Most children celebrate the end of the school year – a whole summer to play! But for the 13 million children in the U.S. who don’t know where their next meal comes from each day, summer break is no picnic.

When school vacation starts, many children face the threat of going hungry. 1 in 6 children in the U.S. are food-insecure – and organizations like BBFL are trying to keep up with the demand so no child goes hungry over summer vacation. Because hunger doesn’t take a summer break.

As the school year came to an unanticipated anticlimactic close, we were left with more uncertainty about what the future holds. One of the most disconcerting aspects of the global pandemic: our plans are suddenly upended, now, and for the foreseeable future. However, we do know one thing for certain: The Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun (BBFL) will fulfill our commitment to the kids and families in Loudoun County who rely on us to help supplement their nutritional needs.

The current health and economic crisis brought on by coronavirus pandemic has put a harsh spotlight on the long standing issue of hunger insecurity in our community; difficulties we’ve been trying to mitigate in Loudoun County schools for a long time. The COVID-19 crisis has added a level of anxiety and concern over health as well as financial strain brought on by loss of jobs, which has only served to increase the need for supplemental food resources for students across Loudoun County.