How to Get Assistance
Food is distributed on a walk-in basis during operating hours. No appointment needed. Once a month you can receive:
Without Documentation - One time assistance
The following provisions are available:
- Emergency Bag
- Main Bag + Bread + Peanut Butter
From May to November we occasionally have additional produce provided by the local farmer’s market which we have available outside the HPC for you to share.
With Documentation - Ongoing Assistance
- Main Bag
- USDA Bag (if qualified)
- Meat
- Vegetables
- Toiletries
- Pet Food
Documentation
- ID Required
- Photo I.D (required at each visit)
- Proof of Address
- Lease/Mortgage papers, piece of mail postmarked in the last 30 days etc. (required at initial visit and any time you move)
- Proof of Income
- Pay stubs or benefit/award letters or current bank statement etc. (required at each financial assistance visit)
Household Verification
We request ONE of the following items for each person residing in the home: Birth Certificate or Social Security Card for persons under 18 years OR a piece of mail with the person’s name on it postmarked within the last 30 days for persons over 18 (*"residing in the home” means: anyone physically living on the property even if they are not a member of your immediate family).
Home Delivery Program
Need food …but can’t get to it?
Let us bring it to you!
- Deliveries are made once a month on Thursdays
- Calls are made two days prior to confirm delivery
- Must be 65 years of age and older OR be physically disabled
Call (703) 441-8606 ext 288 for enrolement details
Qualifications:
- 65 years of age and older OR be physically disabled (with a valid handicap permit or Doctor’s note)
- Must not have a physically able bodied member in the household
- For short-term disabilities, a doctor’s note must indicate a final date for eligibility, which may be extended by the doctor
- Clients must make their first visit in person and are only eligible for delivery at the beginning of their second month of service
- Must be in good standing with ACTS
- Clients must update their information every 3 months
Client Expectations
- Client must be home between 12pm and 2pm on the Thursday of their scheduled delivery*
- A volunteer will call the Client while en-route to ensure that they are home
- Clients must provide a picture ID and proof of income to the delivery driver (if it has changed)
- Clients will sign the USDA Form if eligible.
- Clients must comply to receive their food.
*If the client will not be home, they must call ACTS by 10am Thursday morning to cancel. Failure to cancel ahead of time may lead to a loss of delivery privileges (see No Show Policy).
No Show Policy
- Clients will be subject to a 2-strike policy, losing their delivery privileges after a second strike
- If the Client will not be home and fails to cancel by 10am they will be ineligible for delivery that month and must come to the ACTS Family Services Center to receive their food.
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
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!
Prince William Food Rescue
PWFR is a new program started in 2019 to address the disconnect between the fact that 40% of our food is wasted while 1 in 7 go hungry. Leveraging technology, we rescue healthy food from Donor Partners that would normally be thrown away and redirect it to Distribution Partners all over the county who can immediately feed people with that food. Food Rescue Hero volunteers use the Prince William Food Rescue app to rescue over 40,000 pounds of food per month. Visit www.pwfoodrescue.org for more information.
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
Donations can be made at 3901 ACTS Lane in Dumfries. Please bring all donations to the door next to the garage door of the Family Services Building on the right hand side of ACTS Lane. We accept refrigerated and frozen items, produce, dairy, and non-perishables.
Donation drop off hours are Mondays, Thursdays - 9-11:30am/1-3pm; Tuesdays - 1-3pm/5-6:30pm; Wednesdays - CLOSED; Fridays - 9-11:30am only. Please do not leave food items on property after hours as we will have to dispose of them. We cannot accept food donations any time other than those listed above.
Canned and Dried Food
- Breakfast items cereal, oatmeal, grits, etc.
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Canned or dry beans
- Honey
- Canned vegetables
- Canned fruit
- Canned meats (tuna, chicken)
- Whole-grain pasta
- Canned tomato sauce
- Brown Rice
- Milk
- Cooking oil
- Canned soup
- Coffee
General Items
- Pull-ups and diapers size 5/6
- Soap
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Wipes
- Shampoo
- Toilet Paper
- Laundry Soap
- Dish Soap
- Feminine Hygiene Products
Perishable Items
- Eggs
- Milk
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Chickin
- Pork
- Beef
- Fruit
- Vegetables
Food Drives
We are always in need of donations, so gather your neighbors, colleagues, or friends together and organize a food drive! Our virtual food drive packet gives you the details you need.
For information about participating in these food drives, call the ACTS Food Pantry at 703-221-3186 x 240.
Annual Food Drives
ACTS Food Pantry hosts three major food drives throughout the year.
- April: Prince William County Schools on the eastern side of the county make donations throughout the month of April.
- May: The Mail Carriers Food Drive Stamp out Hunger is the second Saturday in May.
- October and November: Operation Turkey is ACTS’ largest food drive, hosted specifically for providing the items necessary to prepare a Thanksgiving meal.
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.
