Britepaths is celebrating our volunteers this April! In 2025, 630 individuals dedicated 5,440 hours of service, creating an impact valued at $297,641. Their time, energy, and compassion continue to uplift our community. We are incredibly grateful for every volunteer who chooses to give back by stocking pantry shelves, packing food for students, teaching Financial Empowerment and Workforce Development workshops, distributing supplies at our resource fairs, and helping the office and operations run smoothly. To our volunteers: your commitment makes our work possible, and we could not do this without you!

As shown in the graphics above, reductions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) negatively affect food security for individuals and families. Reductions in food assistance make it harder to buy enough food, shop for fresh produce, and maintain normal routines. Federal changes will expand work requirements for adults up to age 64 and tighten eligibility in ways that could affect 2.4 million households nationwide. Older adults, veterans, and people balancing caregiving or health challenges may face the biggest hurdles.

For families in Northern Virginia, these changes mean rising demand at local food support points. Britepaths' Food Security Program provides household and hygiene essentials through our SNAP Gap Pantry, grocery gift cards through our Emergency Food Support program, and coordinates with partners to make sure our neighbors facing reduced benefits still have access to what they need. For many in our community, this collective support is a steady lifeline when food budgets are

stretched, and uncertainty is high.

Thanks to our community's generosity at the recent Stuff the Bus food drive, our SNAP Gap Pantry is stocked with non-perishable groceries. However, families still face a gap when it comes to household and personal hygiene items. SNAP does not cover these everyday essentials, and they can be costly. Items like laundry detergent, toilet paper, shampoo, and deodorant make a big difference in the day-to-day stability and dignity of our community members. Please help us fill that gap by donating household or hygiene items listed above.