2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 200

Commending BetterALife.

Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2026

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2026

WHEREAS, BetterALife, a nonprofit organization based in Purcellville dedicated to helping children and families in need through food and educational assistance and life-skill services, has greatly served the Loudoun County and Fairfax County communities for several years; and

WHEREAS, BetterALife was founded by Elizabeth Ford, a Reston native whose experiences of food insecurity in her youth inspired her to create an organization that would disrupt generational patterns of poverty and transform young people's lives, one meal at a time; and

WHEREAS, through its recently expanded food pantry and meal deliveries throughout Loudoun County and Fairfax County, BetterALife has served more than 10,000 households and provided more than 75,000 pounds of food to those in need; and

WHEREAS, BetterALife delivers meals both door-to-door and at locations throughout Loudoun County and Fairfax County, including schools, meeting people where they are, and facilitating access to their programs and services; and

WHEREAS, BetterALife established a weekend food bag program to nurture the health and well-being of children who may otherwise go hungry outside of school, and the program has already provided more than 8,000 meals; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its flagship Growth for a Life nutrition program, BetterALife also implements Cook for a Life and Inspire a Life programs to teach children about healthy eating and nutrition and to offer a variety of education services, including tutoring, General Educational Development test support, and career counseling; and

WHEREAS, the accomplishments of BetterALife are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the organization's volunteers and staff who give generously of their time to make a difference in the lives of others; and

WHEREAS, BetterALife has benefited from partnerships with a number of local schools and business sponsors, which have provided resources and expertise to enhance the organization's ability to fulfill its mission; and

WHEREAS, by addressing food insecurity and related issues in the community, BetterALife has made a profound and lasting impact on countless lives in Loudoun County and Fairfax County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend BetterALife for its legacy of service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Elizabeth Ford, founder of BetterALife, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's contributions to the Commonwealth.