Christ Church Food Pantry and Farmers’ Market Vendors Spreading Nature’s Bounty to the Wider Community
Alexandria, VA – Late on a recent Saturday morning at the Old Town Farmer’s Market, as the number of shoppers dwindled and the pace of activities slowed, the Bryan family sprang into action. Going from stall to stall, 14-year-old Max Bryan and 12-year-old Evelyn Bryan collected lettuce, green beans, eggplant, corn, carrots, peppers, apples, squash, broccoli, cucumbers, pies, and bread. Their parents, Emily and Ian Bryan, cataloged and weighed the bounty before it was carefully placed in multiple crates.
The Bryan family are part of a small army of volunteers who have collected excess produce, fruits, bread, and other items from vendors at the venerable Old Town Farmer’s Market on Market Square for the past 10 years to be distributed to guests at Christ Church’s Lazarus Food Pantry the following Thursday morning. Over 3,000 pounds of produce, fruit, eggs, and baked items were donated from May to late October last year. This year’s haul is expected to exceed that amount.
“It is a rich bounty that changes throughout the season, depending on crops and weather,” said Melanie Gray, MSW, Christ Church’s Director of Outreach & Mission at the historic 118 North Washington Street church. “The farmers who grow the produce and fruit and bring it to the farmer’s market from Virginia and surrounding states can see it distributed to the wider Alexandria community, beyond those who shop at the farmer’s market.”
The City of Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services Center for Economic Support facilitates the collaboration between Christ Church and the farmer’s market vendors. “This is a win-win,” said Brandon Hare, a Community Services Program Coordinator for the City of Alexandria, who contacts vendors about participating in the program and weighs the produce each week. “Fresh food and produce that might otherwise go to waste is donated to people who otherwise may not have easy access to such items.”
The Saturday morning collection is called “gleaning,” from the Old Testament, where farmers would leave unharvested produce along the edge of their fields to feed the poor. “We were looking for something to do together as a family that would benefit the community at large,” Emily Bryan said. “We love the church’s commitment to the local community and are so glad we can be a small part of that.” Bryan is Vice President of the Christ Church Foundation.
According to a recent Food Insecurity Report commissioned by the City of Alexandria, 82 percent of the residents who were surveyed reported experiencing low or very low food security. Seventy-nine percent of neighbors surveyed reported that it was “often true” or “sometimes true” that they “couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.” Christ Church’s Lazarus Food Pantry aims to address that need.
On a recent Thursday morning, volunteers stood at various stations in a large room at the historic church. Cold bags containing frozen chicken, beef, and pork were on one table. On a second table were canned goods, including vegetables, chili, fish, and fruit. A third table contained consumer staples: rice, pasta, oil, and peanut butter. Milk, butter, cheese, eggs, and multiple loaves of bread covered a large table against the back wall. On two tables in the middle of the room was the fresh produce and fruit from the prior Saturday’s gleaning.
One of the church volunteers had a particular insight into the importance of fresh produce and fruit because he had previously been a guest. “It was always great to get fresh, healthy produce and fruit,” he said. “It sometimes forced me to learn new recipes, how to cook a variety of things I might not otherwise have tried.” Christ Church has sometimes provided cooking demonstrations during the Thursday morning food pantry and often distributes a cookbook about healthy cooking to its guests.
On the Thursday morning when this Zebra reporter attended, arriving guests first sipped hot tea and coffee in a large conference room. As members of the “pantry community” reconnected, smiles were abundant and hugs pervasive. Before the shopping began, a church volunteer shared information about voter registration, reminded the guests about an approaching winter coat giveaway, inquired whether anybody needed school supplies, and discussed how to register for the Thanksgiving giveaway.
Unlike organizations that provide a uniform pre-packed bag of goods, each Christ Church food pantry guest identifies how many people they are shopping for. They are then accompanied by a Church “concierge” as they navigate the various stations. That way, each guest can obtain products that are particularly useful to that person or family. On an average Thursday, the pantry, which opens at 9:00 am, serves 35-40 guests.
Gray said that participating vendors from the Old Town Farmer’s Market include Ashton Farms, Bigg Rigg’s Farmstand, Common Root Farm, Diaz Berries, Lopez Farm, Maribeth’s Bakery, Montoya’s Farm, Papas Market, 1690 Farm, and Spring Valley Farm and Orchard. Leonel Lopez of Lopez Farms, a family-owned farm in Warsaw, Virginia, said that he appreciates the opportunity to support others who are less fortunate. “We’re always looking to help people,” Lopez said. “It’s nice to think about people enjoying my vegetables.”
Gray said volunteers also pick up local food donations from MOM’s Organic Market, Trader Joe’s, Panera Bread, and the Capital Area Food Bank. If the fruit or produce is unlikely to remain fresh until the Thursday morning food distribution, Gray said it is shared with the West End Food Pantry and Grace Episcopal Food Pantry to ensure nothing goes to waste.
For the eponymous owner of Alexandria-based Maribeth’s Bakery, there are multiple benefits to her business’ long participation in the gleaning program. “Bread is the staff of life, one of the things that is most appreciated,” said Maribeth Nyerges, who has been in business for 38 years. “The fact is that, while we plan for the weather, time of the year, and anticipated demand, when we get to the end of the market, and fresh bread, baked goods, and other items are left over, those can be quite perishable. It’s awesome that something left at the end would mean a lot to someone else. And it’s a good morale booster for our employees.”
City Report Reveals Food Insecurity Challenges
The City of Alexandria’s Food Insecurity Report summarized an assessment of the realities of food insecurity for families in Alexandria, the resources available, the experiences of people accessing food programs, and recommendations for improvements to better meet the needs of residents. Key findings include:
- 8% of households in Alexandria are food insecure and 9% of Alexandria residents are living with resources below the federal poverty line.
- 44% of individuals in Alexandria who are food insecure are not eligible for government assistance due to income.
- There are high satisfaction rates with current services, but some families have access challenges, including food availability on weekends and evenings.
- Four populations are identified as “under-resourced:” the unhoused, older adults, immigrants and non-English speakers, and the Latino community.
Recommended next steps include more nights and weekend hours for food distribution; education for all on food dating and its implications; engaging with trusted partners and creating feedback loops; food sourcing that meets cultural, religious, and health needs/preferences; and providing a delivery option for certain populations.
The City of Alexandria’s Food Resource Directory, which can be viewed in English, Spanish, Amharic, and Dari, provides details and links to myriad city services, including how to access SNAP benefits, details about the SNAP Double Dollar Program, which allows SNAP recipients who visit participating farmers markets to receive up to $30 in matching dollars to purchase eligible food products at the market.
