During a recent service project in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the
AmeriCorps NCCC Coast 2 Team worked with the
Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing hunger in the Central Rappahannock River Region by distributing millions of pounds of food annually. However, the team’s main assignment did not involve food distribution. Instead, the team
assisted in renovating and creating the Market Fresh area of the food bank’s warehouse, where community partners pick up food for later distribution to those in need.
The Coast 2 Team’s primary task was to clean and visually enhance the Market Fresh space, aiming to make it more aesthetically pleasing in order to increase the selection of fresh produce taken by the food bank’s partners. To achieve this, Coast 2 completed various cleaning tasks, including vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, and scrubbing nearly every surface of the warehouse—from walls and floors to refrigerators and shelves. Next, the team assembled new furniture, such as office desks and chairs, to create a cohesive and clean interior design, and moved in new produce stands donated by Giant Foods. Finally, the team gave the Market Fresh space a facelift by painting all the walls yellow, the entrance door orange, and the interior doors blue, with paint provided by Atlantic Builders.
Team leader Jon Hansel recalls, “Before we could begin, we had to carefully tape off all the edges, wiring, and other surfaces not being painted, which was a meticulous and challenging task. Coast 2 then applied two coats of primer before moving on to the new colors, which also required multiple layers to ensure it looked high quality. Afterward, we removed the tape and scraped off any paint that had dripped onto the floors. This phase demanded the most time and effort, but witnessing the warehouse’s complete transformation made it a truly rewarding accomplishment.”
Overall, Coast 2’s renovation helped create a more visually appealing space that emphasizes fresh produce, promoting healthy eating in the region. While completing this project,
Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Stafford, Virginia, generously provided housing for the Coast 2 Team, whose members deeply appreciated the church’s hospitality. They provided a living space as well as snacks, dinners, and gift cards that congregants thoughtfully donated.
The team thoroughly enjoyed renovating the food bank, but one of the most memorable parts of this service project was participating in a Drive-Thru Distribution at Loriella Park. While there, some team members directed traffic, others collected personal information from drivers (including the number of households they were requesting food for) and others loaded vans with donations such as fruits, vegetables, meat, candy, and snacks. A snowstorm began during the event, creating a sense of urgency to complete the task quickly and ensure everyone got home safely. The snow added to the experience’s memorability and the team especially appreciated the opportunity to directly help others by loading food into their vehicles and knowing they made a direct impact in helping those families.
