The Brightside: Chincoteague Island Food Closet

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. – When people are in need of food or other help on Chincoteague Island, they know exactly who to turn to.

Locals know if you ever need food, you can always count on Craig Summers and his wife Karen. The two took over the Chincoteague Island Food Closet a few years ago, and since then, they’ve done so much more than just hand out food.

“We expanded the program to be an emergency assistance program, meaning we can provide short term and immediate food assistance to people in need, but also needs that result out of some catastrophic emergency”, Craig says.

Stepping up to lend a helping hand when you are left with nothing.

“There was a big fire here on the island a few weeks ago, a single mother with kids lost everything, so the food closet was able to step up and provide some immediate food needs but also some other needs that she needed to take care of her family.”

But still at their roots, they are a food closet, which means the vast majority of their work is handing out food to those in need. Craig says anyone in need can just come to the food closet, as they don’t qualify anybody.

“Although we can’t be everybody’s answer for everything, we certainly try to do our part, and alleviate some of the discomfort,” he says.

The food closet doesn’t just serve the island. Anyone in Accomack County or even up to Berlin can always reach out for help.

More information on the Chincoteague Island Food Closet can be found here.