The Center for Faith and Leadership at the University of Mary Washington and U4C Victory Ministry coordinated the food drive, with distribution assistance from the Stafford County and Spotsylvania County Public Schools McKinney-Vento program social workers and Fredericksburg Public Schools social workers.
Dominion Virginia Power also donated food, volunteers and $1,000 to the Spring break food drive.
“We created fliers and posted information on Facebook,” said Carey Sims, co-director of The Center for Faith and Leadership. “UMW students distributed the fliers on campus and at local businesses.”
“Working together we came to realize that the community is not aware of the problem of homelessness among youth in our area,” said Ritta Armstead, president of U4C Victory Ministry.
“There are kids who live with their family in hotels and motels, in shelters, in cars and who “double-up,” moving from friend to friend,” said Armstead. During Spring break and other school holidays, these children don’t have food. Armstead said the current number of homeless youth through age 18 is:
91 in Fredericksburg
250 in Stafford
538 in Spotsylvania
“This food drive is just the beginning,” said Armstead. The groups are planning more ways to collaborate to help homeless youth in our area, and will include King George and Caroline counties in their efforts.
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