Executive Director's Update
Happy New Year! We enter this year with gratitude for all those who volunteered, donated, and partnered with WFCM in 2024 to serve thousands of neighbors.
During the month of December, in addition to market appointments, we partnered with 12 local organizations to provide a December Holiday/School's Out Food Distribution. During the distribution on Saturday December 21st, and the following Monday December 23rd, we were able to serve 691 families. I am thankful to the partners and community members that provided funds for fresh food (chicken, turkey, milk, eggs, cheese, fruit and vegetables) and 775 food boxes with canned vegetables and fruit, broth, rice, sugar, oil, pancake mix, cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, tuna, and more. Thank you to Sully District Supervisor, Kathy Smith, and staff for coordinating the donation of 530 pies that were distributed, along with other desserts, on the 21st. Thank you, also, to Fairfax County Government Channel 16 for coming out to the distribution and capturing some of our volunteers in action! View their video clip on their YouTube page at https://youtu.be/vqrBXCLnslg.
During the distribution one WFCM client pulled her car up to the pie station where I was serving with tears flowing down her cheeks. She said, "I am so sad to see that there are so many families in our community who are food insecure, like me. I am so thankful WFCM is here to provide all this food for us."
It is only through the generosity of the community that we are able to provide these abundant holiday/school's out groceries for families, including two boxes of food for larger families. Details of the distribution, including the generous partners and the groceries provided, are below in Pamela's update.
As we enter 2025, I am grateful for the continued support from our community. Thank you for enabling WFCM's staff to provide not only essential groceries for meals throughout the month, but additionally this special abundant offering of holiday food and school's out groceries for families with kids when they were out of school on winter break. As school resumes this week, we re-start our weekly Free Food Fridge deliveries providing weekend meals for 700 students at 12 local Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and we are in the process of determining if we can support a School's Out distribution in advance of the FCPS Spring Break.
Your generosity truly makes a difference! Thank you!
God bless,
Harmonie Taddeo, Executive Director
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What's New in the Food Markets and Client Services with Pamela Montesinos, Deputy Director
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In 2024, DC Diaper Bank guidelines changed reducing diapers from 100 to 75 to 50 per baby. We are grateful for this partnership and the generous donation of hundreds of thousands of diapers each year that provide much needed support for families. This change in policy, due to lower supply and higher demand they are experiencing, is the primary reason for the decrease in diapers in 2024 versus 2023.
With a full calendar-year of operating two Free Food Markets (Chantilly and Centreville), WFCM was able to offer nearly 1,450 additional appointments in 2024 versus 2023 (Centreville location opened June 2023). We continue to serve 200 families at the Centreville location each month.
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December Holiday/School's Out
Grocery Distribution
On Saturday December 21st, WFCM staff and volunteers provided December Holiday/School's Out groceries to 599 families including clients and school-referred families (Centreville/Chantilly/Westfield FCPS) in a drive-thru distribution. We continued to distribute and deliver holiday/school's out groceries Monday the 23rd and in total provided holiday/school's out food for 691 families.
The groceries included: boxes with canned vegetables, instant potatoes, canned fruit, broth, rice, sugar, oil, pancake mix, cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, tuna, and mac n cheese; choice of turkey or chicken, fresh vegetables and fruit, milk, eggs, and cheese, and pie.
This food distribution was made possible by these partners who provided 100+ boxes each, totaling 650 boxes, and/or funds for fresh food:
Centreville United Methodist Church
Expectation Church
Grace Covenant Church
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Centreville Stake
Thanks also to these partners who provided 125 boxes and or funds for fresh food:
Clifton Presbyterian, Saint Andrew Lutheran, Fairfax Church of Christ, Ox Hill Baptist Church, Saint John's Episcopal, and Christ Presbyterian.
Thank you to Sully District Supervisor, Kathy Smith, and staff for coordinating with several local partners to provide 530 pies!
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Most needed items in the Free Food Market this month:
- Flour (Maseca preferred)
- Sugar (1 or 2 lb. bags)
- Vegetable Oil
- Pasta Sauce
- Pasta
- Brown Rice
- Pancake Mix
- Family Sized Snacks (crackers, pretzels, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc.)
- Canned Chicken
- Hot Beverages (ground coffee, tea bags, etc.)
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Toiletries: bar soap, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair shampoo, hair conditioner, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, and baby wipes (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.
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Community Connections
with Diane Beatley
Sr. Manager, Community Engagement
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Thank you Congregational Supporters | |
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As we begin a new year, we share our appreciation for the 12 local churches who, in 1987 saw the need for and benefits of coordinated assistance to serve neighbors struggling to maintain housing and purchase food, and responded by founding WFCM.
Today, WFCM continues to work with a growing number of local congregations to serve the community. We are grateful for support from the following congregations:
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Centreville Presbyterian Church
Centreville United Methodist Church
Chantilly Baptist Church
Christ Central Presbyterian Church
Christ Presbyterian Church
Church of the Epiphany Anglican
Clifton Presbyterian Church
Expectation Church
Fairfax Church of Christ
Fairfax Global Methodist Church
Grace Covenant Church
King of Kings Lutheran Church
Korean Central Presbyterian Church
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Mount Olive Baptist Church
Oakton Baptist Church
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Open Door Presbyterian Church
Ox Hill Baptist Church
Pender United Methodist Church
Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church
Saint Andrew Lutheran Church
Saint Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church
Saint John's Episcopal Church
Saint Veronica Catholic Church
Shepherd Gate Church
Southview Community Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints - Centreville Stake
The Church of The Ascension
The Father's House of Northern Virginia
The King's Chapel
Vienna Assembly of God
Zion Worship Center
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Did you know that Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) is a member charity of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)?
If you are a federal government employee or retiree, you can donate through the Combined Federal Campaign to WFCM (CFC #64563) through January 15th. For more information on how to give through the CFC, please visit: https://givecfc.org/donors/how-to-give
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YOU Make the Difference for our Neighbors! | |
Thank you to all those who supported WFCM’s calendar year-end appeal.
Thanks to many generous donors making 225 donations,
we exceeded our goal of raising $150,000 by December 31, 2024.
Thank you for entrusting us with these funds to do the important work of helping
our neighbors remain safely housed with food for their families
as they work toward self-sufficiency.
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Registration Now Open for WFCM's 7th Annual
Spring into Action Golf Tournament
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Register by Friday, February 28, 2025
for Early Bird Pricing
that includes 2 mulligans per golfer
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Make plans to “spring into action” during WFCM’s Seventh Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, May 12 at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club.
This best ball scramble is a great opportunity to connect with friends, colleagues, Chamber members, and fellow congregants while raising funds to support WFCM’s vision of a community where everyone is housed and fed and experiences God’s love. Golfer registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, contests, free beverages and snacks on the course, and 18 holes of fun. Not a golfer? Consider registering to join us for the post-tournament barbeque lunch and catch up with friends and sponsors.
Many thanks to returning Tournament Sponsor, Keener Insurance Agency, Inc.!
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Thank you for your support! | | | | |