Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Frank R. Wolf

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mercer Middle School in Aldie, Virginia, which recently finished a winter food drive.

As a result of this, Mercer students were able to donate 600 pounds of food to Loudoun Interfaith Relief, the largest food pantry in Loudoun County. I sincerely appreciate their efforts to address the serious challenge of hunger in our community.

As hard as it may be for some to believe, families are going hungry in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. I have been meeting with the local food banks and pantries on a regular basis for the past several years and they all tell me demand is at an all-time high. In fact, families who used to regularly donate to some food pantries are now coming to receive food. One local pantry actually closed for several days last fall because its shelves were bare.

On March 23, I attended a wonderful event at Mercer where the students presented the food donations to Loudoun Interfaith Relief. I was impressed by their hard work and their service to their community. This service project could not have been possible without the support of Principal John Duellman and PTA President Karen Goodwin.

I congratulate all the students, teachers and parents who participated in Mercer Middle School's winter food drive.