New Campaign Raises Funds For RARA
Community members gave thousands of dollars last month to help the Rockbridge Area Relief Association “Fill the Summer Gap.”
The first-time campaign by that name was sparked by a $10,000 matching gift from an anonymous donor, said RARA Executive Director Lindsey Pérez. Other donors contributed more than $18,000, putting the total earnings at $28,805.
The campaign lasted from May 19 to 31 and was promoted through social media and emails to prior supporters. Pérez said it’s RARA’s first matching funds campaign in at least eight years.
The “summer gap” refers to the increased financial strain that comes from children being out of school, Pérez said. Families may have to miss more work to look after kids and could face increased costs for summer camps or greater utility usage with more people at home.
“What could already be a tight budget is even harder over the summer,” she said.
RARA provides assistance to Rockbridge area families through two main avenues: food distribution and assistance paying for other necessities. It runs its Neighborhood Grocery food pantries in Lexington and Goshen and also operates mobile food pantries that travel to sites throughout the county in collaboration with Washington and Lee University’s Campus Kitchen. Plus, families can call RARA to get help with the cost of utilities and housing.
The organization got its start in 1972 and has been serving local residents ever since. But Pérez said the demand for its services over the past few years has been unprecedented.
“Throughout the country, but in Rockbridge too, people are having a hard time making ends meet,” she said. “Right now, especially with high inflation, over the last three years the need has been growing even more than we’ve ever seen.”
So far this year, RARA has seen a monthly average of more than 1,000 visits to its food pantries, Pérez said. That’s a 16% increase from the monthly average in 2025, which was a little over 900.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 500 to 600 monthly visits was the average, she said.
“People that haven’t needed our services in many years are having to turn to us,” Pérez said. “People that have never used us before and a lot of families that you would typically consider middle class … they’re still having a hard time with all the costs right now.”
RARA has also experienced a surge in the numbers of people seeking help with utilities and housing costs. Pérez said RARA dealt with 20% more of these cases in 2025 compared to 2024. And the organization saw the average number of monthly housing cases double in January and February — likely because eligibility for the program resets every calendar year.
“They all called at once needing that assistance, because it’s just really hard to keep up,” she said.
The amount of utility and housing cases has dropped off after the initial rush at the beginning of 2026, Pérez said. But RARA is still handling about 23 cases per month.
Pérez said RARA has been able to adapt to the greater need. But it wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of local residents. RARA’s supporters donate money, coordinate food drives, share fresh produce and volunteer at pantry sites.
“Our community has really come together to make sure we’re supported,” she said.
Pérez said after the campaign’s success, RARA would consider launching a similar fundraiser in the future. But the organization has no plans to do so at the moment.
Those interested in supporting RARA’s mission can learn more at https://www.raralex.org or call (540) 4636943.
