DCC Helping Feed the Hungry for the Holidays with Two Events

December 13, 2022

Local News

Danville Community College (DCC) is gearing up to aid regional partners in the fight against food insecurity ahead of the holidays. DCC will host two separate events, one on December 17^th and one on December 21^th in partnership with Tyson Foods and Feeding Southwest Virginia respectively.

On December 17, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in the Temple Building Parking Lot on Bonner Avenue, DCC will be partnering with Tyson Foods to give away 40,000 pounds of chicken products, or the equivalent of 160,000 meals, to participants.

“We’re thrilled to be able to host these events for the individuals in our community,” said Dr. Jerry Wallace, president of DCC. “Our data tells us that there is a real need for these kinds of services in our region. These events, among other efforts, are an effective way for us to respond to the needs of our students and our neighbors.”

There are no eligibility requirements and food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies run out.

“We’re proud to give the gift of high-quality protein to our friends and neighbors in the Danville area, especially as we gather together during the holiday season,” said Nancy Frank, Tyson Foods Danville plant manager. “Tyson Foods is committed to improving access to nutritious food for all, and this donation event is just one example of the support we can offer to the communities in which we work and play.”

On December 21, Danville Community College (DCC), in partnership with Salem-based food bank Feeding Southwest Virginia, will be hosting a pop-up food distribution event from 1 – 3 p.m. For two hours, volunteers from DCC, the City of Danville, and PATHS, Inc. will load participant cars with ‘Holiday Boxes’ filled with shelf-stable food staples at no cost.

“We are thankful for our partners in Danville who are helping us address the food insecurity needs of their neighbors,” said Pamela Irvine, President and CEO of Feeding Southwest Virginia. “The work we do across our 26-county, nine-city service region is made possible through the support of partners like Danville Community College. We’re honored to partner with them as they take action to help reduce hunger in their city.”

The Pop-up Food Distribution event will take place in the Temple Building parking lot on Bonner Avenue on the DCC Campus. All Virginia residents are eligible to participate with no ID or income requirements. Food boxes will be distributed to participants on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are depleted. The line-up for food distribution will begin at 12 p.m.

“We held an event like this one, in partnership with Feeding Southwest Virginia, back in 2021 and it was a resounding success,” Dr. Cornelius Johnson, vice president of academic affairs and student services at DCC. “During that event, we distributed food to 360 families. It is a wonderful thing to be able to directly impact our community in this way in just two hours.”