our warehouse! Bagging events are held on weekdays at 2:00-3:30 pm and on Saturdays at 1:00-2:30 pm for groups of 5-15 people. If you are interested, please fill out this form. For any additional questions, contact Chabeli Wells at volunteer@afac.org or 571-384-1447.

We also offer group volunteering at farms to glean fresh produce! Gleanings are held around June to October each year at local farms and orchards. For more information, please visit our gleaning page or email Chabeli Wells at volunteer@afac.org.

If your organization or company would like to make a bigger impact, please consider participating in our Sponsor Purchased Food (SPF) program! This is a great option for groups with 20 people or more and offers more flexibility in time and venue. For more information, please contact Jolie Smith at jolie.smith@afac.org or visit our SPF page.

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Charles Frederick Meng

Chief Executive Officer

Currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), Mr. Meng joined the staff in August, 2008 as the Director of Operations. He has had a long career in non-profit administration serving as Vice President for Administration at Georgetown University and as Associate Managing Director of Administration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Meng has also served as Executive Director of Human Resources at American University and as Associate Director for Personnel Operations (Williams Administration) for the District of Columbia Government. Mr. Meng holds a law degree from Georgetown University and has a Certificate in Educational Management from Harvard University.

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Client Services Department

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Charles Frederick Meng

Chief Executive Officer

Read Bio
Person giving someone a box of donated food items

Charles Frederick Meng

Chief Executive Officer

Read Bio
Person giving someone a box of donated food items

Charles Frederick Meng

Chief Executive Officer

Read Bio

Board of Directors

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Federick Ming

Chief Executive Officer

exterior view of AFAC with an AFAC van in view

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniv...

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...

Read More
exterior view of AFAC with an AFAC van in view

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniv...

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...

Read More
exterior view of AFAC with an AFAC van in view

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniv...

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...

Read More

Events Throughout the Year

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

The Arlington Food Assistance Center Celebrates 35th Anniversary

May 23, 2024

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) commemorated its 35th Anniversary during their annual “Shining a Light on Hunger” Spring Celebration on Thursday, April 18...
Read More

Donation Dropoff Box Locations:

  • AFAC Warehouse (2708 S. Nelson St)

    Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm,
    Saturday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.
  • Arlington Church of the Brethren (300 N Montague St).
  • Aurora Hills Library (735 South 18th Street).
  • Central Library (1015 N Quincy St).
  • Columbia Pike Library (816 S. Walter Reed Drive).
  • Fairlington Villages Management Office
    (3001 S. Abingdon St.)

    Monday-Friday 8:30 am – noon,
    1:00 – 5:30 pm.
  • Kinder Haus Toys (1220 N Fillmore St).
  • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4000 Lorcom Ln).
  • Long Bridge Aquatic Center (333 Long Bridge Drive)
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  • AFAC Warehouse (2708 S. Nelson St)

    Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm,
    Saturday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.
  • Arlington Church of the Brethren (300 N Montague St).
  • Aurora Hills Library (735 South 18th Street).
  • Central Library (1015 N Quincy St).
  • Columbia Pike Library (816 S. Walter Reed Drive).
  • Fairlington Villages Management Office
    (3001 S. Abingdon St.)

    Monday-Friday 8:30 am – noon,
    1:00 – 5:30 pm.
  • Kinder Haus Toys (1220 N Fillmore St).
  • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4000 Lorcom Ln).
  • Long Bridge Aquatic Center (333 Long Bridge Drive)
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Location:

2708 S. Nelson Street, Arlington, VA 22206

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CANstruction Northern Virginia

with AIA Northern Virginia

This innovative design contest tasks AIA Northern Virginia architectural teams with building creative, larger-than-life structures out of canned food - all of which is then donated to help those in need right here at AFAC. 

If you have an architectural or design firm that would be interested in participating, please contact Chief Development Officer Jolie Smith at jolie.smith@afac.org for more information.

View 2023 Photos

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