On May 10, 2023, Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter again provided volunteers at the Walt Whitman Middle School’s Monthly Family Market. This is the chapter’s second year and seventh month supporting this important food insecurity distribution program in Fairfax County, Virginia. This Capital Area Food Bank distribution program allows the customers to select from over 20 items such as fruit, vegetables, canned goods, etc., set up like a supermarket aisle.
Approximately 198 families participated in the market this month. The project is a huge logistical effort on the front end to have all the food removed from food bank pallets, unpacked, sorted, and placed on tables so the customers can simply walk by and select the food items they desire. Our contribution was to assist the volunteer students, teachers, and other organizations with safety, setup, supervision, and customer flow.
We were able to provide three veteran volunteers this month: Brothers Philip Benjamin, Bradford Caldwell, and Kenneth Younger. Our committee’s efforts were appreciated by the school’s Volunteer Coordinator, Community Coordinator, and especially the families. It’s moving to receive the gratitude of so many as they come through to receive their food items with dignity. We have mixed emotions as we complete the Family Markets for the current school year, as we wonder how these families will sustain themselves until the new school year. May God continue to help us all.