VINTON, Va. – September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about food insecurity and encourage people to take action to help address hunger. As food insecurity continues to affect communities across Southwest Virginia, a former church in Vinton is getting a new purpose this month as it opens its doors as a community food pantry.
The new pantry at 1201 Hardy Road in Vinton is scheduled to open Sept. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and plans to operate on the first Saturday of each month.
According to Feeding Southwest Virginia, 15.8% of people in the region are food insecure, compared with a statewide rate of 12.1%…