Freedom to Give
Partnering with you to make a difference.
Freedom First and WDBJ7 are hosting quarterly community donation drives in downtown Roanoke to benefit our neighbors. Scroll down to see how you can participate in the giving!
.png)
Support Feeding Southwest Virginia
Our second Freedom to Give benefited Feeding Southwest Virginia, an organization that nourishes neighbors across 26 counties and 9 cities in the Southwest Virginia region.
When schools close, many children lose access to the meals they relied on each day. Your gift helps fill that summer gap with food families can use—so kids can be kids, and parents can carry a little less worry.
Through Freedom to Give, we donated over 6,079 pounds of food, helping provide over 5,000 meals for our neighbors across our region.
Items We Collected
We collected the following food items at our branch locations and participating partner businesses. Others brought them on the day of the event:
- Peanut butter
- Canned proteins
- Canned fruits
- Shelf-stable meals
- Bottled water
- Beans, pasta, and rice
- Canned vegetables
- 100% juice
Please note:
- Low sodium and low-sugar options preferred
- No glass containers of any kind
- Canned items with pop-top lids are preferred
How You Can Participate
While this donation drive has ended, be sure to follow along for the next opportunity to help our neighbors in Central & Southwest VA.
Donations Go To: Feeding Southwest Virginia
Date: Friday, July 17th, 2026
Time: 12-6 pm
Location: 207 Bullitt Ave SE, Roanoke, VA 24013 (scroll to see directions and maps below)
We are also collecting donations between July 6th-16th at the following locations:- Freedom First branches
- WDBJ7 Studio (2807 Hershberger Rd NW)
- K92 Studio (3934 Electric Rd)
- Dominion Risk Advisors (28A Kirk Ave SW)
- The Franklin Plaza Building lobby (111 Franklin Rd SE)
- chocolatepaper (308 Market St SE)
- Interactive Design Group (301 6th St SW)
- Readerlink (1100 Intervale Dr)
- The Berglund Center box office (710 Williamson Rd NE)
- F&S Building Innovations (2944 Orange Ave NE)
- Ideal Cabinets Design Studio (3727 Franklin Rd SW)
- Lionberger Construction (5903 Starkey Rd)
Directions to Freedom First's Headquarters
Address: 207 Bullitt Ave SE, Roanoke, VA 24013
Access from I-581: Take the Elm Ave exit and turn right onto Williamson Rd SE. Take the first right onto Bullitt Ave SE, across from Elmwood Park. Cross the railroad tracks to find the big building with the climber mural, then turn right into our gated parking lot to participate.
Access from Downtown: Follow Williamson Rd SE to Elmwood Park. Pass the Elmwood Parking Garage and turn left onto Bullitt Ave SE, across from the park. Cross the railroad tracks to find the big building with the climber mural, then turn right into our gated parking lot to participate.
Go With the Flow - Here's What to Expect.
When you arrive at the Freedom First Elmwood Headquarters to drop off your donations, just follow the flow of traffic as marked in our map below. The donation tents staffed by volunteers will be on the right-hand side, closest to the train tracks.
Please pull up your car and drop off your items, then keep moving forward and back around the loop and out the gate. If you need an in-kind donation receipt, our volunteers are ready to help you at the donation tents.
.png)