Last week, Page Alliance for Community Action (PACA), a non-profit in Page County, started a new, porch visits program to better connect with the community after receiving a $30,000 grant from No Kid Hungry.
Megan Gordon, program director for PACA, said they have partnered with Page County Healthy Families, Page County Schools Nutritional Service and Virginia Cooperative Extension to provide hot meals to families at their doorsteps every week.
Each porch visit comes with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for each student in a family.
Gordon said those delivering the meals will ask questions to family members on other needs they may have as we continue to live through the pandemic.
The purpose is to provide meals to kids while learning how the county can better serve the community’s needs.
Kaula Christophel, with Page County Healthy Families, has been delivering since Monday and said an issue many families are seeing right now are related to jobs.
“This area has been really hit with jobs lost,” Christophel said. “So some people are having a hard time paying their utility bills, gas prices are going up, and so people who have to travel for work are having that issue come up.”
Christophel said she has served more than ten families this week, and said they have close to 50 families signed up.