WFCM April 2024 Newsletter

April 2024

WFCM News For You

Executive Director's Update

April 2024

During the month of March, we were once again able to connect 700 unduplicated families with groceries at our Centreville and Chantilly Client Choice Food Pantries. As the cost of housing, rent, and food has risen, Brenda is one of more than 3,700 individuals who has selected groceries from WFCM's client choice food pantries this fiscal year.

Brenda is married to a construction worker who strives to provide for her and their two young children. Brenda shared, "WFCM has helped us a lot with food, diapers, and personal hygiene items. After the pandemic the increase in prices on everything has been very difficult, so this helps me a lot to meet the needs of my family."

Brenda comes to the pantry with her one-year-old son while her six-year-old daughter is at school. During spring break, both children were at home. Like many families who rely on free breakfast and lunch meals from school, school breaks are hard for them. We are thankful for the special Fairfax County Government Food Access Program grant that allowed us to provide extra groceries for breakfasts and lunches during Fairfax County Public School's Spring Break to more than 400 families with school-age children, like Brenda's.

We are thankful for all of the partnerships that make it possible for WFCM to connect Brenda, and more than 1,200 neighboring households so far this fiscal year, with the ingredients they want and need to prepare healthy meals for their families.

This work takes many caring connections who volunteer, donate funds, donate food, and bridge the gap for our neighbors. Your support is key to keeping families safely housed with food in their refrigerators and cupboards on their journey to self-sufficiency. Thank you for choosing to partner with WFCM.

God bless,

Harmonie Taddeo, Executive Director

(Photographed above: Staff members from Congressman Connolly's office, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay's office, and Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood & Community Services in our warehouse with me prior to the start of the School's Out Food Distribution when we were still mostly dry! Photographed below: Brenda and her son selected fresh fruit and vegetables in our Chantilly Client Choice Food Pantry during her March appointment.)

March 2024 Service Update

We were able to serve 29% more families in need at our client choice food pantries in March 2024 compared to March 2023. March 2023 is when the SNAP emergency allotments (benefits offered for three years during the pandemic) ended and the number of families using our services rose as compared to prior months.

One hundred and eighty-five (185) families were served at our Centreville Client Choice Food Pantry. Thank you for your partnership that is making it possible for us to connect with more families who are in need of our services.

In Fiscal Year 2024, you will notice that the number of bags of food per family is lower, or not as high as anticipated based on the families served and food provided. That is because we are using larger reusable bags or boxes that hold more food. Each bag holds an average of 21 lbs. of food versus 16 lbs. in the past. Therefore, the total pounds of food distributed is higher while the number of bags per family is lower.

What's New in the Food Pantry and Client Services with Pamela Montesinos

Director of Client Operations & Programs

It was a wet but wonderful School's Out Spring Break Food Distribution on Saturday March 23rd! Thank you to the many volunteers who helped provide food for 360 families on Saturday. The fresh food in red insulated bags included berries, sliced turkey, sliced cheese, butter, bananas/apples, milk, orange juice, and pineapple. The shelf stable food in the black reusable bags included crackers, tuna, fruit salad, breakfast bars, cereal, and mac & cheese. A grant from Fairfax County Government paid for the food (Food Access Program grant using federal ARPA funds) and we were happy to have staff members from Sully District Vice Chair Kathy Smith's office, Chairman McKay's office, Congressman Connolly's office, and Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services volunteer with us! The food was purchased from Costco Chantilly and we were happy to have Costco employees volunteering with us along with volunteers from Atlantic Union Bank (an annual supporter of WFCM). As families continued to pick up food throughout the week, we were able to provide these special School's Out groceries to more than 400 families.

The Fairfax County Stuff the Bus food collection has been rescheduled for Saturday April 20th at Union Mill Giant located at 5740 Union Mill Road, Clifton, VA 20124. Donations will be accepted 10 am - 3 pm. Thank you for dropping off food and toiletry donations to help re-stock our shelves!

During April, Fairfax County Public Libraries are collecting food donations for several local food pantries. You can drop off food donations for WFCM at the Centreville and Chantilly Regional Library locations during their regular hours. Thank you for helping to stock our shelves with the most needed items listed below!

Most needed items in the food pantry this month:

Cereal (low sugar preferred)
Hot Cereal (Oatmeal, Grits)
Maseca Corn Flour
Sugar (1 or 2 lb. bags)
Red Beans (low salt preferred)
Black Beans (low salt preferred)
Canned Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Flavored Pasta (Pasta Helpers)
Risotto
Flavored Rice (Rice A Roni)
Canned Tomatoes (stewed, crushed, diced, paste)
Pancake Mix
Peanut Butter
Coffee (ground, no k-cups)
Family Sized Snacks (pretzels, crackers, etc.)
Canned Mixed Vegetables (low salt preferred)
Individual Juice Boxes (100% fruit juice preferred)

Toiletries: body lotion, body wash, toothpaste, hair shampoo, hair conditioner, toilet paper, and lotion (NOTE: we are not currently in need of diapers size 0-5 due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate larger size pull ups size 4T/5T for toddlers, size 6 diapers, or baby wipes if you want to donate items for babies.)

As a reminder, we accept food and toiletry donations Monday - Friday 8-10 am at 4511

Daly Drive Suite H (Back Door) and on the second Saturday monthly 9-11 am.

Community Connections

with Diane Beatley

Sr. Manager, Community Engagement

Partner Spotlight: United Bank

Thank you to United Bank for renewing their annual sponsorship and supporting the upcoming WFCM 6th Annual Spring into Action Golf Tournament!

Mike Gullis, AVP and Centreville Branch Manager visited our Centreville Client Choice Food Pantry recently to see first-hand how their support helps make it possible for WFCM to serve 700 families in our client choice food pantries each month. We appreciate United Bank for being a Caring Connection!

Double the Impact of Your Donation

during our Spring Fundraising Campaign

Please consider a donation during our Spring Fundraising campaign which will have double the impact as it fuels TWO client choice food pantry locations. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $37,000 by a family in Centreville who wants to ensure their neighbors have access to fresh, healthy food and in recognition of WFCM’s 37 years of service in the community.

There are many families that are struggling due to health conditions, unemployment, underemployment, or caretaking responsibilities. There are families coming to WFCM for the first time due to new challenges they are facing and others who are on the road to self-sufficiency. Your gift is extremely important as we seek to serve all these families, so they remain safely housed with their basic needs of gas, electricity, water, rent, and most importantly food met.

Your donation will continue to support the more than 1,400 families that we have already served this fiscal year, as well as help us reach new families who need our support. Together, we can achieve our goal of raising $100,000 to serve these families!

Donate securely online one time at wfcmva.org/donate and select Spring Appeal 2024 or set up monthly online donations to have an even greater impact! Checks made out to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries may be mailed to P.O. Box 220802, Chantilly, VA 20153. Thank you!

2024 Spring into Action Golf Tournament

WFCM’s sixth annual “Spring into Action” Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, May 13, 2024, at Chantilly National Golf & Country Club. Enjoy a day that includes continental breakfast, lunch, contests, complimentary beverages and snacks on the course, in addition to18 holes of fun. Register today! Registration closes April 29th.

For information about the ONE remaining sponsorship or assistance registering to golf, email [email protected].

Thank you to our tournament sponsors!

Keener Insurance Agency, Inc., Tournament Sponsor

King of Kings Lutheran Church, Lunch Sponsor

Grace Covenant Church, Beverage Cart Sponsor

Air Masters Heating and Air Conditioning Company, Registration Sponsor

Casey's Automotive, Breakfast Sponsor

Feed Fairfax 5k

Looking for a family-friendly way to support WFCM's and Food For Others' weekend meal programs for students at Fairfax County Public Schools? Register today for the Feed Fairfax 5k that will take place on Saturday May 4th in the Greenbriar Shopping Center.

Learn more and register at https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Fairfax/FeedFairfax5K

Save the Date for the 2024 Fall Fundraiser!

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend WFCM's 17th Annual Fall Fundraiser on Sunday evening, October 20, 2024, at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club.