VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — I first visited the Armed Services YMCA in January of 2023. Then, the organization's fledgling effort to feed hungry military families, Patriot's Pantry, was small but impactful. One year later, I paid the pantry another visit to see how the program has grown.
"Thanks to you, more people know about our Patriot's Pantry," said Laura Baxter, Executive Director of the Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads. "We have expanded tremendously since the last time you were here," she beamed.
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Virginia Beach pantry gives struggling service members access to meals & more
During my visit, I learned part of the food pantry's expansion is thanks to corporate donors. I watched as volunteers with the Indigo Autism Center sorted a donation of frozen breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks stores. There was also a delivery from Target being unloaded as I arrived.
"Now, we're able to offer our military families meats and frozen items and refrigerated items as well," she added.
I also learned about another part of the expansion happening outside of these walls. A mobile food pantry now makes regular visits to places like Fort Eustis in Newport News and Langley AFB in Hampton. The service is especially helpful for families without reliable transportation.
"In order for us to assist them, they can't drive here to the pantry, so we come to them," Baxter explained.
No matter where the help comes from, military families like Kaitlyn Serpa's are happy to have it.
"It's super easy for us to just come over here and get what we need and go home," Serpa said.
I met Serpa, an Army wife, when she visited the Patriot's Pantry with her young son. She tells me this place is a godsend.
"We're scrounging and there's nothing to eat in the house, but we have children, and we have ourselves to feed," Serpa explained. "So, this has really been helpful for us," she added.
Serpa's family is not alone. I spent time digging into a 2023 analysis from RAND, a think tank.
It found 15.4% of all active-duty military personnel have very low food security. Of that number, only one in every seven got assistance. Food insecurity was higher for families who lived on a military installation or in off-base military housing.
Back at the Armed Services YMCA, Laura Baxter's team is focused on finding solutions.
"(We) make sure that the families are taken care of when the service members putting their lives on the line for us," Baxter added.
To learn more about how you can participate in the Patriot's Pantry as a donor, volunteer or recipient, click this link.
WTKR photojournalists Stefan Grimsley and Lydia Johnson contributed to this report.
