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-by Kristen Curtis
As grocery, housing, and utility costs continue to outpace income for many families, putting healthy food on the table has become increasingly difficult. At the same time, reductions in public assistance programs have left many of our neighbors facing even greater uncertainty. Across Virginia, BGAV churches and ministry partners are responding in Christ’s name. Through food pantries, grocery distributions, backpack ministries, community meals, and other hunger-relief efforts, Virginia Baptists are taking seriously Jesus’ words:
“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.” Matthew 25:35 (NLT)
The impact of your generosity extends far beyond a single meal or a single box of groceries. Donations to the BGAV World Hunger Fund support hunger-relief ministries throughout Virginia while also helping provide food and clean water around the world. In Haiti, monthly gifts supply nutritious meals and safe drinking water for children at the Source of Light Center in Port-au-Prince. In Ghana, World Hunger funds helped dig two wells that now provide clean water for multiple villages in remote areas. In Kenya, donations supplied seed and fertilizer that help families grow food and generate income.
Here in Virginia, World Hunger grants have made a tremendous difference. Since January 2026, funds have supported 36 churches and ministry organizations, providing 75 quarterly hunger grants totaling more than $86,000. These grants help ministries multiply donations to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat; provide weekend meals for children; support a variety of community food distributions; and create opportunities for relationships, encouragement, and prayer alongside practical assistance.
Stories of Impact from Summer Hunger Grant Recipients
Gospel Community Church’s Connecting Point Ministry shared that on a food pantry day this summer, “A neighbor. . . began serving alongside our volunteers by preparing and bringing chicken wings and homemade baked macaroni and cheese for everyone waiting for the pantry. What could have been just a transaction became a shared meal and a space for conversation. Volunteers and neighbors sat together, checked in on one another, and welcomed new faces… That day reflected the heart of our hunger ministry: meeting a practical need while creating opportunities for dignity, belonging, and lasting relationships.”
At Colonial Beach Baptist Church, volunteers continue building meaningful relationships with those they serve. “We have had the opportunity to pray with a handful [of the people we regularly serve], and this past quarter, two have come to church on a few occasions.” Their team also adapts distributions to meet individual needs, allowing those who walk to the pantry to select and carry the items they can carry that are most useful to them rather than the pre-packed boxes those who drive receive.
At Corinth Baptist Church’s Backpack Buddies program, hunger grants are helping provide weekly nutritious meals for 75 families (160 children) who might otherwise go without adequate food. The ministry is also inspiring the next generation, with local Girl Scouts volunteering to help pack backpacks before summer break.
Mountain View Community Church’s King’s Table Ministry saw the number of children served grow to 35 during the summer months when school meal programs were unavailable. “Our volunteers deliver the donations directly to the families’ homes and are often greeted with the smiling faces of children and grateful parents. These precious moments help strengthen the relationships we have with our community and provide hope to those in need.”
And through Tree of Life Ministries, which partners with several BGAV churches, a routine grocery delivery became an opportunity for holistic care when volunteers discovered a family dealing with a leaking roof. Through partnerships with local businesses and community leaders, the ministry was able to help secure a new roof for the homeowner. “One of those amazing partners, Roofing & More, Inc., was able to take action and provide a FREE roof to the local woman and help make her home safe and comfortable again, going above and beyond to make it happen!” Experiences like these demonstrate that sometimes meeting physical needs opens the door to addressing even greater challenges.
These stories remind us that hunger ministry is about far more than food. It is about relationships. It is about dignity. It is about churches serving as the hands and feet of Christ in their communities.
How You Can Help
Pray: Please pray for the churches, volunteers, ministry partners, and families served through these hunger-relief efforts. Pray that physical needs will be met, relationships will deepen, and lives will be transformed through the love of Christ.
Give: You can help expand this ministry through a gift to the BGAV World Hunger Fund. Every donation helps churches and ministry partners provide nutritious food, practical support, and the hope of the gospel to neighbors in need across Virginia and around the world. To give, visit our website and select “World Hunger” from the “Direct My Gift To” dropdown menu.
Go: If these stories inspire you to address needs in your own community, explore the resources and ministry models available through our Community Missions Resources and News and Resources pages. Churches and ministry partners interested in launching or strengthening hunger ministries can apply for Winter Hunger Grants by October 31. We are also partnering with Fresh Expressions to offer Seed Grants for new Dinner Churches across Virginia, helping congregations create welcoming spaces where meals, relationships, and faith can grow together.
Together, Virginia Baptists are helping ensure that when a neighbor experiences hunger, they encounter not only food for today but also the hope, compassion, and community found in Christ. Through faithful churches, generous partners, and everyday acts of service, lives are being changed one meal, one relationship, and one act of faithfulness at a time.