Virginia Credit Union and Minor League Baseball Partners Team Up to Deliver $17,000 to Local Food Banks as Part of 2026 Strikeout Hunger Campaign

Virginia Credit Union has donated a combined $17,000 to two regional food banks through its Strikeout Hunger campaign, a season-long partnership with Minor League Baseball teams in Salem, Lynchburg, and Pulaski.

Feeding Southwest Virginia will receive $10,000 through the credit union's partnerships with the Salem and Pulaski clubs. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank will receive $7,000 through the Lynchburg partnership. The two organizations serve communities across Western and Central Virginia, distributing food through networks of local pantries, mobile markets, and school-based programs.

“VACU is proud to partner with Feeding Southwest Virginia and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in support of their extraordinary work," said Tim Rowe, VACU’s Western Region Market President. “Food security issues in our area are significant and persistent. By supporting our local food banks, we’re making a meaningful difference for the children, families, seniors, and veterans who may be facing hunger or struggling to put nutritious food on the table.”

Food security is one of four key pillars guiding VACU’s community engagement work, alongside financial education, children’s health and wellness, and community well-being. Strikeout Hunger builds on the credit union's broader investment in food security across its service footprint. The campaign reflects a partnership model VACU has used successfully with regional sports teams, tying community giving to the seasons and venues where members and neighbors already gather. With Strikeout Hunger, VACU donates $5 to local food banks for every strikeout recorded by partner Minor League Baseball teams, including the Salem RidgeYaks, Lynchburg Hill City Howlers, and Pulaski River Turtles.

The credit union's volunteer service to food security organizations and urban farms in 2026 has included 247 volunteer hours throughout Southwest Virginia, Lynchburg, Fredericksburg, and the Richmond area, all of which are part of an employee volunteer program that supports causes aligned with the credit union's mission. In 2025, VACU donated more than $67,500 to food banks and food pantries from the New River Valley to Fredericksburg.

“We know that thriving, healthy communities begin with nourishing food, and we’re deeply grateful for Virginia Credit Union’s ongoing commitment to our community,” said James Quade, Branch Operations Manager for the Southern Region at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “Their support strengthens our ability to provide reliable access to nutritious food for families throughout the Blue Ridge.”

"We are incredibly thankful for the support of Virginia Credit Union," said Feeding Southwest Virginia CEO Pamela Irvine. "The need for nourishing food in Southwest Virginia continues to grow, and their generous support will help our Food Bank distribute thousands of meals to children, seniors, and families who face hunger in our service region. It’s because of strong partners like Virginia Credit Union that we can strike out hunger together.”

About the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization serving Western and Central Virginia. Founded in 1981, the Food Bank serves 25 counties and eight cities through distribution centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Winchester, and its headquarters in Verona. Each month, the Food Bank supports an average of 178,700 guest visits, reaching record numbers of Virginians through a network of 400+ community partners — food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and program sites. For more information, visit www.brafb.org

About Feeding Southwest Virginia (SWVA)
Feeding Southwest Virginia is a partner food bank of Feeding America. For the last four decades, the mission of Feeding SWVA has been to nourish neighbors, engage community partners, and develop solutions to address food insecurity. Each year, the Food Bank secures and distributes over 20 million pounds of food to nourish the one-in-seven of our neighbors who live with hunger in Southwest Virginia. To better serve our communities, Feeding SWVA supports 275 Agency Partners who operate over 350 meal programs throughout our 26-county and nine-city service region. Visit feedingswva.org for more information.

About Virginia Credit Union
Virginia Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative serving nearly 500,000 members. The not-for-profit credit union offers a variety of affordable banking services, loans, mortgages, and free financial education resources, all designed to help people feel more confident and achieve greater success. Virginia Credit Union is an equal housing opportunity lender and is federally insured by the NCUA. Visit vacu.org