The Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue, Franklin D. Edmondson, MCR and Team are requesting your assistance in collecting foods and funds in a statewide competition with Commissioner's offices across the Commonwealth. This food and fund drive has become an annual event for us to take part in. The competition is great but knowing that we are raising food and funds to help fight the food insecurity in Hampton Roads is the most important thing for us. If you are able, we would appreciate your help with our endeavor.

During the winter holiday season, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shores experiences a heartwarming surge of volunteers and donations. But by February, donations begin to drop. And by summer, community support dwindles to a mere trickle as businesses and families relax into vacation season. While many families unwind, many others tighten up their budgets as food costs hit their annual peak. Did you know that food insecure children receive 50 percent of their daily nutrition from subsidized school meals? Just as the bell rings on the last day of spring semester, that 50 percent plummets to zero. By the end of June, parents are struggling with the increased financial burden of providing more with less. This phenomena, known as Summer Hunger, impacts thousands of food insecure families in the area we serve. Over summer, access to Foodbank resources becomes critical for survival at a time when food and fund donations are most scarce.