What started out as a small family food drive in Northern Virginia has turned into a massive effort to fight food insecurity in the region.
Amber Marchand, a mother of four, started Be the Good Project in June, as the pandemic made it hard for families to get food on the table. It has expanded to hundreds of volunteers and helped collect more than 28,000 pounds of food.
The group’s latest effort is little food pantries, a similar idea to free little libraries that offer books to the community. These little pantries will be filled with dry goods and nonperishable groceries.
“They’re basically small boxes that will be mounted in the communities and filled with nonperishable foods for neighbors that are in need,” Marchand said.
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Each box will show the message: "Take what you need and leave what you can,” Marchand said.
The first box was set up outside the Creekside Village Community Center at the end of February.
Organizations or families can volunteer to sponsor a little food pantry in the region. Contact projectbethegood@gmail.com.
