Approximately 150 people attended a fundraiser at the Harris Pavilion in downtown Manassas on Sunday, July 27, 2025, to support food assistance programs in the greater Prince William County area. The event raised over $5,200, which will be divided equally among three local organizations: Haymarket Food Pantry, Action in the Community Through Service (ACTS), and Creating Foundations for Hope (CFH).
Several elected officials participated, including members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) and state legislators. One of the event’s main attractions was a dunk tank, where attendees could donate money for a chance to dunk local officials.
Supervisor Yesli Vega (R-Coles BOCS) was dunked multiple times, including once by BOCS Chair Deshundra Jefferson (D, At-Large BOCS), who declined to participate in the dunk tank herself. Vega said, “I am absolutely happy to be here today in support of putting an end to hunger in Prince William County. This is neighbors helping neighbors that should be lauded and encouraged.”
Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura attended on behalf of Governor Glenn Youngkin. In remarks to the crowd, Segura stated that the administration supports programs aimed at reducing poverty through community assistance.
“Governor Youngkin from day one has talked about creating more opportunities for Virginians, offering a hand up,” Segura said. “Whether it’s bringing more economic opportunity or supporting organizations like these that help folks with food insecurity, the Governor is committed to a Virginia that creates opportunity for everyone.”
Organizer Jessica Schaer said in the 10 minutes Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-Manassas) was in the tank, and VA State Senator Danica Roem (D-30) spoke to the crowd, more than $700 flooded into the online donations page. Shaer couldn’t say which politician was responsible for the influx, but she praised Lovejoy for promoting the event on his social media accounts in the days leading up to it.Â
Virginia Delegate Briana Sewell (D-25) said, “I was happy to come out and support organizations lending a helping hand, at a time when we know 43% of our community goes hungry. For me [participating] was a no brainer not only bringing food and donating money myself but more importantly making sure [getting dunked] could generate additional investments into the food banks. Sewell touted her bipartisan bill, “5,000 families,” which would provide funding for families with school-age children to assist with housing and food costs, helping them stay in their current homes during the school year.
Foster’s Grille pledged 20% of all sales from their Old Town Manassas location on July 27 to the drive.
Other notable dunk tank participants: Principal of Henderson Elementary, Amy Schott; Manassas PD Officer TJ Rodriguez; Principal of Tyler Elementary, Jennifer Perilla;Â Manassas PD Captain Marcus Hyde; Meg Stevens, Chair of Potomac Democrats; and Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10).
If you missed the event and want to donate to the organizations that serve the greater Prince William area, please see:
Haymarket Food Pantry https://haymarketfoodpantry.org/needs/
ACTS https://actspwc.org/donations/Â
Creating Foundations for Hope https://cfhva.org/how-to-give/Â
From a single closet shared by two churches to a bustling community lifeline helping tens of thousands annually, the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year — and its mission is more critical than ever.
Since its founding, the pantry has assisted more than 500,000 people, thanks to the support of 10,000 donors and an army of volunteers. What began as a small operation by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Haymarket has become a vital resource for families facing hunger across western Prince William County.
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In time for Thanksgiving and the rest of the 2024 holiday season, I-66 Express Mobility Partners (I-66 EMP), builder and operator of the 66 Express Outside the Beltway, recently provided a donation of $10,000 to support the Hunger Resource Center (HRC) of Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS).
Headquartered at NVFS’s SERVE campus in Manassas, the HRC provides approximately 400 families from around Prince William County with emergency food assistance, nutrition information, and helpful strategies for buying healthy food on a budget.
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