Redefining Freedom Center Awards First Major “Food is Freedom” Grant to Loudoun Education Foundation to Support Students and Families During Holiday Season
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9, 2025
Loudoun County, VA — The Redefining Freedom Center of Virginia (RFC), headquartered in Leesburg, has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Loudoun Education Foundation (LEF) to support food security, student health resources, and menstrual dignity for families who are struggling under extraordinary economic pressures. The award will be formally presented on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at LEF’s King Street warehouse facility in Leesburg.
This gift is RFC’s first major grant under its “Food is Freedom” initiative — launched in Fall 2025 to ensure that freedom is not merely philosophical, but practical and lived. RFC is rooted in the conviction that children cannot learn, and families cannot thrive without food, health, dignity, and access.
“Our Foundation was built here in Loudoun County, and this is our home,” said Sophia A. Nelson, Esq., Founder & Chair of the Redefining Freedom Center. “Freedom is not abstract. It is lived in a child’s ability to learn without hunger, in a parent’s ability to provide with dignity, and in the well-being of our schools and communities. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Loudoun Education Foundation in lifting families, especially during this difficult holiday season.”
Allocation of Funds
The grant funds will be used as follows:
$2,500 for food cards/food bags for families in need
$1,500 for eyeglass certificates for students at Farmwell Station Middle School
$500 for dental support for students and families at Farmwell Station Middle School
$500 for menstrual care products for girls — a “hat tip” to RFC’s Texas partner Mona’s Heart Outreach, Inc., a global leader in menstrual equity. Mona’s Heart brought to RFC’s attention the urgent need to invest in this area as one of the most basic expressions of “life and liberty” for school-aged girls.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Redefining Freedom Center for this generous award,” said b. “These funds will immediately help families who are struggling under extraordinary pressures. This partnership reflects the best of Loudoun County — community organizations working together to ensure our students have what they need to thrive.”
In addition to partnering with LEF, RFC is directly investing in the well-being of students at Farmwell Station Middle School — the first Loudoun school to pilot RFC’s student-centered approach, focusing on health, confidence, and dignity.
Farmwell Station Middle School Principal Sherryl Loya stated:
“This partnership with Farmwell Station Middle School is the natural next step in helping our community. It's a strategic commitment to work hand-in-hand with the institutions closest to children, ensuring students have the foundational health and well-being necessary to learn and thrive.”
RFC also announced its intention to award a second $5,000 LEF grant in Spring 2026, based on measurable impact, emerging needs, and continuing collaboration. The goal, RFC emphasized, is a sustained relationship — not a one-time gesture. As RFC leans into America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, its mission remains clear: freedom must be lived by ensuring food security, basic dignity, and student wellbeing in the communities where we call home.
About the Redefining Freedom Center
The Redefining Freedom Center of Virginia is a Loudoun-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to advancing civic education, community partnership, and health-and-dignity initiatives that ensure freedom is lived, not just declared.
www.redefiningfreedomcenterofvirginia.org
About the Loudoun Education Foundation
For more than 30 years, the Loudoun Education Foundation has supported student learning, well-being, and opportunity through strategic partnerships with local schools, businesses, and community organizations.
www.loudouneducationfoundation.org
Media Contact
Sophia A. Nelson, Esq.
Founder & Spokeswoman, Redefining Freedom Center
Mobile: 240-489-1970
Emainfo@redefiningfreedomcenter.org
