ANNANDALE, Va. — Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi convened community stakeholders at Northern Virginia Community College’s Annandale Campus today for the Virginia Hunger Roundtable, a discussion focused on addressing hunger and food insecurity across the Commonwealth and identifying budget and policy opportunities ahead of the 2027 General Assembly session.
The event was part of Virginia’s Voices, a community engagement and outreach initiative launched by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in January 2026 to create more opportunities for Virginians to share directly on issues affecting their lives and communities.
The roundtable brought participants together to discuss perspectives from their organizations, identify the communities facing the greatest challenges, and define needs and gaps in efforts to address food insecurity. The discussion also recognized progress made during the 2026 General Assembly session and explored additional state-level opportunities to build on that progress.
Lieutenant Governor Hashmi stated, “I have listened to hundreds of Virginians describe the impossible choices they are being forced to make for themselves and their families as they try to pay for groceries, gas, housing, utilities, and other basic necessities. I have toured food banks across our Commonwealth and seen the same devastating pattern: demand outpacing available supplies, shelves running low, and people who once volunteered to feed their neighbors now standing in line for food themselves.
“Every line at a food pantry represents a family trying to make ends meet. At a time when federal policy decisions under the Trump administration are adding to the financial pressure on households, we must do everything in our power to protect Virginians. That means listening to the people closest to this crisis, supporting the organizations on the front lines, and pursuing meaningful policy solutions so that no Virginian has to face hunger alone.”
Following the roundtable, Lieutenant Governor Hashmi and participants toured Nighthawk’s Food Pantry at Northern Virginia Community College, joined by members of the media. The tour provided an opportunity to learn more about campus food access efforts and the role community-based resources play in supporting individuals facing food insecurity.
“Our institutions of higher education are vital partners in combating food insecurity and developing innovative solutions. I thank Northern Virginia Community College – Annandale Campus for hosting this vital conversation.”
The roundtable also focused on opportunities for continued collaboration among participants and state leaders, as well as the need for additional data, research, and recommendations to inform policy and budget priorities ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Participants discussed the proposed Spring Hunger Summit as a next step in sustaining the conversation and advancing collaborative solutions.
Through Virginia’s Voices, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor continues to engage with communities across the Commonwealth to hear directly from Virginians about their experiences, priorities, and concerns and to inform ongoing discussions about issues affecting their daily lives.