Steele Chapter Strengthens Families at JBAB

AFA’s D.W. Steele Sr. Chapter in Northern Virginia is demonstrating how local partnerships can make a lasting difference for military families in need. In 2024, the chapter began collaborating with the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) Top III Association, which had created a food pantry to assist service members and families struggling with food insecurity. With a $1,000 grant from AFA’s United Forces & Families program as seed funding, the pantry stocked its first shelves with non-perishable food.

When the pantry officially opened in June 2025, Steele Chapter members joined the celebration, and their support continued to grow. In October, AFA National awarded the Steele Chapter a second $1,000 grant and matched it with chapter funds, doubling the impact. Members also contributed hundreds of dollars and many pounds of pantry goods during the chapter’s October and November membership meetings. Additionally, periodic e-letters have gone out to all members encouraging continued donations and volunteer participation. Numerous social media posts have also highlighted the problem and the chapter’s response.

Food insecurity among military families is a serious and often invisible issue. It’s not just about bare cupboards, it’s about choosing between rent and groceries, stretching paychecks, and doing more with less. Many JBAB families face the combined pressures of low enlisted pay, high living and childcare costs, and limited employment opportunities for military spouses.

“The need continues to grow rapidly,” said Megan Rowley, a military spouse and lead pantry volunteer. Rowley also serves as the chapter’s Vice President for Military Family Affairs. “We typically serve an average of 13 households per week. During the government shutdown that number exploded to an average of 98 households weekly.”

Her teammate, Senior Master Sgt. Jacquelyn Gausemel, President of the JBAB Top III Association, and Steele Chapter member, echoed that gratitude: “We are forever grateful for your partnership and help. Given the exponential increase in need, I can’t help but think, what if we weren’t there?”

The JBAB Food Pantry and Top III Association are now recognized as official Chapter Wingmen, with their logos proudly displayed on the chapter website.

Steele Chapter’s partnership with JBAB stands as a model for AFA chapters nationwide, showing how teamwork, compassion, and persistence can turn small grants into big results for our Airmen, Guardians, and their Families.