The Tyrod Taylor Foundation teamed up with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and Kroger to make the drive-through food pantry happen.
Author: Dana Smith
Published: 4:19 PM EDT April 24, 2021
Updated: 6:30 PM EDT April 24, 2021

HAMPTON, Va. — NFL quarterback and Hampton native Tyrod Taylor were behind a food drive at his former high school that helped hundreds of families, Saturday morning.

Taylor’s mother, Trina Taylor was there to help. She said she knows a lot of families need a little extra help to get by.

“We just wanted to bring a little bit of joy to the community,” she said.

The Tyrod Taylor Foundation teamed up with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, and Kroger to organize the drive-through food pantry at Hampton High, home of the Crabbers.

“This is Crabber pride!” Taylor said. “Ty’s a former Crabber, I’m a former Crabber, his father’s a former Crabber, and we just wanted to share back to where our roots comes from.”

Virginia Peninsula Food Bank CEO Karen Joyner said it’s a larger effort to give back to the community Taylor grew up in.

“Tyrod has a big heart and his goal is to feed 1,000 people a month,” she said.

In addition to the standard non-perishables you can expect from the food bank, families also got boxes of fresh vegetables, fruit, and meat.

Kroger store leader Billy Milton said the fresh food makes a big difference.

“So often we donate canned goods and things of that nature. But this time, to actually be able to do fresh produce and fresh meats, it’s very exciting,” Milton said.

Joyner said we may be rounding a corner in the pandemic, with greater vaccine access, but hunger is still a problem.

“Even though seems thing to be opening up. Hunger is always with us,” she said.

Joyner said people struggle every day to feed their families and the pandemic highlighted that problem.

“It did bring to light the issue of hunger by having us doing the drive-through distributions for the safety of volunteers and staff. We couldn’t do them indoors where it was hidden anymore,” Joyner explained.

She said with the help of community partners, like the Tyrod Taylor Foundation and Kroger, her team is committed to fighting the problem.

Organizers gave away groceries to more than 250 families.