Arlington Food Assistance Center

We are the community leader in providing and promoting dignified access to nutritious food for all Arlingtonians in need. Now, over 25 years after its founding, the Arlington Food Assistance Center remains dedicated to its simple but critical mission of obtaining and distributing groceries, directly and free of charge, to people living in Arlington who cannot afford to purchase enough food to meet their basic needs. While hunger might not seem to be an issue in a wealthy county like Arlington, the high cost of living here combined with the current economic situation mean that many families struggle to make ends meet. Supplemental groceries from AFAC mean that families can remain in their homes, workers can stay on the job, children are ready to learn, and mothers and babies have the nutrition they need. We help relieve the food budgets of our clients, thereby allowing them to make other necessary purchases without sacrificing their health and nutrition needs. AFAC operates under the Choice Model. This means that we try to provide clients with as much choice as possible when receiving food at AFAC. The Choice Model has been proven to reduce waste as families are more likely to eat the foods that they choose to take home. We provide different kinds of meats, breads, and canned goods. We allow choice between 1% milk and 2% milk. We offer a variety of baked goods for families. When produce is available, families are often able to choose between 2 or 3 types. In addition, we are seriously committed to distributing as much nutritious food as possible. We buy meats, milk, eggs and other fresh items so that families, especially mothers and babies, can get the nutrition they need.