Last year, moved by the experiences we heard from partners and residents alike, RMHF embarked on a new storytelling series.
Our goal was simple: to tell the stories of partner nonprofits confronting extreme federal funding cuts and the dramatic impacts these cuts were having on the people they serve.
We shared the experiences of four Richmond region residents; the challenges they faced, the organizations that supported them, and the triumphs, challenges, and stark realities facing so many across our community.
Some shared how federal legislation and reworked policies had a direct and immediate effect on their lives. Others spoke about how sudden changes at the national level just further revealed long-term, systemic challenges here at home.
One of those substantial changes, driven by the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was a significant cut to funding for food assistance programs.
Today, in our first entry in this series for 2026, we are sharing the story of Ms. Garland*, a Richmond resident in her 70s who has come to rely on a local food program right here in the Richmond region.
At first, however, Ms. Garland wasn’t sure how she would manage. She has just undergone a lengthy hospital stay and even though she was able to return home, she wasn’t as mobile as she once was and lacked the ability to safely cook for herself.
To complicate matters, Ms. Garland had several significant health issues, which required a medically-approved diet. She lived alone and didn’t have someone who could cook these very specific meals on a day-to-day basis.
That’s when Feed More got involved. Feed More collects, prepares, and distributes food to neighbors in need throughout Central Virginia.
“My daughter got me set up with them,” Ms. Garland said during our phone conversation. “She set me up with their Meals on Wheels program.”
According to Feed More’s website, their Meals on Wheels program helps seniors and homebound neighbors stay independent and safe in their own homes.
That is exactly what Ms. Garland and her daughter were looking for. When she first came home from the hospital, Ms. Garland worried about remaining independent. Unable to cook for herself and knowing she needed a special diet, the possibility that she wouldn’t be able to remain in her home was alarming.
Instead, Ms. Garland became one of about 2,000 individuals in 13 Central Virginia localities who are served by Feed More’s Meals on Wheels program.
“It was a godsend,” Ms. Garland commented. “It made it possible for me to stay in my home. I have trouble getting around, and Meals on Wheels took care of what I needed.”
Now, a year and a half later, Ms. Garland remains a happy Meals on Wheels recipient, enjoying both the reliability of her weekly deliveries and the comfort of knowing that what she’s eating isn’t just providing her nutrition, but meeting her medical needs.
However, there is another aspect to the program that Ms. Garland was eager to discuss during our phone call. There unexpected perk she discovered that has also contributed to her health and well-being:
The volunteers.
Since becoming a Meals on Wheels recipient, Ms. Garland has gotten to know and grown close with the volunteers who stop by her house weekly.
“I’ve gotten to know them,” Ms. Garland said. “I always ask about what they’re doing and how things are going, and they check in on me.”
The impact of these friendly relationships has been a positive force in Ms. Garland’s life; so much so that she has come to rely on her weekly conversations with Feed More’s dedicated volunteers in the same way she relies on the food deliveries they bring.
These life-changing services are in high demand all across Central Virginia by seniors just like Ms. Garland. Yet federal cuts to nutrition programs trickle down to states and communities, often resulting in fewer resources spread out across fewer organizations.
According to Aaron McClung, Feed More Chief Development Officer:
“Living on a fixed income leaves older adults with little flexibility when costs rise,” he said. “And as essentials like healthcare and utilities continue to increase, often faster than Social Security, food becomes one of the few places they can cut back. Even a small change, like a $20 increase in a prescription co-pay, can force tough decisions. When these economic pressures hit, Feed More uses real-time data to quickly shift food and resources to where neighbors need them most. And as the need for food assistance in the communities we serve grows, collaboration across nonprofits, government, and the community is what helps older neighbors stay stable and move from simply surviving to truly thriving.”
As Feed More and other local nonprofits seek to bridge the gap, there is little doubt about the transformational impact these programs have on our aging neighbors seeking to live with dignity and purpose.
There is certainly no doubt about Ms. Garland’s experience.
The stability provided by reliable access to both nutrition and social interaction has provided her with the kind of comfort she wasn’t sure she would be able to find again after she left the hospital.
But now, a year and a half later, she remains grateful for the program and the people who have made such a difference in her life.
“I can’t say enough good things about them,” Ms. Garland said. “I have my independence.”
*Individual’s name changed to maintain privacy