A Powerful Cycle of Service: Celebrating our Volunteers |
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Every week at the Pantry, hundreds of families receive the food they need, but what’s less visible is the remarkable circle of volunteers who make that possible. We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers, and we are so grateful for the many service hours spent to ensure our neighbors in need are fed. Collecting Donations It starts before our doors even open. Volunteer drivers are out in the community, picking up food donations and ensuring they arrive safely at the Pantry. Organizing Food From there, our Receive & Stock volunteers step in–sorting, organizing, and shelving each item so it’s ready to be used. Behind the scenes, Bag Packers prepare shelf-stable items in advance, making sure distribution days run smoothly and efficiently. Distributing Food When it’s time to serve our guests, Distribution volunteers are the welcoming faces who bring everything together, ensuring each family receives nutritious food with dignity and care. Each of these roles is essential. Each one connects to the next, and together, they form a continuous cycle of service that keeps the Pantry running week after week. |
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Filling Backpacks At the same time, another important effort is underway. Each week, volunteers pack Backpack Buddies bags filled with kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare meals. A dedicated team of volunteer drivers then delivers these bags to 25 local schools, helping ensure food-insecure children have food over the weekend. |
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We Welcome Your Service This month, as we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation, we are especially grateful not only for our individual volunteers, but also for the growing number of community partners who are stepping in as teams. In recent months, several organizations have sponsored Backpack Buddies or Meal Kit packing events, bringing employees or members together for hands-on, offsite volunteer experiences. These teams don’t just give their time; they also help procure the food through donations and drives, making an even greater impact. If your organization is looking for a meaningful way to give back, we invite you to join us. Contact us at info@dsfp.org to learn more. Whether packing Meal Kits, supporting Backpack Buddies, or organizing a donation drive, your team can play a vital role in this cycle of service. Because at the Pantry, it takes every piece, every step, and every helping hand to make it all work. |
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CURRENT EVENTS AND LATEST UPDATES |
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| A Simple Gesture is a simple, yet powerful program that helps us restock our shelves and feed our neighbors in need. For your convenience, we pick up your donation right from your door.
A reminder that if you’ve already signed up, our next pickup is coming up! Please have your bags ready by 9AM on Saturday, April 18th. If you’re interested in participating in this impactful program, register here by May 20th for our next pickup in June! |
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| Give Choose is organized by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties to impact local charities serving our community. We are so grateful to those in our community who donated to this powerful, online giving event last month. Thanks to your generous contributions, we raised an incredible $16,971! These funds will directly impact the lives of local families and students in need. Thank you! |
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| We are grateful to recognize all of our Platinum Supporters who have donated over $10,000 in monetary or food value to the Pantry. See the complete list of our Platinum Supporters here! If you are interested in becoming a Platinum Supporter, please contact us at info@dsfp.org. |
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Lace up on Sunday May 3, 2026 to make an impact at the 6th annual Run The Greenway race, which supports Loudoun County nonprofits like the Pantry. Run the Greenway provides great opportunities for us to win extra prizes. Thanks to generous community support, we have already won $1,000! And, we are still in the running to win an additional $1,000 – $3,000 for having the most runners. Please consider signing up for the 5K, 10K, or Kids Fun Run to help us maximize our donations! And, don’t forget to choose the Pantry as your charity to support! |
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- Shaped Pasta
- Sardines
- Dried Beans
- Dried Lentils
- Snacks
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Shop to Make a Difference! |
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Your support helps our guests get back on their feet… |
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“We no longer need support from DSFP. We are so grateful for everything you and the team have done for us over the past couple of months.” ~ recent Pantry guest |
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However you give, whether it is time, money, or food, you make a difference in the lives of our guests. Thank you for your contributions last month! |
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| | 1,140 Backpack Buddies Bags Delivered |
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1,300 Volunteer Hours Served |
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5,575 lbs of food collected A big thank you goes to the following groups for their food drive efforts! |
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Arcola United Methodist Church ATPCO (Airline Tariff Publishing Co.) Chantilly Bible Church Corpus Christi Catholic Church Eagle Ridge Middle School Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School Girl Scout Service Unit 70-15 Girl Scout Troop 70281 Girl Scout Troop 70301 Girl Scout Troop 70353 Hillside Elementary School Immanuel Mar Thoma Church (IMTC) Lotus Luxe Hair Salon Monarch Christian Montessori OrthoVirginia Pinebrook Elementary Student Ambassadors Rock Ridge High School Athletics Sri Sathya Sai Center of Fairfax Telugu Association of North America (TANA) Tuscarora High School National Honor Society Vine and Branches Lutheran Church |
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From individuals, families, and kids, to service groups, faith supporters, and local businesses, our generous community exemplifies our mission: #NeighborsFeedingNeighbors. |
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This incredible crew from GE Aerospace held a meal kit packing event, where they assembled over 550 basic food kits for us! We appreciate how organized this amazing donation and delivery was. Thank you for your time and generosity! |
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We give a big shout out to Tuscarora High School’s National Honor Society for assembling and donating Birthday Bags! Fifty-five of our youngest Pantry guests will now each have supplies for a special celebration for their birthdays. Thank you! |
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It was our pleasure to give a tour to Pinebrook Elementary’s Student Ambassadors, a 5th grade leadership group who organized and ran a food drive for us totaling 228 lbs! Thank you for visiting and for helping your neighbors in need. |
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Food Distributions at the Pantry Tuesdays & Wednesdays By Appointment Only Phone: 703-507-2795 ext. 1 Email: appointments@dsfp.org Food Donations at the Pantry Monday, Wednesday & Saturday 10:00am – 11:30am No Appointment Needed Community Donation Locations Brambleton Association Broadlands Association Dulles South Recreation & Community Center South Riding Giant South Riding Town Hall Stone Ridge Association |
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