MONTGOMERY, AL – August 23, 2023 – The Department of Veteran Affairs, in conjunction with the
Heart of Alabama Food Bank, announces the grand opening of the Dr. Joseph Henry Ward Veterans Food
Pantry. The pantry is located at the Central Alabama VA Medical Center in Tuskegee, AL, and is the
state’s first Food Bank-supported veteran pantry.
Veterans, active-duty service members, and military families face challenges that make it difficult to feed
their families. As many as 24% of our active-duty service members were food insecure over the past year.
As many as 1.2 million Veterans qualify for food assistance. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Heart of Alabama Food Bank have teamed up to provide food to our veterans in need across Alabama.
The pantry will be open Monday-Friday. Assistance will be available to those with proper identification
as a veteran, caregiver, military, or reservist. For more information concerning the pantry, call (334) 727-
0550 ext. 53148 or visit www.vhacavcdce@va.gov. Location: 2400 Hospital Road, Building 68,
Tuskegee, AL 36083
About the Heart of Alabama Food Bank (HAFB)
The Heart of Alabama Food Bank (HAFB), formally the Montgomery Area Food Bank, was established
in 1986. The organization became a certified affiliate of Feeding America in 1989 and works with our
state association, Feeding Alabama. The mission of HAFB is to source, acquire, and distribute nutritious
food to those experiencing hunger and food insecurity throughout our region so that families, seniors, and
children can thrive.
Last year alone, HAFB distributed 27 million pounds of food, or 22.4 million meals, to the 35 counties
served and is on track to distribute even more in the coming years. HAFB provides food to our service
area by working with over 500 partner agencies that serve people through various programs. More
information on how to get involved in the fight against hunger: www.hafb.org
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