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As the Trump administration makes sweeping changes to medical and food assistance programs while cutting grants to many safety-net organizations across the country, two local nonprofits are partnering to expand access to healthy food in Orange County.
The Orange County Free Clinic (OCFC) is the newest organization to join the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB) Food Pharmacy program. The BRAFB serves more than 171,000 people per month through its community partnerships. Of those, up to 1,800 per month receive food, nutrition education and recipes tailored to their individual health needs at one of the nonprofit’s 29 food pharmacy sites.
Through a team of healthcare providers, the OCFC serves Orange County residents who have lower incomes and are uninsured or underinsured, according to its website. In addition to offering physical and mental healthcare services, patients also receive medications and medical supplies. Hypertension, diabetes and depression are the three most diagnosed chronic conditions at the clinic, the website also states.
Julia, a longtime Orange County resident and mother of three, is one of more than 200 community members who have already benefitted from the new Orange County food pharmacy, which is located at the existing OCFC building on Woodmark Street in downtown Orange and is open to all patients of the free clinic. (We are using Julia’s first name only out of regard for her safety.)
Although she is employed, Julia said she sometimes experiences food insecurity due to unreliable work hours. She has visited other food pantries in the past, but that same fluctuating work schedule can make it hard for her to utilize rural pantries with limited hours of operation.
An informational display at the Orange County Free Clinic containing nutritional guides and recipes. Through the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s Food Pharmacy program, about 1,800 guests per month receive food, nutrition education and recipes tailored to their individual health needs at one of 29 sites in Virginia. Credit: Andra Landi/Charlottesville Tomorrow
At the food pharmacy, Julia can schedule her visits to coincide with her doctors’ appointments, cutting down on time missed from work. She and her children sometimes visit the food pharmacy as a family, where they learn how to develop new habits, like choosing low-sodium canned goods and other healthy choices.
When asked if her children have absorbed the nutrition information given during the appointments, Julia replied with a smile, “They know more than me.”
Kara Snapp, BRAFB’s manager of health initiatives, said that the food bank’s partnership with healthcare providers is an efficient way to serve community members like Julia by providing a “one-stop shop” for their needs.
“When we look at patients that get service at federally qualified health centers or free clinics, we know that the likelihood that they’re food insecure is higher than the general population,” Snapp said. “When we provide food at a site where people already are, or they can get transportation to a medical appointment, we can provide them with nutritious food that is chosen from our inventory by a dietitian most frequently. Then we know they’re getting food that is healthy and is going to support them in optimizing their own health.”
For now, the Orange County food pharmacy is housed in a repurposed staff kitchen and primarily offers nonperishable goods, as well as a limited supply of shelf-stable produce such as potatoes and onions. However, OCFC hopes to change that with an 800-square-foot addition to the building.
At the food pharmacy, Julia, a longtime Orange County resident and mother of three, can schedule her visits to coincide with her doctors’ appointments, cutting down on time missed from work. She and her children sometimes visit the food pharmacy as a family, where they learn how to develop new habits, like choosing low-sodium canned goods and other healthy choices. Credit: Andra Landi/Charlottesville Tomorrow
The addition, slated to begin this month, will be partially funded by a $50,000 matching grant from the Perry Foundation, along with funds the clinic raises through its capital campaign. The enlarged food pharmacy will provide more space for a commercial-size refrigerator, allowing OCFC to distribute a variety of free produce, as well as a conference room dedicated to community education.
As nonprofit organizations throughout Virginia grapple with federal spending cuts, partnerships similar to the free clinic and the food bank provide opportunities to maximize impact. But they may also create unique vulnerabilities.
In May, BRAFB’s first Food Pharmacy partner, HCHC Care Management in Harrisonburg, permanently closed after losing its funding from the Ryan White Program for the upcoming fiscal year. The program — administered by the Health Resources & Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health — was established with bipartisan support in 1990 to act as a safety net for Americans with lower incomes living with HIV/AIDS.
A weighing station at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank warehouse pictured in August 2025. Kara Snapp, BRAFB’s manager of health initiatives, said of the Food Pharmacy program and partnership with the Orange County Free Clinic, “It’s like the traditional social safety net is being cut at the thread, so having community organizations come together is even more critical to build that mutual aid mentality that developed during the pandemic. We’re stronger together.” Credit: Andra Landi/Charlottesville Tomorrow
While the OCFC does not accept direct federal funds and has been spared from the worst impacts from changes to the federal budget, several partner organizations that the clinic depends on for essential services have been affected.
OCFC Executive Director Dorren Brown noted that breast health services were temporarily halted earlier this year when federal funding was frozen for Every Woman’s Life, a Virginia Department of Health program that provides free mammograms and Pap tests to uninsured residents with lower incomes.
“We started back up [in July], so I’m hoping it will stay that way, but we live day to day,” Brown said. “I’ll be honest. We don’t know.”
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Where to go if you need food assistance in Orange County
Love Outreach Food Pantry 252 Blue Ridge Drive Orange, VA 22960 Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 3rd Mondays 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (540) 223-6674 loveoutreachocva.org
Blue Ridge Mobile Food Pantry Booster Park 1117 Bloomsbury Road Orange, VA 22960 3rd Tuesdays 10 to 11:30 p.m. (540) 248-3663 brafb.org
Good Samaritan Inc. 105 N. Madison Road Orange, VA 22960 Thursdays and Fridays 12 to 3 p.m. (540) 308-7741 goodsamaritaninc.org
LOW Lions Club Wilderness Food Pantry 3291 Constitution Highway Locust Grove, VA 22904 Fridays 9 to 10:30 a.m. (540) 518-2440 ext. 3 lowlions.org/food-pantry
Orange County Free Clinic Food Pharmacy Open by appointment to OCFC patients 101C Woodmark Street Orange, VA 22960 (540) 672-0793 orangecountyfreeclinic.org
Feed My Sheep Emergency Food Closet Delivery within a 24-mile radius of Gordonsville (434) 249-6892
Come To The Table Free community lunch St. Thomas Episcopal Church 119 Caroline Street Orange, VA 22960 Wednesdays 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. (804) 543-6379
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Orange County Department of Social Services 146 N. Madison Road Orange, VA 22960 Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (540) 672-6166 orangecountyva.gov/391/Social-Services
The OCFC was also one of many free clinics across the state that faced a crisis in April when the federal government rescinded more than $219 million in funds from the Virginia Department of Health tied to COVID-19 mitigation. One particularly hard-hit area was the Community Health Worker Program, which funds the salaries of staff members who act as patient advocates and connect them to community resources.
The OCFC has one community health worker, Alicia Byram, who handles everything from helping patients apply for assistance programs to providing Spanish translation services during doctors’ visits. On her way to work, Byram often picks up leftover baked goods from a Culpeper eatery to offer to patients in need.
When faced with the decision to eliminate Byram’s position or absorb the cost into their own budget, the clinic’s board of directors ultimately chose the latter.
“The clinic knew the importance of the job, so we just had to do it,” Brown said. “It just meant we had to raise more money. We never want to cut our services; we’re always trying to build and grow and provide more, so that’s how it hit us.”
For Julia, who is Latina, having a trusted relationship with a community health worker like Byram is critically important. With ICE arrests surging across Virginia, Julia has been making fewer car trips than usual in recent months, fearing the potentially traumatic experience of being stopped by agents, especially with her children present.
At the free clinic, Julia feels more secure. Lately, she has practiced advocating for herself by speaking English during her medical appointments, and she emphasized how Byram’s presence and encouragement have helped her to overcome any shyness due to the language barrier.
That same spirit of cooperation is what both Brown and Snapp hope will help their respective organizations continue to serve their communities, even as cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits threaten to increase the number of Virginians in need of their services.
“Collaboration is key for all of this,” Snapp said. “It’s like the traditional social safety net is being cut at the thread, so having community organizations come together is even more critical to build that mutual aid mentality that developed during the pandemic. We’re stronger together.”
Brown’s words echoed the same sentiment. “It’s that village thing.”
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Princess Diana’s overnight oats, also known as Bircher muesli, are made with citrus-soaked oats, Greek yogurt, grated apple, blueberries, and walnuts. It’s a nourishing, protein-packed breakfast that’s easy to prep ahead.
This fluffy one-bowl Starbucks pumpkin bread is naturally sweetened, topped with crunchy pepitas and so easy to make at home. It's healthier and cheaper than the coffee shop version!
