Why We Get Creepy: Hunger Is the Real Monster in Hampton Roads
Every Halloween, we celebrate the things that go bump in the night. But for thousands of families across Hampton Roads, the scariest thing isn't a ghost or a ghoul. It's an empty plate.
The numbers are frightening
A new statewide hunger study, commissioned by the Federation of Virginia Food Banks and conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago, surveyed more than 5,600 Virginians. What it found should stop all of us in our tracks.
43% of households in Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore are food insecure. That's more than two in five of our neighbors.
On the Virginia Peninsula, it's 50%. Half of all households may not know where their next meal is coming from, the second-highest rate in the state.
Previous federal estimates put Hampton Roads at just 15–20%. The new study measured hunger more broadly, revealing a crisis far larger than we knew.
Statewide, 51% of Virginia families with children face food insecurity.
The hardest-hit groups are seniors, adults living with chronic illness, and households with children. More and more, the people waiting in line at food pantries are working families, people with jobs who simply can't stretch a paycheck across rent, medicine, car repairs and groceries.
Our local food bank is feeling it
"Our lines are 30% to 40% longer than they've ever been, and we are doing many more transactions than we did even four years ago."
Chris Tan, CEO, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
At the same time, about 120,000 Virginians lost SNAP benefits over the past year. That matters: for every one meal the Foodbank provides, SNAP provides nine. When that support disappears, Tan says, "the charitable food network is all they have left."
Watch: EMPTY, a Creepy for a Cause short story
In our short horror film, hunger takes the shape of a monster: a towering empty plate with jagged teeth, swallowing our city one household at a time. Hero after hero tries to defeat it alone, and every one of them falls.
Only when they stand together does the monster finally break.
The heroes in this story are the real-life sponsors who make Creepy for a Cause possible. The lesson is real too: no one can beat hunger alone.
Where you come in
Creepy for a Cause, presented by the Morring Community Foundation, turns Halloween night into a force for good. Every ticket, every donation and every costume helps the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore put food on the tables of families right here at home.
Every $1 helps provide 2 meals.
You don't need a cape to be a hero. You just need to show up.
Morring Community Foundation’s
CREEPY FOR A CAUSE HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER 2025
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for each and every one of you who made our inaugural Creepy for a Cause an absolute MOMENT! Your donations, contributions, and infectious energy transformed this safe and spirited soirée into the most generous haunted gathering we could have imagined.
WE RAISED MORE THAN $50,000 FOR THE FOODBANK OF SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA AND EASTERN SHORE!
This wasn't just about ghoulishly good fun, it was also about fighting hunger and providing hope. Together, we've proven that when our community comes together, incredible things happen.
Every penny will be allocated directly to Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
These funds will expand vital programs including meal services, mobile food pantries, and emergency assistance for families facing impossible choices between paying rent and putting food on the table.
100% of proceeds will benefit:
From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU to everyone who attended, donated, and made this event a reality. Thank you for showing up, showing out, and showing that Hampton Roads knows how to party with a purpose!
Together, we're fighting hunger one creepy celebration at a time!
With eternal gratitude,
The Morring Community Foundation
#CreepyForACause #FoodbankSEVA #NorfolkGives #HamptonRoadsCares #50KStrong
The Impact of Your Support
Why Your Ongoing Support Matters
Food insecurity isn't just statistics—it's our neighbors, coworkers, and community members struggling to put food on the table. The need in our community is real and urgent:
The Crisis by the Numbers:
1 in 8 neighbors in our area are food insecure.
More than 152,720 people within our region are projected to be food insecure.
1 in 3 children go to bed hungry.
Your support is helping to change these statistics, one meal at a time.
Together, we're ensuring that no neighbor has to face hunger alone.
Morring Community Foundation is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to creating positive change in our community and all proceeds are 100% tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Benefiting
