NORFOLK, Va. — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore held an emergency food drive Tuesday morning along Church Street after the neighborhood's food supply was drastically cut off.
In September, a Family Dollar near the Calvert Square neighborhood caught fire and shut down. As the area's main source of groceries, hundreds of nearby residents who were already living in a food desert, are having an even harder time putting food on the table.
"This was already a food desert, any time a family dollar is your main source of food for a community it probably already is a food desert," said Christopher Tan, the CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. "But having the Family Dollar here was instrumental in keeping the community well fed, or at least fed. So not having it has really created an extreme desert."
The foodbank served about 500 families Tuesday morning, handing out 35 pounds of groceries to each participant.
Deborah Cuffee was one of them.
"We just need help," she said. "I miss Family Dollar, they need to bring the Family Dollar back."
The Foodbank says they've seen demand skyrocket since the pandemic began and issues like inflation are only making the problem worse.
"Inflation is certainly a big part of why more people are in our line than ever before," explained Tan.
Tan says the foodbank has seen its costs go up about 20%. At the same time, more people than ever before are requesting their help. Including community members who may not have faced food insecurity before, like Deborah.
"It's important because everybody doesn't get assistance," she said. "I do not get assistance."
According to data fromFeeding America, Norfolk has the highest rate of food insecurity compared to any other nearby city. 13.2% percent of Norfolk residents experience food insecurity at some point during the year, and one in six Norfolk children face hunger.
"Where poverty rates are higher, we know food insecurity is higher," said Tan. "Where we see certain health disparities, we know food insecurity is higher. Food is the first medicine, so when we look at heart disease, and diabetes, they coincide with areas where there are food insecurity issues."
When asked about this food insecurity issues, the City of Norfolk responded with the following:
The City continues to work with the private owner to identify potential grocery operators to help fill the void of healthy food options in the community. We’re grateful for our community partners like The Garden of Hope and Gethsemane Community Fellowship Baptist Church who are offering van rides to another grocery store. People First continues to provide assistance to Tidewater Gardens residents in need, including food delivery.
This void described by the city is someone people like Deborah have been feeling for three months, but is especially hitting hard during the holiday season.
"I need [the help] during the holiday. I need it all year long, but I especially need it during the holidays, makes me feel more special."
There is still an open investigation looking into the cause of the fire that forced the Family Dollar location to close, according to a spokesperson for Norfolk Fire-Rescue. The spokesperson told News 3, "The fire appears to be an intentionally set fire on a display shelf near the front of the store."
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is hosting its next major food distribution event on Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are also hosting a smaller food distribution on the Eastern Shore at Northampton High School on Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
