In 2016, Karen Joseph identified a startling reality in Northern Virginia: despite the region’s affluence, many children relied on school meals as their primary source of nutrition and went home to empty cupboards. She founded Food for Neighbors in Herndon to address that gap directly. Through the Red Bag Program, the organization mobilizes community members, donors, and volunteers to fill grocery bags with non-perishable items, which are collected and delivered discreetly to students in need. Under Karen’s leadership, Food for Neighbors has grown from serving Herndon Middle School to reaching schools across Springfield, Falls Church, and neighboring areas in Loudoun and Arlington Counties. However, scaling that reach required funding, and finding it was consuming more time than the team had to spare.
The Challenge
- Identifying viable grant opportunities was an overwhelming, time-intensive process that pulled focus away from the core mission of feeding students
- No streamlined funding strategy existed to support the organization’s growth into new schools and counties
- Searching for grants manually meant the team had no reliable way to know where funding was available or who to approach
“Before working with Euna Grants, we had only dabbled a bit in looking for grants, but finding those sources was a huge challenge.” — Karen Joseph
The Solution
- Partnered with Euna Grants to replace manual grant searching with an AI-driven matching system
- Gained access to thousands of funding opportunities from a database covering $300 billion in grants annually, with 200+ new grants posted weekly
- Automated the discovery process, freeing the team to redirect their energy toward program delivery and mission-driven work
“The impact has been saving so much time on our end of who has the money to share. Where is it coming from? Who do we tap into for that?” — Karen Joseph
The Results
- Won multiple grants within less than a year of partnering with Euna Grants
- Successfully applied for and secured several opportunities the organization would not have found independently
- Expanded services to additional schools, reaching more students in need across the region
- Continues to receive new funding opportunities through the platform on an ongoing basis
“We’ve applied for and won several of the grant opportunities that Euna Grants has sent our way, which is huge for us because we wouldn’t have found them otherwise.” — Karen Joseph
Conclusion
Food for Neighbors is a testament to what becomes possible when a mission-driven organization has the right tools behind it. By removing the burden of manual grant research, Euna Grants gave Karen and her team back the time and focus needed to grow and provide real impact for students across Northern Virginia.
“I recommend Euna Grants to others all the time. They have a great program, they have great staff, and they add huge value for what a lot of nonprofits are trying to accomplish out there.” — Karen Joseph