Our mission
Nourish neighbors. Engage community partners. Develop solutions to address food insecurity.
Our story
We’ve been nourishing our neighbors for 42 years. In 1981, Feeding Southwest Virginia CEO Pamela Irvine founded the food bank with a deep conviction that no one deserves to be hungry and a heart for our neighbors. Feeding SWVA has grown from its grassroots origins and serves 26 counties and nine cities across the region with distribution centers in Salem and Abingdon and the Community Solutions Center in Roanoke. It is a locally owned and operated member of the national Feeding America network of food banks and the Federation of Virginia food banks.
Feeding SWVA collaborates extensively across Southwest Virginia with its over 400 feeding programs and direct-service programs. Spanning the mountains and valleys of Southwest Virginia, our programs reach neighbors in every corner of our region. We continuously work to create equitable access to nourishing food in Southwest Virginia.
From the beginning, Feeding SWVA has been a respected and trusted community leader. Feeding SWVA practices sound fiscal management and is committed to efficiency, sustained service, accountability, and transparency. Feeding SWVA spends 95% of its expenses on its programs and only 5% on management. Pamela Irvine, CEO, has been recognized in national publications including Delta’s Sky Magazine and Southern Living for her work in Feeding SWVA’s efforts to end hunger. She was honored by Feeding America’s National Council, which awarded her the 2018 John van Hengel Fellowship for “excellence in leadership, local impact, national influence, commitment, and entrepreneurial spirit in hunger relief.”
The future
We are driven by innovation. One of our guiding principles is that as our neighbors evolve, so must we. Our work continues until we see a Southwest Virginia where no one is hungry. We are continually strengthening and developing our food distribution network to empower our neighbors to prosper. With a new strategic plan and hope for the future, our mission continues.
Become a part of our story today.
Thank you from all of us at Feeding Southwest Virginia
