Recognizing local organizations that are nourishing our communities through food access efforts
Coastal Virginia Magazine is proud to present our annual Giving Back Awards, an opportunity to honor remarkable nonprofit organizations that are positively impacting the Coastal Virginia community. This year’s Giving Back Awards showcases organizations that are dedicated to advancing food security in their communities through various programs and initiatives.
Our publication is pleased to highlight our top 20 picks for the 2025 Coastal Virginia Magazine Giving Back Awards. These honorees were selected by our magazine staff based on the significant contributions the organizations are making to help communities and individuals in need. The profiles in the pages that follow include ways to assist the organizations with their missions. We hope readers will find ways to offer their support, in any way possible.
Congratulations to our honorees and thank you for giving back so much to the community. Keep up the wonderful work!
—Coastal Virginia Magazine staff
Mercy Chefs
Mercy Chefs is a faith-based nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian organization serving chef-prepared, restaurant-quality meals in times of crisis. Across the U.S. and abroad—and through their Portsmouth and Richmond Community Kitchens in Virginia—they serve disaster victims, first responders, children, seniors and food-insecure families. Their mission is simple: to feed body and soul with hope and comfort in life’s hardest moments.
Disaster relief is at the heart of Mercy Chefs’ mission, and they are especially committed to serving those impacted in their home state. Recently, they provided meals and essential groceries to families affected by severe flooding in Western Virginia and plan to send additional grocery boxes to help communities recover and rebuild. Mercy Chefs’ 757 Backpack Program provided nutritious meals and groceries to local children and families, ensuring that students did not go hungry outside of school hours. Their Portsmouth Community Kitchen, established in 2019, has served more than 725,000 meals while also launching cooking classes, nutrition programs, and community education initiatives for local kids and families. Beyond providing meals, they offer hands-on culinary training, workshops on healthy eating and volunteer opportunities that empower the community to learn life skills, build connections and foster resilience in times of need.
Next Big Goal: Mercy Chefs is expanding their reach in Virginia, building The Portsmouth Commons and a community garden while continuing to serve the seven cities of Hampton Roads from their Portsmouth Community Kitchen and communities from Petersburg to Ashland from their Richmond Community Kitchen.
How You Can Help: The organization’s greatest need is community support to fund Portsmouth Commons, the new garden and expanded programs—helping their kitchens continue serving seniors, children and families across Virginia.
Learn more at mercychefs.com.
StandUp For Kids Hampton Roads
StandUp For Kids Hampton Roads is more than an organization that helps homeless and disconnected youth ages 12-24—they are family for youth who have none. They meet them where they are, with food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and love.
In 2024 they served over 6,000 meals to homeless and disconnected youth, provided 5,664 nights in emergency shelter for youth 18-24 and passed out 5,327 meal kits and/or snack bags. StandUp for Kids Hampton Roads is on track to double that in 2025. In 2025 they have taken two homeless youth and have gotten them off the street and out of their situation and into college full time.
Next Big Goal: They are expanding to offer rapid rehousing, allowing them to walk with youth every step—from the streets to shelter, and now, finally, into a home of their own.
How You Can Help: Their biggest need from the community really comes down to a few things—clothing, hygiene products, financial support to keep their doors open, and most importantly, people’s time. Every dollar helps the organization stay on the streets and in the lives of these kids. Every donation of clothes or hygiene items helps meet a real, immediate need. And every hour someone volunteers reminds youth that they matter. It truly takes a village—and they need theirs to keep showing up.
Learn more at standupforkids.org/hamptonroads.
Williamsburg Community Growers
Williamsburg Community Growers (WCG) is a nonprofit organization in the heart of James City County. Their site operates on an easement from Dominion Power, and consists of a teaching farm, large community garden and nature trail. They provide opportunities for healthy living and gardening education, and they work to combat food insecurity in our community through fresh produce donations.
In 2024, WCG donated over 8,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks. This contribution is paramount to ensuring healthy food reaches families most in need. They also operate one of the largest community gardens in the area which provides the opportunity for over 100 families to learn about growing food and participate in healthy living activities.
Next Big Goal: WCG is working on a large expansion to their Community Garden to accommodate more members and expand their impact on the community. Their extensive waitlist is proof that the desire for people who want to learn about gardening is why their organization is so important.
How You Can Help: As a nonprofit, funding is always key to their success. WCG is grateful for the current grants they receive, which allow them to be a positive force in the community.
Learn more at growwilliamsburg.org.
Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads
The Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads enhances the lives of military members and their families spiritually, mentally and physically through programs designed to address the unique challenges of military life. As the oldest military support organization in the United States, the ASYMCA has been “Strengthening Military Families” since 1861, offering nationally and locally tailored programs and services at little to no cost.
The organization recently received Lowe’s Hometown $100K grant to renovate their Patriot’s Pantry. In the past year, they have provided more than 30,000 meals to military families with food insecurity. Other accomplishments include opening a half-day Pre-K program for children not ready for the full-day experience and partnering with Bayside Church of Christ to expand their summer camp program from 48 to 98 children, meeting the greater need.
Next Big Goal: The organization’s next goal is the successful distribution of 1,800 bags of food as part of Operation Holiday Joy on Thursday, November 20. Registrations accepted through November 7, 2025 on their website.
How You Can Help: Nonperishable food items to support Operation Holiday Joy can be dropped off at the ASYMCA of Hampton Roads in Virginia Beach, located off of Independence Boulevard.
Learn more at hamptonroads.ASYMCA.org.
CROP Foundation
The CROP Foundation’s mission is to provide community services and social justice initiatives that advocate for the humanity, education and dignity of the underserved residents across the Hampton Roads area; aiding the community efforts to achieve upward social and financial mobility. Their efforts focus on mentoring youth, offering hunger relief efforts for children and families, and providing scholarships for students to further post-secondary education goals.
They have aided approximately 5,000 senior citizens in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia with meals and toiletries during the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. They also have provided approximately $50,000 in scholarships since 2017 to high school seniors throughout Hampton Roads to pursue a two-year or four-year degree.
Next Big Goal: The 5th Annual CROP Charity Weekend will take place May 21-23, 2026. This is their signature event weekend fundraiser.
How You Can Help: Currently their number one need is financial support to aid in their social action projects. Their three main focus areas are mentorship for young men 12-18, scholarship opportunities for high school seniors in need and hunger relief efforts for citizens in Chesapeake that are in need.
Learn more at chesapeakecropfoundation.org.
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank provides food assistance to residents across nine counties on the Peninsula. Anyone who is experiencing food insecurity in our community can contact the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank for access to nutritious food and connections to additional local resources. Their mission is to distribute food effectively through collaborative efforts that minimize hunger, promote nutrition and encourage self-reliance through education.
Last fiscal year, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank distributed over 12 million pounds of food to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. In partnership with Sentara, they opened their first Community Food Pantry connected to a healthcare facility. Here, patients in need of food assistance can have immediate access to fresh produce, grains, proteins and other healthy items for a nourishing diet that will also help them manage and prevent chronic medical conditions. They also celebrated the 54th graduating class of their free workforce development Culinary Training Program.
Next Big Goal: In 2026, they look forward to opening a brand-new refrigeration storage facility. This will allow the Foodbank to distribute more fresh produce at their 140 partner agencies and mobile pantry distributions across the Peninsula.
How You Can Help: The community’s neighbors in need rose to 70,000 people recently. For every $1 donated, the Foodbank can provide three meals. Every contribution towards hunger relief helps right now.
Learn more at hrfoodbank.org.
Sugar Plum Bakery
Sugar Plum Bakery is a nonprofit 501(c)3 retail bakery providing employment opportunities to adults with disabilities. The mission of the bakery is to serve the needs of persons with disabilities through employment, education and training. The bakery promotes the integration of persons with developmental disabilities into society by helping them become independent and evolve into working contributing members of the community.
Over the last 38 years, the bakery has empowered more than 1,500 individuals to find employment, dignity and independence by providing bona fide employment opportunities and jobs. The model proves that individuals with developmental disabilities are a viable workforce as well as a passionate and productive part of the community.
Next Big Goal: In late 2026, they plan to open Sugar Plum Barkery, which will specialize in handcrafted dog treats. Most importantly, it will create new opportunities.
How You Can Help: To launch the new bakery, they are beginning a fundraising campaign for start-up costs.
Learn more at sugarplumbakery.org.
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater
Jewish Family Service of Tidewater (JFS) provides essential social services to individuals of all faiths, races, ages and income levels. Guided by Jewish values—tzedakah (charity), chesed (kindness) and human dignity—JFS works to enhance quality of life through compassionate care.
Recent Successes: Through dedicated volunteers, JFS Home Delivered Meals program delivers weekly to 45 local seniors. The meals are designed to support health needs; kosher-style and pescatarian options are available. The JFS Food Pantry has supported over 600 households or 2,100 individuals as of September 2025.
Next Big Goal: JFS hopes to introduce Pantry on Wheels (POW) to reach the growing number of people in the community who need food but are unable to visit the Food Pantry.
How You Can Help: JFS is in need of donations for their Food Pantry—specifically hygiene items, cleaning products and toiletries—and funding support for their programs and the vehicle for POW.
Learn more at jfshamptonroads.org.
The King’s Daughters Milk Bank
Human milk is a lifesaving treatment for premature and critically ill infants, significantly reducing their risks for acute and chronic illness while improving survival rates. To protect these vulnerable babies, Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) established The King’s Daughters Milk Bank, with a mission to ensure that pasteurized donor human milk is accessible for our nation’s most fragile infants.
The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD has celebrated 11 years of operation and more than 4.6 million ounces of donor human milk received. In the past year, they have dispensed more than 459,392 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk, enough to treat up to 1.8 million premature infants.
Next Big Goal: They are hopeful that their advocacy at the General Assembly will move the Commonwealth to join other states in providing insurance coverage for donor milk, expanding access for vulnerable infants.
How You Can Help: Spreading the word! They are always seeking new donor families to “Share the Health” by donating their surplus breast milk.
Learn more at CHKD.org/milkbank.
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
Since 1981, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore has provided more than 420 million meals to neighbors in need. They serve 11 cities and counties, where one in eight residents experience food insecurity. They play a vital role in the fight against hunger by collecting, storing, and distributing nutritious food.
Last year, they welcomed over 7,300 volunteers and provided more than 20 million nutritious meals to neighbors in need. Over the past three years, they have increased produce distribution by nearly 60%.
Next Big Goal: Their next big goal is to continue improving the nutritional quality of the food they distribute.
How You Can Help: The Foodbank’s current facility is too small and outdated to meet the growing demand across their service area. The Setting the Table campaign will change that. With a $25 million investment, they will build a modern, 21st-century food bank that expands storage and distribution capacity, strengthens their purchasing power, and provides space for staff, volunteers and partners to work together more effectively.
Learn more at foodbankonline.org.
PiN Ministry
PiN is a faith-based organization dedicated to serving the homeless of Virginia Beach. PiN provides food, clothing, showers and laundry for 1,300 people who visit their ministry in a year. PiN has a medical clinic in which they work with people experiencing homelessness. The organization also has a job training program that helps people get back into the workforce.
Several accomplishments includes PiN providing 1,423 hot meals this year. In addition, they provided 24,732 clothing items and 457 people were seen in their medical clinic.
Next Big Goal: They are looking to expand their medical ministry. The organization would like to hire a case manager and also purchase a house that they would use for a respite house.
How You Can Help: They could use men’s pants, size 30-38.
Learn more at pinministry.org.
HELP, Inc.
HELP, Inc.’s mission is to provide dignifying, empowering, and faith-based safety-net shelter, healthcare and support to the community’s most vulnerable people. The organization accomplishes this through the provision of day support services, thermal shelter, emergency shelter, comprehensive case management for homeless individuals and families as well as comprehensive dental care and dental lab services for uninsured adults.
Over the last 2 years, HELP, Inc. has helped over 150 clients secure permanent, sustainable housing. They provide over 30,000 services to 2,000 unique clients each year. They are serving seven times more dental patients now than in 2022.
Next Big Goal: The organization is aiming to work with the local government to establish a year-round shelter program and space to provide a more proactive response to homelessness.
How You Can Help: HELP, Inc. needs the community’s support through volunteerism and monetary or in-kind donations.
Learn more at helphampton.org and helpdental.org.
THRIVE Peninsula
THRIVE Peninsula is a faith-based volunteer coalition serving Peninsula residents for 50+ years. They operate The Market at THRIVE, the area’s first free grocery store, focused on offering fresh and healthy foods. They also host an on-site produce garden, a free bookstore and financial programs. Their programs are delivered with a laser focus on enhancing dignity and accessibility, while addressing the root causes of food insecurity.
They distributed 717,365 pounds of food (597,800 meals) to 32,788 people in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. They launched innovative temperature-controlled lockers, offering flexible, after-hour pickup for those who would otherwise struggle to obtain food from a pantry. They featured culturally themed sections in The Market in honor of Passover and Hispanic Heritage Month to enhance inclusivity.
Next Big Goal: They plan to expand Market hours to accommodate booming requests for appointments, focusing on increased weekend and evening hours.
How You Can Help: Join their coalition of 280 weekly volunteers that power The Market and their other services. In addition, donate food or funds to help reduce their waitlist.
Learn more at thrivepeninsula.org.
Judeo-Christian Outreach Center
Since 1986, the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (JCOC) has worked to end hunger and homelessness in Virginia Beach. Each year, JCOC serves over 100,000 meals through its Hunger Relief programs and helps at least 150 individuals secure permanent housing through Housing Services. The organization is also building 38 affordable housing units to further strengthen the community.
In Fiscal Year 2025, JCOC provided 121,000 meals to those in need and assisted 151 individuals secure permanent housing. JCOC recently completed a $15 million capital campaign to build 38 units of affordable housing, new kitchen/community room & new admin offices.
Next Big Goal: Their next big goal is to raise at least $100,000 in their “End of Year Giving Campaign” to support their programs and services heading into 2026.
How You Can Help: Their number one need currently is procuring non-perishable food items and donations in support of our Hunger Relief programs.
Learn more at jcoc.org.
The Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command
The Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command serves those who are most vulnerable in our community. They provide a variety of programs and services including feeding programs, emergency shelter, transitional housing for young mothers and their children, transitional housing for Veterans, Christmas assistance programs, family services, disaster assistance, volunteer outreach and more. They serve Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Western Tidewater.
They have served over 20,000 neighbors in need during the last year through their social services programs. They provided over 16,000 nights of shelter, and they served over 10,000 children through their Angel Tree Christmas assistance program.
Next Big Goal: Their next big goal is expanding their feeding program to include additional mobilization capabilities to meet Hampton Roads’ urgent community needs.
How You Can Help: Their greatest need is funding to help expand their HOPEline Crisis Intervention Program and their Feeding Program ensuring families across Hampton Roads remain housed, nourished, and stable.
Learn more at salvationarmyhrva.org.
PiN Ministry
PiN is a faith-based organization dedicated to serving the homeless of Virginia Beach. PiN provides food, clothing, showers and laundry for 1,300 people who visit their ministry in a year. PiN has a medical clinic in which they work with people experiencing homelessness. The organization also has a job training program that helps people get back into the workforce.
Several accomplishments includes PiN providing 1,423 hot meals this year. In addition, they provided 24,732 clothing items and 457 people were seen in their medical clinic.
Next Big Goal: They are looking to expand their medical ministry. The organization would like to hire a case manager and also purchase a house that they would use for a respite house.
How You Can Help: They could use men’s pants, size 30-38.
Learn more at pinministry.org.
Food Rescue US – Virginia Beach
Food Rescue US – Virginia Beach is a regional site of Food Rescue US, a national nonprofit dedicated to transferring healthy surplus food from local businesses to community agencies addressing hunger. They relay excess food from restaurants, farms and other businesses to food pantries, meal ministries, senior residences and community agencies with the goal of helping to address food insecurity as well as the environmental impact of food waste.
Their volunteers have distributed over 2.2 million pounds of surplus food to the community since the organization’s inception in 2020. This year they have rescued and transferred over 26,000 pounds of surplus food to the community.
Next Big Goal: They will be expanding their work in the grocery sector, which will help their distribution partners provide more fresh food to members of the community.
How You Can Help: They welcome new partnerships and ask that consumers encourage their favorite businesses to donate their surplus food and that businesses become familiar with the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
Learn more at foodrescue.us/site/food-rescue-us-virginia-beach.
Old Beach Farmers Market
Founded in 2008, Old Beach Farmers Market is a farmer and self-producer-only farmers market in the heart of the ViBe Creative District in Virginia Beach. The market connects residents and visitors with local farmers, food producers and makers while fostering community, sustainability and healthy living. The mission is to support local agriculture and strengthen access to fresh, seasonal food for all.
Old Beach Farmers Market provides a weekly, rain-or-shine market that supports farmers and small businesses while giving the community consistent access to fresh, local food. Recently, they hosted their 8th Annual Farmers Market Giving Back, partnering with JCOC and Kings Grant Farmers Market to donate over 3,500 pounds of nonperishable food to fight hunger.
Next Big Goal: They look forward to their winter market season and strengthening partnerships with local nonprofits to increase community outreach, food donations and sustainable education programs.
How You Can Help: Continued community support and sponsorships to keep growing outreach programs, provide resources for farmers and ensure year-round access to fresh, local food.
Learn more at oldbeachfarmersmarket.com.
Downtown Norfolk Community Garden
Downtown Norfolk Community Garden’s mission is to cultivate produce and community in Downtown Norfolk. Started in 2022 and located on the grounds of Freemason Street Baptist Church, this is a community managed garden of over 90 individuals, families, organizations and schools. Each of the 67 plots are maintained by the plot owner with produce either donated or consumed by the individual, family or group.
Accomplishments include constructing nine community production beds where produce will be donated to either the Foodbank or to local community refrigerators, and sponsoring and supporting the construction of the school garden at Tarrallton Elementary.
Next Big Goal: They maintain eight table-height beds for individuals with limited mobility, and they plan to complete their ADA-compliant gardening area with ramps and curbing.
How You Can Help: To maintain their community production beds, they need regular/recurring volunteers and seasonal monetary donations for seeds and seedlings (approximately $400 per season).
Learn more at dncg.squarespace.com.
The Union Mission Ministries
The Union Mission gives help and hope to the most vulnerable members of our community—our homeless neighbors. Their mission to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and restore dignity to those in crisis is even more urgent today. Since 1892, they have served Hampton Roads, providing comprehensive services including shelter, food, healthcare, and employment and housing assistance.
In the last year, they provided 79,677 nights of shelter, 121,652 meals, and 13,286 hours of counseling and case management to 980 men, women and children experiencing homelessness.
Next Big Goal: They recently opened a transitional housing program for single women called RISE, located in their Grace Place Women and Children’s Shelter. They also have launched a Housing Navigation program offering aftercare services to young men and families moving out into their own home.
How You Can Help: Their greatest need is for financial gifts—their costs for feeding, sheltering and caring for over 200 people each night is increasing. They also need volunteers.
Learn more at unionmissionministries.org.
The Legacy of HOPE Foundation, Inc.
The foundation serves underserved youth and families in the Hampton Roads area, empowering them to break cycles of poverty and hunger. Their center distributes vital resources including free clothing, personal hygiene, food security through weekly grocery distribution, youth mentoring, life-skills education in computer basics, financial literacy and access to affordable housing.
In 2024, the foundation distributed more than 20,000 vital resources of food and clothing, and served over 6,000 individuals in 2024 with increased numbers in 2025.
Next Big Goal: “Let’s Build HOPE Together” is an initiative to raise funds to expand their reach to serve more families by renovating a designated space for youth and adults to learn, grow and thrive. Building social networks and adding additional service of affordable housing access are additional goals.
How You Can Help: Their biggest need is funding, specifically raising $500,000 to renovate and add affordable housing initiatives. They also have a need for partners, volunteers in administrative support and board members.
Learn more at thelegacyofhopefoundation.com.
