Northern Virginia Food Rescue, Sentara Health team up to expand food access in Prince William

Northern Virginia Food Rescue and Sentara Health are partnering to grow a Zero Hunger, Zero Waste effort in Greater Prince William, Virginia. The collaboration aims to rescue more nutritious food, reduce waste and improve health outcomes for families facing food insecurity.

Why it matters: - The partnership is designed to expand access to nutritious food in Greater Prince William, where food insecurity has risen and many households lack reliable access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods. - Northern Virginia Food Rescue expects the collaboration to increase the amount of food it rescues and distributes by at least 25% in 2027. - The effort also aims to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions while improving community health.

What happened: - Northern Virginia Food Rescue announced a partnership with Sentara Health to advance a Zero Hunger, Zero Waste initiative in the Greater Prince William region. - The collaboration will use Northern Virginia Food Rescue's network of food donors, volunteers, transportation resources and community partners to recover food from grocery stores, distributors, wholesalers, restaurants, farmers markets and other food industry partners. - The announcement was made Oct. 1, 2026, in Manassas, Virginia.

The details: - The rescued food will include fresh produce, dairy, protein, baked goods, shelf-stable items and prepared foods. - Northern Virginia Food Rescue will redistribute the food through about 145 partner organizations each week. - Those partners include food pantries, shelters, senior communities, schools, faith-based organizations and community centers. - The collaboration is expected to improve the quality and diversity of food distributed by adding more fresh produce, dairy and protein to inventory. - The partnership will also support investments in technology, equipment and training to improve operational efficiency. - Dr. Megan Franco said food insecurity in Prince William has reached 47% and that the work is meant to build a healthier, more food-secure region. - Franco said the goal is to expand equitable access to healthy, culturally appropriate foods that support wellness, reduce health disparities and improve social determinants of health.

Between the lines: - The partnership links hunger relief with health care strategy, reflecting a broader effort to address the social drivers of health. - Sentara Health works with community organizations to improve health and well-being through sustainable solutions. - The focus on nutrient-dense foods suggests the effort is aimed at more than calorie access and is intended to improve long-term health outcomes.

What's next: - Northern Virginia Food Rescue expects the initiative to boost rescued and distributed food in 2027. - The organizations plan to use the partnership to strengthen local food donation systems and improve the reach of community food support. - Northern Virginia Food Rescue will continue working with donors, volunteers and partners across the region.

The bottom line: - The partnership ties food rescue to public health, aiming to get more healthy food to more families while keeping usable food out of landfills. - Since inception, Northern Virginia Food Rescue has rescued more than 36 million pounds of food and mitigated more than 58 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, according to the organization. - The organization says it has delivered food to more than 1,700 nonprofit partner organizations and reached thousands of people in need. - Sentara Health is an integrated, not-for-profit health system with more than 135 years of history, 35,000 employees, 12 hospitals and nearly 1 million health plan members. - Sentara provided $382 million in community benefit in 2025. - More information is available at Northern Virginia Food Rescue and Sentara Health news.