A heartfelt thank you to our neighbors for making the year-end holiday season truly remarkable. Your generosity, through cash donations, gift cards, and essential items, resulted in record-high contributions that will make a meaningful difference for Share clients throughout the year. | |
We are especially grateful for the gift cards collected through the Holiday Gift Card Tree. Thank you to Giant for generously providing space for the tree, and to Tricia and Troop 50120 for once again setting it up and making it so easy for shoppers to participate. The response from our community was truly inspiring.
| This past fall, we launched Share’s Amazon Wish List (www.shareofmclean.org/amazon-wish-list), and received nearly 2,000 much-needed items, helping to keep our pantry shelves well stocked during one of our busiest seasons. These donations were further amplified by generous contributions of food, coats, furniture, gift cards, and other essential items, all of which helped meet increased needs during the holidays. | |
November’s Scouting for Food event was another highlight of the season. Neighbors filled bags beyond capacity, and Scouts delivered record-breaking amounts of food that filled every available space in our pantry just in time for the holidays. We extend special thanks to our local Scouts and their families for organizing this vital drive, and to McLean High School’s Teens For Food Banks for providing dedicated volunteers who helped date-check and organize the donations.
| The extraordinary outpouring of support strengthened our pantry and our community. We are deeply thankful to everyone who gave so generously and helped make this busy holiday season a success. | | |
Going forward, March is a wonderful time of renewal, and at Share we’re feeling that energy throughout our “3-F” programs: Food and Clothing, Furniture, and Financial Assistance. As we head into spring, we remain grateful for everyone who donates, volunteers, and spreads the word about Share’s mission. Together, we’re making a meaningful difference for our neighbors in need.
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Share’s Holiday Program is one of the organization’s most meaningful initiatives, bringing extra support and joy to hundreds of families during the holiday season.
At the heart of the program is a strong partnership among volunteers and community supporters. Share’s volunteers are known for their compassion and dedication, united by the understanding that food insecurity can affect individuals and families from all backgrounds. This shared purpose is what allows the Holiday Program to thrive year after year.
Starting in mid-November, the Holiday Program provides Share’s regular clients with snacks, toys, and gift cards. Months of thoughtful planning ensure the program is both smooth and equitable. The planning team carefully reviews available resources and client needs before preparing gift cards for distribution, helping families stretch their food budgets and purchase meaningful items for the holidays.
On distribution days, the pantry becomes a welcoming and festive space. Community-sponsored treat tables offer warm drinks and delicious snacks, while generous partners organize toy and gift drives to ensure every child and teen receives a brand-new gift. Volunteers work together to support more than 400 registered clients by providing Spanish translation services, managing distribution, and greeting each family with warmth and respect.
The most powerful moments of the Holiday Program are often found in the small details: children smiling as they choose a toy, families enjoying a sweet treat, and the reassurance clients feel knowing they have additional resources for food and holiday needs. These moments reflect the program’s core commitment to celebrating during the holiday season that can otherwise be stressful.
The 2025 Holiday Program wrapped up on December 20, marking another incredible season of community support made possible by the generosity and dedication of our sponsors and volunteers. We extend heartfelt thanks to Immanuel Presbyterian Church, McLean Magic Softball, Trinity United Methodist Church, Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, Light Up Chesterbrook, and the Weimer Family for sponsoring Treat Tables filled with festive holiday goodies.
We are also grateful to Jack, a high school student, and Trinity United Methodist Church for collecting toys that brought joy to so many children. A very special thank-you goes to Robyn and Melinda for once again organizing and coordinating Share’s annual Holiday Program, as well as to all the volunteers who generously gave their time to help distribute gifts and support our clients during the holiday season.
For those interested in getting involved, the Holiday Program is a wonderful example of what makes volunteering at Share so meaningful. To learn more about helping plan the 2026 program, please email info@shareofmclean.org.
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Trinity United Methodist Church:
A Longstanding Partner in Caring for Our Community
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Trinity United Methodist Church (UMC) was one of the 16 churches involved in incorporating Share in 1969. Their support of Share is a ministry grounded in a deep and meaningful commitment to give care, offer support, and show love to those in need. Trinity describes its partnership with Share as one of its most meaningful outreach ministries. Over the decades, congregants have seen Share grow from serving fewer than 20 families in 1969 to supporting thousands of individuals today.
Over the years, Trinity’s contributions have evolved to meet changing needs. The church organizes multiple food drives annually, as well as coat drives, Angel Tree gift collections, teen gift bags, and holiday treat tables. Before COVID, Trinity also supported the Adopt-a-Family program at Christmas. A special connection to Share’s history comes through Chris Wilbur, a Trinity member who played a significant role at Share, including leading the Adopt-a-Family program and volunteering extensively. The congregation also recently added a link to Share on the church website, making it easier for members and visitors to find ways to provide direct support.
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One experience that especially stands out is Trinity’s involvement in the pilot of the Share New Beginnings program (www.shareofmclean.org/group-opportunities), part of Share’s Furniture Program, which helps furnish apartments for people transitioning out of housing insecurity. Trinity youth and adult volunteers worked together to clean and furnish an apartment for a Share client, creating a welcoming home environment. When the young woman saw her new space for the first time, the moment was deeply moving. Trinity’s youth, in particular, were profoundly impacted by meeting her and witnessing firsthand how their time and donations made a direct difference. Many still talk about that day.
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Trinity’s message to other faith communities is heartfelt and enthusiastic: “Get involved right away! Our community members are in need, and Share has a direct impact on the lives of those individuals and families. Your donations and your gift of time will go directly back into the community.” Email info@shareofmclean.com to find out how you can get involved!
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Looking ahead, Trinity plans to continue its longstanding support and hopes to expand its food drive efforts. The congregation is also eager to participate in the Share New Beginnings program again this spring. Trinity is proud of its connection with Share and encourages others to join in this important ministry. As a welcoming and inclusive congregation, Trinity opens its doors to anyone seeking a church home and invites the community to learn more and connect at umtrinity.org.
| | | | Finding Community and Purpose at Share | |
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When asked how she first became involved with Share, Susan said “A neighbor mentioned she was trying out a number of different volunteer roles at Share, so I copied her.” That first step quickly turned into an ongoing commitment. And what keeps Susan coming back is a combination of purpose and people. While supporting the local community is deeply meaningful, she also values the welcoming, friendly group of fellow volunteers she has come to know and enjoy. “It’s been a wonderful way to make new friends while doing something that matters.”
One of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering at Share for Susan has been the opportunity to use her analytical skills in ways that truly help the organization. Finding roles that both fit her strengths and fill a real need has made the experience especially fulfilling.
Susan currently leads Share’s Annual Registration Process, an important effort that ensures Food and Clothing Pantry clients live within Share’s service area. This process is essential to Share’s ability to serve the community effectively. While there is always a desire to help more people, limited space, equipment, and volunteer capacity make it necessary to focus resources where they can have the greatest impact.
Susan enjoys the small but meaningul victories during the registration process. For example, when a client feels they do not have the needed information and then realize they do, in fact, have the documentation needed to verify their address. Sometimes it’s as simple as helping someone locate a bank statement on their phone. “It feels like a life skill,” she explains. “Being able to claim the place where you live is empowering, and I’m happy when we can help someone learn how to do that.”
For anyone considering volunteering with Share, Susan’s advice is straightforward: Try it. She encourages new volunteers to start with SignUp Genius (www.shareofmclean.org/howtovolunteer) and explore a range of roles. Sharing your skills and interests with other volunteers can also open the door to unexpected opportunities to contribute to Share’s mission.
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Share’s trucks are sporting a fresh new look, and we’re excited to share the news with our community. Thanks to a very generous donation from the NoVA Knights of the Roundtable, all three Share trucks now feature bright new designs with our logo and QR codes, helping spread awareness of our mission wherever they go. We extend our thanks to graphic designer Liz Edelson, laminate printer Wayne Walker, owner of Signarama, and laminate installer Raymond MacHale of True Install NOVA. Special thanks also go to long-time Share volunteers, Nicki and Randy, who went above and beyond to bring this project to life. Keep an eye out for the trucks around town as they pick up food donations or deliver furniture to clients….and feel free to give our drivers a friendly wave!.
| We also welcome community groups interested in learning more about Share’s impact. Tours of our Food and Clothing Pantry are available for groups who would like to see firsthand how their donations support neighbors in need. To learn more or schedule a tour, please email info@shareofmclean.org. | |
Fresh produce remains one of the most requested items by our clients, and we are excited to offer a new opportunity for groups to help meet this important need. Information about supporting our fresh produce program and other group opportunities is available at www.shareofmclean.org/group-opportunities
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Stuff the Bus. Saturday, March 14. Stop by the McLean Giant and add a non-perishable food item to the bus in support of Share’s mission.
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Giant Community Bag Program. Month of March. Share of McLean has been selected again as a nonprofit partner in the Giant Food Community Bag Program. Share will receive $1 for each $2.75 reusable Community Bag sold during the month of March 2026 at the McLean Giant Food location.
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MCC Parking Lot Sale. Saturday, April 18. Specific Items not sold during the sale will be donated to Share.
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Stamp Out Hunger. Saturday, May 9. Fill a bag with non-perishable food items and leave near your mailbox. Letter carriers will pick up the donations and deliver to Share.
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Share is still looking for volunteers to support a few important ongoing needs. We are seeking individuals who can help pick up bread from local stores on pantry opening days, as well as volunteers available to pick up fresh produce on Tuesdays and Fridays.
In addition, we are looking for volunteers interested in helping plan the annual Holiday Program. This is a great way to support Share beyond pantry hours and help ensure the programs continues to run smoothly and successfully.
If you are able to help with any of these opportunities, we would love to hear from you. Please send an email to info@shareofmclean.org to learn more and get involved.
| | | | Keeping our Neighbors Warm | |
We are so grateful to our dedicated volunteers, community partners, and the Marshall High School Key Club who made this season’s coat program such a success. From setting up for our first coat distribution in October to the final distribution in January and packing up any remaining coats, their efforts helped ensure clients stayed warm all winter long.
We extend special thanks to Aimee, a high school senior, who delivered more than 150 coats to Share just in time for the cold weather. For several years, Aimee has collected coats from neighbors and the lost-and-found bins at Haycock, Chesterbrook, and Churchill Elementary Schools, then gone the extra mile by washing, sorting, and organizing every item before delivery, an incredible effort reflecting a truly generous heart. We are also thankful to St. Luke’s Catholic Church, whose community donated more than 450 coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, all thoughtfully sorted by age, gender, and type, making distribution easier for our volunteers. In addition, we appreciate Country Day School for hosting a winter accessory drive in December when our supplies were running low.
These items were warmly received by our clients and arrived at just the right time during the record-setting cold weather. Because the colder temperatures came earlier than expected, all available coats for registered family members were distributed by early January.
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Nourishing our Community Through Food Donations
During the holiday season, we were deeply moved by the generosity and thoughtfulness of individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools, faith communities, and local organizations who came together to support Share.
A heartfelt thank-you to Dale City Moose Lodge for donating more than 300 pounds of food and school supplies in honor of Jeny Guy, a longtime Share supporter who recently passed away. Their donation, along with a very generous financial contribution, was a meaningful tribute that helps carry forward Jeny’s legacy of caring for others.
We are grateful to Sigmona Park and Overbrook Street and Chain Bridge Forest neighborhoods for hosting food drives in their respective communities in the Fall. Thank you to Withum Accounting, BBB National Programs, Corcoran McEnearney McLean office, and Catherine from Keller Williams for hosting food donation drives in their offices during the holiday season.
We thank our long-standing partner, the McLean Community Center, for hosting holiday collection sites for food and essentials at both the Community Center and the Old Firehouse Center in November and December. Our sincere appreciation goes to Trinity UMC’s McLean Youth Ministry for delivering more than 1,000 items from our Most Needed List when our supplies were running low after a very busy season of economic uncertainty.
Our sincere appreciation goes to Frank and Teri for delivering wagon loads of items from our Most Needed List. A big thank you to Julia, a high school student, for donating much-needed feminine hygiene products, toiletries, and paper goods. Thank you to Melissa and her family for making community service a family affair by shopping for bulk items and helping restock our shelves together.
We also extend our appreciation to Girl Scout Troop 50212 for shopping for key supplies and helping restock our pantry during the busy holiday season—their smiles and enthusiasm truly say it all. Thank you to Katie and Ellie for donating year-end concessions from McLean Little League, and to an anonymous donor who brightened our day with baskets and bags of food accompanied by handmade Thanksgiving cards from children. And we are grateful to the Longfellow Middle School Student Council and teachers for turning their food drive into a fun and spirited competition.
We thank our neighbors who remembered Share after the holidays as well. Olha and Slava, Syneren Technologies Corporation, and Lewinsville Presbyterian Church for donating during the post-holiday months when pantry shelves began to thin. Thanks to Lemon Road Elementary School PTA for collecting food and gift cards in January. And special thanks go to Marsha and Sandy who lead Simple Gestures in McLean, a food collection program that provides much-needed non-perishable food to Share. Every other month, they pick up two carloads of donations left on McLean neighbors’ doorsteps and deliver them directly to Share
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Small Kits, Big Impact
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Emily and her incredible church group, as well as Range Finance, and West Financial Services for their outstanding generosity in support of Share’s clients. All together, these groups assembled and delivered more than 500 dental kits filled with essential items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and more. For many of our clients, access to these basic hygiene supplies makes a meaningful difference in both health and confidence. We appreciate the time, care, and teamwork that went into this effort to keep hundreds of smiles bright across our community.
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Thoughtful Support From Our Community
We are incredibly grateful to the many groups and individuals whose generosity and creativity brought comfort and joy to our clients over the past few months. Each act of kindness, whether large or small, reflects the compassion that defines our community and makes Share’s work possible.
Our heartfelt thanks go to the Lewinsville Senior Center Knitting Club for once again knitting beautiful, colorful hats for our clients. These handmade creations are always a highlight of the season and provide both warmth and a reminder that our neighbors are cared for. We are also thankful to Gerry, Jeff, and their families for creating thoughtful gift baskets during the holiday break using items from our Most Needed List, turning a family activity into meaningful support for our clients.
We extend our appreciation to the Girl Scout Service Unit (SU 50-6), made up of troops of all ages across McLean, for their annual Day of Service and Sisterhood in support of Share. In November, the Scouts generously donated hygiene bags, dental kits, coats, and boxes of non-perishable food items, helping our pantry meet increased needs during the busy holiday season.
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A very special thank-you goes to Vinson Hall Retirement Community for assembling 78 gift bags filled with toiletries for Share clients age 55 and older, along with beautiful handmade scarves knitted by Vinson Hall residents that added extra holiday cheer. This year, Chesterbrook Elementary School partnered with Vinson Hall to donate an entire busload of much-needed toiletry items from our Most Needed List.
| We are also grateful to Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McLean for once again collecting a wonderful assortment of gift cards, including Giant, Target, Lidl, and Safeway, to support our clients during the holidays. Additional thanks go to Saint Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Keller Williams Realty, BASIS Independent McLean, Joseph, and the MHRC Pickleball Ladies for their generous gift card donations, which helped families prepare special meals and celebrate the season. We also thank Franklin Sherman Elementary School for generously collecting gift cards as part of their annual holiday mitten tree program. | |
Thank you as well to Cub Scouts Pack 1127 for assembling 100 birthday kits for our clients. Each kit included cake mix, frosting, a can of soda to use in place of eggs, candles, a fun toy, and a handmade card, helping ensure our clients can celebrate important milestones throughout the year.
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We are grateful to Ann, a high school student, who has been cooking and delivering delicious homemade meals each week for the past year, sharing them directly with Share clients. We also extend a sincere thank-you to the Langley High School Class of 1975 for generously donating surplus funds from their successful 50th anniversary celebration to Share of McLean.
| | Finally, we would like to recognize the volunteers from St. John’s Episcopal Church who provided incredible support behind the scenes. In less than three hours, they moved a roomful of school supplies from the basement to the attic and assembled hundreds of dental kits along the way. Their energy, teamwork, and dedication made a challenging project possible. | | To everyone who contributed time, resources, and care, thank you for strengthening our community and helping Share continue to serve our neighbors with dignity and compassion. | | |
Partners in Compassion
We are thankful for the generosity of local businesses and community organizations whose support helps Share continue to address food insecurity in our community. A big thank-you to the Safeway McLean store on Anderson Avenue for their generous cash donation as part of their grand re-opening event. We also extend a heartfelt thank-you to Tatte Bakery & Café for launching a new community partnership with Share. In October, Tatte hosted a Friends & Family event at their new Falls Church location and generously matched all customer donations made to Share. In addition, we are deeply grateful to the 100 Women Who Care organization for their extremely generous donation to Share of McLean. This meaningful gift was made possible through the sponsorship of Martha Collins, a longtime member of McLean Baptist Church, who nominated Share and presented our work to the group. We thank Martha, Renee Boyle, and all the members of 100 Women Who Care for their generosity and for helping Share continue to make a lasting impact in our community.
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And finally, take a look at this stunning creation! We're thrilled to share another beautiful cake from the incredible team at Cake4kids, made for one of our Share clients! You make the world a lot sweeter!
We extend our thanks to all of our partners who give so generously in support of our community. We are especially grateful to McLean Giant, Lidl, Balducci’s, and Tyson’s Walmart for their weekly donations, which are essential in helping us meet our clients’ needs for meat, bread, and nonperishable items.
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Donate
Share relies entirely on donations. We do not receive any county, state, or federal funding. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift using the button below.
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Our Core Values
We value our clients and treat them with kindness, respect, and generosity.
We value our donors and are deeply grateful for their charitableness and partnership.
We think of our volunteers as family and are inspired by their commitment and dedication.
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About Share
Share of McLean is an all-volunteer, community-based nonprofit that teams with individual donors and partner organizations to assist our neighbors who face food insecurity, economic hardships or related challenges. For more information, please visit our website at www.shareofmclean.org or check our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ShareOfMclean for the latest updates. For questions, contact us via email at info@shareofmclean.org.
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