Maybe you have a green thumb and grow a bounty of fruits or vegetables (or even herbs!). You can bring your extras to the Pantry within hours of harvesting, and they may well be eaten by Pantry guests for dinner that night! We also accept fresh produce you have purchased. Corn, carrots, potatoes, apples, and oranges are all especially hearty and remain fresh for distributions. And, most importantly, fresh, healthy food choices nourish our guests.
Thank you to Nimisha Panabakam who grew and harvested herbs for our guests as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award!
You can drop off your fresh food donations at the Pantry on the following days:
Mondays: 10:00AM - 11:30AM, 7PM - 8PM
Wednesdays 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Saturdays 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Wondering what to donate? The Pantry is currently low on...
Rice
Fruit cups
Spaghetti sauce (with meat)
Whole-grain or veggie pasta
Dried beans
Reminder: A Simple Gesture Pickup is August 3rd. Learn more about this program and how you can help here.
Check out our new AmazonSmile Wish List, which makes it easy to purchase critically needed items for the Pantry!
Hunger Doesn't Take a Summer Vacation...
During the summer, children lose access to meals at school, and families turn more to food pantries for help. This surge in requests comes just as donations typically dip during the year. Here is how you can help us meet the summer demand:
Donate Summer Meal Kits! Host a packing party to gather and bag needed items with your neighbors, friends, family, or co-workers. For more information, download the flyer here.
We are grateful for local business and charity partners for being a part of "Neighbors Feeding Neighbors."
Thank you to Walmart for recently providing a generous $1,500 grant for food purchases.
Mobile Hope of Loudoun will be at the Pantry on:
Wednesday, July 17th from 6:00PM - 7:00PM.
Mobile Hope helps teens and children with emergency food, hygiene and personal care items, medical and dental care referrals, housing referrals, clothing, and much more.
Faith Supporter Spotlight
This month we recognize Dulles Community Church (DCC). DCC provides many opportunities to their congregation, who meet at Freedom High School, to help various local non-profits, including the Pantry. We are thankful to DCC for being a faith supporter of the Pantry since 2014, contributing over 3,000 lbs of food to our guests. We are grateful to be a recipient of their good works!
For a list of all our faith supporters, see our website. If your faith community would like to become a Faith Supporter of the Pantry, please contact us: info@dsfp.org or 703-507-2795.
Impact Report: How You Are Helping
However you give, whether it is time, money, or food, know that you help alleviate worries and truly make a difference in the lives of our guests! Read on to see how you are making an impact...
Pantry Statistics
In June 2019, the Pantry:
Was visited 264 times by local families.
Served 657 neighbors at least once.
Distributed 194 Backpack Buddies bags (1,164 meals) at 15 local schools.
Had 181 volunteers donate over 682 hours of time and effort.
Food Drive Report Food: 2,629 lbs, Funds: $595 Food drive donations are crucial in helping us replenish our stores. Thank you to these amazing groups for their efforts!
Avi-Spl
Brambleton HOA
CarMax
Colgan High School National Honor Society
Dulles Rail Project
Girl Scout Troop 4551
Girls on the Run of Northern VA
Keller Williams: The Kilbride Home Team
Loudoun County Public Library - Brambleton
Madison's Trust Elementary - Second Grade
Marco's Pizza
PASTA
Pragathitrust
Restoration Church Loudoun
Words from our Guests
Your support provides food and comfort for guests turning to the Pantry in times of need...
“I just wanted to thank you for the assistance that was given yesterday. Being new to needing this kind of assistance is not comfortable but you did an amazing job making me feel welcomed. My family and I just wanted to thank you again and can't wait to be in a position to give back the way you and your organization has. Thanks again.”
~ 6/13/19, New Pantry Guest
Neighbors Feeding Neighbors We are so thankful for generous neighbors, and we love it when local kids are involved in supporting our mission!
Caroline Caton, a rising Freedom High School sophomore, and her friends went without basic creature comforts to raise money for the Pantry and raise awareness of food insecurity. They raised $515 in their "25-hour challenge." Thank you, Caroline and friends, for spending part of your Summer supporting the Pantry!
Thanks to Minnieland Academy for conducting a food drive and donating much needed food this summer. We enjoyed your visit and showing you all about how the Pantry operates.
All Hands on Deck
Volunteer Spotlight:This month we are grateful to recognize Pantry volunteer, Karen Williams! Karen began volunteering for the Pantry in December of 2016 and quickly became an indispensable part of Pantry operations. She leads the Monday morning shift, dabbles in bag packing, works most Distributions, and answers the call for all kinds of last-minute assistance. Recently, Karen singlehandedly kept the Pantry in order over the week of July 4th when we were closed but still receiving driver route donations. Karen, thanks for keeping us organized and for always being willing to serve however we need you!
Volunteer Opportunities: We would love your help!
Assemble and Donate Birthday Bags. Head to the dollar store as a family and gather supplies, or host a packing party with your friends and neighbors! Include items like cake mix, frosting, candles, sprinkles, paper goods, party hats, balloons, and streamers, noted for a boy or girl (no gifts or money, please). And, then drop them by the Pantry. We give these bags to our guests (under age 12) having a birthday.
Help us Weed the Grounds. Are you looking to get some community service hours, or just want to get your hands dirty? Sign up to weed the flower beds around the Pantry building. Get more information and sign up here.
Visit the Volunteer section of our website for more opportunities and more information about volunteering.
Board News
Announcing New Board Member: Finance executive, Richard Louis, has joined our Board of Directors. Richard is currently a Principal at The Arches Group, a firm providing advisory services to non-profit and corporate clients. He is passionate about providing economic opportunity, education, housing and nutritional assistance to those in need, and he dedicates his free time to supporting those causes. In addition to the Pantry board, Richard is on the Advisory Board of Shelters to Shutters, an organization that helps people transition from homelessness to economic self-sufficiency. Richard, his wife Erin, and their three children are avid supporters and volunteers at the Pantry. Welcome aboard, Richard!
Pantry Hours
Business Sponsor Spotlight
We are grateful to acknowledge our Business Sponsors:
At the $10,000 level
Walmart, Harris Teeter, Giant, Wegmans, Leidos
At the $5,000 level
Sheetz, BB&T
With significant support from: Food Lion, Man-Tech, K12, Enterprise Holdings, Macy's, Greyhunt Interiors, StraitSys, CarMax
For information on becoming a business sponsor, download this brochure.
For a list of all sponsors, see our website.
Give financial support
Volunteer
Donate food
Host a food drive
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Mission:The Dulles South Food Pantry is a multi-faith food pantry. We provide nutritious food, personal supplies and other services to those in need in Dulles South and the surrounding area regardless of income, faith or other criteria and strive to promote self-sufficiency.
The Pantry is a partner agency of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.