Curcio Law partnered recently with La Prima Catering to provide lunch to the compassionate United Community staff and volunteers who dedicate their time to serving others. United Community’s mission is to end multi-generational poverty by providing food, education, literacy and citizenship training, and health services to less fortunate residents of the Route One corridor of Alexandria located in southeastern Fairfax County.
All of us at Curcio Law are passionate about assisting those in the community who need our help the most. Tom and his wife Gale are long-time supporters and volunteers with United Community, and Tom currently serves on its board of directors. United Community is the “go-to” social service agency in southeastern Fairfax County and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. It provides a wide range of services designed to move families from need to sustainability, including running a food pantry.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, United Community is focusing on ensuring that the health and employment crises do not become a hunger crisis. With that goal in mind, UC staff and volunteers have focused tirelessly on meeting the unprecedented increased demand for food from those who live in Alexandria and southeastern Fairfax County.
To put increased demand in context, in February 2020, UC served 125 new clients; in the first two weeks of April 2020, there was an increase of 1,155 new clients. That is an 890% increase in the demand for food. Unfortunately, the numbers continue to grow. The average number of individuals requesting food in May of 2019 was 334, and that number almost quadrupled to 1,314 in May of 2020.
As expected by UC’s leadership team, the increasing demand for food mirrored an increase in unemployment caused by the pandemic. Unemployment in Fairfax County jumped from 2.1% in February 2020 to 10.2% in April of 2020. Similarly, in Alexandria City, unemployment jumped from 2.1% in February 2020 to 9.9% in April of 2020.
During these difficult and challenging times, it is important for those who are more fortunate to reflect on all that we have and help our less fortunate neighbors if we can. For those of you who would like to help address the rising need for food in our community, United Community accepts donations through their website https://www.unitedcommunity.org/.
As a nonprofit, United Community partners with local food suppliers and purchase food at significantly lower prices than the market price, therefore monetary donations will feed substantially more of those in need than individual food donations.
On behalf of United Community, we thank you all for your consideration and support and know that all of us here at Curcio Law will continue to help those in our community in need.
