A note from our Executive Director

Hello friends,

Big changes are coming as Rustic Love approaches our 6th anniversary, and we wanted to share them with you today.

For the past six years, our hand-painted heart signs have become a symbol of kindness, generosity, and community connection. What began as a small family backyard project using wood pallets and spray paint grew into something far greater than we ever imagined: providing vital support to neighbors facing food insecurity through grants to school food pantries and local organizations.

As Rustic Love has grown, so have the costs, logistics, and time required to create and manage our signs. At the same time, sign sales have gradually declined over the years. After careful consideration, our Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to retire our traditional heart signs and shift our focus toward new, sustainable ways to support our mission.

While the signs may be changing, the heart behind Rustic Love is not.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• The final 50 original spray-painted Rustic Love signs, built by our Board of Directors, will be available exclusively at Texas Donuts (Vienna) for $50 each.
• We’ll introduce 12x12 weather-resistant coroplast signs featuring our popular ombré heart designs for $20 each, thanks to our friends at Silverado Printing.
• We’ll also launch periodic art auctions featuring one-of-a-kind heart signs painted by local artists, beginning with our first Hometown Art Auction on May 25.

This transition allows us to continue supporting neighbors experiencing food insecurity while creating new opportunities to connect and grow alongside our community.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting Rustic Love over the past six years. Your generosity – through donations, purchases, shares, comments, and encouragement – has made a real impact in the lives of local families.

What began with a simple heart sign became something much bigger, and we can’t wait to see where this next chapter leads us.

Michelle Connors

Founder & Executive Director

Texas Donuts and Our Last 50 Signs

Texas Donuts-Vienna is our exclusive sign sales location for the last 50 wooden Rustic Love signs that we have made. We are so grateful for this partnership and are happy we can give people the option to pick their sign out in person -- AND grab some amazing, yummy donuts while they're there. Stop in and get your sign before they are gone for good!

12x12 Ombre Coroplast Signs

We have transitioned to a 12x12 coroplast version of our signs, thanks to our friends at Silverado Printing. These signs are weather-resistant and are photos of our popular ombre signs. Each one comes with an "H" wire stake. And as always, proceeds from the sales of our items go to help the food-insecure in our community. Thank you for your kind donations! Order here.

Hometown Art Auction

The Rustic Love Hometown Art Auction launches on May 25 and we can't wait to share the talent behind this special community project! Local artists have transformed our wooden signs into one-of-a-kind works of art, with all proceeds supporting our mission to help food-insecure families in town. Visit the auction website to see all the signs and remember to bid early and often, starting May 25!

Partner Spotlight: Achikian Goldsmiths

Achikian Goldsmiths' beautiful Rustic Love pendant makes a perfect gift! Available in sterling silver, 14K white or yellow gold and 14K rose gold, the pendant can be used on a necklace or bracelet.

Achikian Goldsmiths generously donates the proceeds from the sales of these beautiful charms to our mission to help the food-insecure.

Grant to Poe Middle School

In Q1, we gave another financial grant to Poe Middle School. Poe is a Title I school that serves nearly 900 students - nearly 80% of whom qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Subsequently, Rustic Love also helped create an Amazon Wish List for Poe's Pantry, where more than $2,500 worth of donated goods came in from Vienna residents who helped with the requests. Rustic Love also did a clothing drive for Poe's pantry, and facilitated a delivery of 200 snack packs from a drive that the Women of Microsoft DC put together. Thank you for your help in making a significant impact on this very deserving pantry!

Grant to Justice High School

As the only Title I High School in Fairfax County, 79% of Justice High School students qualify for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program. This is in stark contrast to the eligibility rates at our local high schools (JMHS: 10%, OHS: 17%, GCMHS: 24%). We were proud to be able to make a significant donation to help this pantry that serves 400 students every week.

Grant to Sleepy Hollow Elementary School

This year, Sleepy Hollow ES debuted a food pantry at their school and we were proud to be a part of their initial funding to help stock the shelves! 74% of students are eligible for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program, and Sleepy Hollow is one of 46 Title I elementary schools in Fairfax County. Their pantry is run out of a narrow corner in a shared storage space, and a team of three administrators helps manage the pantry and discreetly put the packed bags of food into the backpacks of students that need it the most. Thank you for your donations that help make grants like this possible.

Rustic Love's I ❤️ Vienna tea towels

You can shop online for Rustic Love merch all year long! Our I ❤️ Vienna tea towels are a wonderful way to share your love of our amazing little Town with those you love. We have a handful left in stock!

Thank you for your continued support of our mission!