Walk-in Assistance

Clients obtain food on a walk-in basis during operating hours. No appointment necessary. Households may receive assistance once per month. 

Availability permitting, each household will receive the following:

  • Canned goods
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Peanut butter & jelly
  • Bread
  • Cereal
  • Meat/fish
  • Fruits & Vegetables
  • Dairy

Important Note:

Heads of household must present some form of ID.  We will ask for additional information; however, it is not required.  The extra information will enable us to determine if a household qualifies for additional food through the USDA program.

ACTS Hunger Prevention Center is a Capital Area Food Bank partner participating in USDA programs.
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Esta institucion es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de opportunides.

Home Delivery Program

Are you a homebound senior or person with a disability experiencing food insecurity? You may qualify to become a home delivery client.

  • Home Delivery ACTS clients receive deliveries once a month
  • ACTS Home Delivery clients must be a homebound senior, age 65 years or older, and/or a person with a disability that prohibits coming into our office in person

Call (703) 441-8606 ext 288 for enrolement details

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Qualifications:

  • 65 years of age or older and/or be physically disabled (with a valid handicap permit or doctor’s note)
  • Must not have the means to come to the Hunger Prevention Center in person
  • For short-term disabilities, a doctor’s note must indicate a final date for eligibility, which may be extended by a doctor

Client Expectations

  • Client must be home between 10am and 2pm on scheduled delivery days to receive delivery.
  • Client must inform ACTS Hunger Prevention Center of any changes of address and/or phone number.
  • Client must be able to access and return phone messages
  • Client must contact ACTS Hunger Prevention center to cancel/reschedule delivery if they will not be home to accept the delivery. Failure to cancel/reschedule ahead of time may lead to a loss of delivery privileges (see Two Strike Policy, below).
  • Clients must update their information with ACTS upon request

Two Strike Policy

  • Clients will be subject to a 2-strike policy, losing their delivery privileges after a second strike if:
    • Client fails to notify ACTS Hunger Prevention Center that they will not be home to accept the delivery.
    • Client fails to advise the Hunger Prevention Center of any changes to phone and/or address
    • Client has not set up voicemail, or their voicemail box is full and the client cannot be reached
Full Details

Health & Wellness

In addition to providing food assistance, we want to provide you with resources that will help you maintain, or improve, your overall health.  Acts Health and Wellness Program will provide clients with the knowledge and access to information regarding their dietary needs. In the coming months, the program will also feature guided classes with Wegmans' Head Chefs where clients can learn to cook on a better budget as well as learn to cook with things that they can receive through the Hunger Prevention Center.  Spaces are limited.

Hunger Prevention Center

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Our Hunger Prevention Center has expanded allowing us to help even more families struggling to put food on the table, and we want to help you! Clients are eligible to obtain food assistance through the ACTS Hunger Prevention Center once per month. Food is distributed on a walk-in basis. No appointment needed.

The month after the new Center opened, the number of families receiving food assistance jumped from 650 to 900 for a total of 7,587 households (a 4% increase).  We have now added an assistant manager and a case manager devoted solely to health and wellness.  By tripling our staff we will be able to enhance the services we provide.  Currently, we provide over 75,000 pounds of food to over 2,000 people every month!

Donations

Support Our Food Pantry

The ACTS Food Pantry aims to provide its clients with nutritious foods. To help us do so, please keep these tips in mind when selecting items to donate

Healthy Eating

  • Limit foods high in fat and sugar. Consider donating foods high in fiber and low in added sugars (i.e. fruit packed in 100 % juice rather than syrup, cereal with less than 6 g of sugar)
  • Packaged foods are often high in sodium. Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium” or “no added salt”
  • Whole grains - Look for brown rice and other whole-grain products. By consuming whole-grain foods, families get more fiber and vitamins with each bite.

Making Donations

We take donations of canned goods, refrigerated and frozen items, produce, dairy, and other non-perishable items at the Hunger Prevention Warehouse, 17958 Dr. David Cline Lane in Dumfries during these hours of operation:

Monday – Thursday 9am – 3:30 pm.
Friday 9am – 1pm

We cannot accept food donations outside of the above listed days and times. Please note ACTS Hunger Prevention Center follows the Federal Government schedule of holidays and emergency closures.

Do not leave unattended food donations on the premises.

  • Opened food
  • Repackaged food
  • Dented or punctured cans
  • Food in torn bags
  • Unlabeled food
  • Expired food
  • Food with freezer burn
  • Frozen food that has thawed
  • Homemade foods
Items We CANNOT Accept

Canned and Dried Food

  • Breakfast items cold cereal, oatmeal, grits, etc.
  • 12 oz Peanut butter
  • 12 oz jelly
  • Canned or dry beans
  • Honey
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned meats (tuna, chicken)
  • Pasta
  • Canned tomato sauce
  • 1- or 2- lb bags of Rice
  • Shelf Stable Milk
  • Cooking oil
  • Canned soup
  • Ground coffee
  • Instant coffee

Perishable Items

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Yogurt
  • Chicken
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables

General Items

  • Size 6 diapers
  • Children’s Pull-ups
  • Soap
  • Toothpaste
  • Shampoo
  • Deodorant
  • Feminine Hygiene Products
  • Wipes
  • Toilet Paper
  • Laundry Soap
  • Dish Soap
  • Pet Food
  • Pet Supplies
Items We Urgently Need

Food Drives

We are always in need of donations, so gather your neighbors, colleagues, or friends together and organize a food drive!
For information on organizing a food drive, call the ACTS Hunger Prevention Center at 703-441-8606 ext. 288.

Annual Food Drives

Keep an eye out for these major food drives throughout the year:

  • April: Prince William County Schools make donations throughout the month of April to benefit ACTS.
  • May: Mail Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive typically takes place the second Saturday in May
  • October and November: Operation Turkey, ACTS’ largest food drive, hosted specifically for providing the items necessary to prepare a Thanksgiving meal.
  • October and November: Scouting for Food:  Local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts fill our warehouse with canned goods the first Saturday in November

Volunteer

Monday through Friday, volunteers help in our Food Pantry and Hunger Prevention Center sort and package items for families or pick up donations from local grocers.  For more information or to apply to join our team, visit our Volunteers page.