Hanover County Government is making food kits available to the community on Friday, April 24, at John M. Gandy Elementary School and Mechanicsville Elementary School. The pre-packaged food kits will be available between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and again from 5-7 p.m. This is a separate and distinct food program from the one being offered to children by Hanover County Public Schools.

The Hanover Education Foundation, working in partnership with Hanover County Government and Hanover County Public Schools, received a generous grant from the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund. The funds will provide 12,500 meals for Hanover County residents and supplement the student meal program and the work of many food pantries and churches. Depending on the demand, the County government will schedule additional dates, as long as supplies last.

Those who need food will be able to drive through designated lanes at the school to pick up the kits, with as little human contact as possible for health reasons. Kits include ready to eat chicken salad, a tortilla, bag of chips, granola bar, trail mix, cookie, fruit roll up, and juice box. One box per person will be available.

“Hanover County is grateful to the Community Foundation and Plan RVA for making this program possible,” said Aubrey “Bucky” Stanley, Chairman of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. “We are fortunate to be part of the Richmond region, a community where people take care of one another.”

According to Cecil R. “Rhu” Harris, Jr., County Administrator, “we’ve been through tough times before, and our people are so resilient, but it’s heartwarming to see our community come together in a time of need. Thank you to the Hanover team and our wonderful volunteers for making this happen. We know times are hard for many of our residents, with applications for food assistance doubling in recent months and more than 1,500 Hanover residents filing for unemployment benefits last week. If you need help in any way, please call us at 365-4300 and we will do our best to connect you to resources in our community.”

“We are proud to partner with the Community Foundation, the Hanover Education Foundation, Hanover County Government, and others to help meet the ongoing needs of our community during these challenging times,” said Dr. Michael Gill, School Superintendent. “I am thankful for the generosity and effort of so many who made this possible.”

This initiative is a result of a partnership with the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund, launched with contributions from 18 regional foundations and businesses. Over $4.1 million has been raised through April 15 from foundations, businesses and individuals and United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg provided $100,000 in matching funds.

Created through a partnership between the Community Foundation and the Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia, the fund is designed to mobilize and distribute resources to address immediate response. This initiative helps organizations and nonprofits that address critical needs such as food and housing access, health care, childcare, senior care, and safety supplies. As funds are collected, an advisory committee distributes grants where they can have the greatest impact.

To donate or volunteer visit https://www.togetheroneregion.org/

For more information, contact the Hanover County Department of Community Resources at 365-4300.