Feeding OC - Orange County Public Schools

FEEDING OC is a community-supported initiative dedicated to helping Orange County Public Schools students and families experiencing food insecurity. By connecting the generosity of the local community members with families in need, FEEDING OC helps ensure students have access to nutritious food, not only during the school day, but also at home, on weekends, and during times of crisis.

Our work centers around two key programs: The Backpack Program and Fill the Fridge.

The Backpack Program

Through community sponsors, The Backpack Program provides Orange County students and families with backpacks filled with shelf-stable, nonperishable foods.

If a sponsor is unavailable or a family is experiencing an emergency or crisis, Feeding OC can provide assistance, helping create a stronger and more consistent network of food support for OCPS students.

Fill the Fridge

Families need more than shelf-stable food to thrive. Fill the Fridge helps provide access to nutritious refrigerated and fresh foods that can be difficult for families experiencing financial hardship to afford.

Through monetary contributions and donations of eligible, unopened foods, FEEDING OC stocks two refrigerators each week with items such as:

Fresh meats
Eggs and milk
Cheese
Fruits
Vegetables
Other nutritious refrigerated foods

During the 2025-2026 school year, FEEDING OC helped provide food to nearly 20 families each week at no cost, and we anticipate the need will continue to grow this school year.

A full refrigerator is packed with frozen meals, bread, milk, and butter, with boxes of food visible on top.

A full refrigerator is packed with food, including bread and milk in the lower section and frozen vegetables and packaged snacks in the upper section.

More Than a Meal

Access to nutritious food can have an impact far beyond satisfying hunger. Nutrition is closely connected to a student's ability to arrive at school prepared to participate, concentrate, and learn.

Through FEEDING OC, we are working to support:

Better nutrition. Students and families gain access to fresh foods, including meats, eggs, milk, cheese, fruits, and vegetables.
School success. Adequate nutrition supports student well-being, behavior, attendance, energy, and readiness to learn.
A greater sense of security. Students can focus more on being students when they know food is available to them and their families.
Stronger relationships. Providing assistance helps schools build trust and rapport with students and families.
Economic relief. Food assistance can ease some of the financial pressure experienced by families struggling to meet basic household needs.
Community unity. FEEDING OC demonstrates what is possible when schools and the greater Orange County community work together to care for children.

Help Us Feed OC

We are excited to continue and expand FEEDING OC this school year, but we cannot do it without our community.

We anticipate an increasing need for both fresh and shelf-stable foods, and every contribution helps us put food into the hands of an Orange County student or family who needs it.

Make a Monetary Donation

Monetary donations may be made payable to:

Orange County Public Schools
Memo: FEEDING OC

200 Dailey Drive

Orange, VA 22960

Donate Food

We accept unopened, packaged foods with clear labels.

For food safety, fresh and refrigerated foods must come from USDA-inspected kitchens or approved commercial food sources, including grocery retailers such as Walmart, Food Lion, and other grocery stores.

Thank you to our sponsors who help make FEEDING OC possible!