• Donate and Distribute Food
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Donate and Distribute Food

Almost a quarter of a million people in the Diocese of Arlington are “food insecure,” meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from. Help our St. Lucy Food Project collect and distribute food where it is most needed in the Diocese.

You can help during COVID-19 

During the coronavirus pandemic, Catholic Charities is hosting no contact drive-thru food drives at local parishes when donors can drop off non-perishable food for the St. Lucy Food Project while practicing social distancing and without getting out of the car. You can also donate food in the safe bins located at our Manassas warehouse, or buy making an online financial donation and designating the St. Lucy Food Project. Checks can also be mailed to CCDA, Program Director, 8426-28 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA 20110 (with St. Lucy Food Project in the memo.)

Catholic Charities No Contact Drive Thru Food Drives

  • Friday, August 7, 10 -2 p.m. - Blessed Sacrament, 1427 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22302 
  • Friday, August 14, 10 - 2 p.m. - St. Joseph,  750 Peachtree Street, Herndon, VA 20170
  • Friday, August 21, 10 - 2 p.m. - St. Bernadette, 2600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, 22152
  • Friday, August 28, 10 - 2 p.m. - St. Mary of Sorrows, 5222 Sideburn Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032 
  • Friday, August 28, 10 - 2 p.m. - Holy Spirit, 5121 Woodland Way, Annandale, VA 22003 
  • Friday, September 4, 10 - 2 p.m. - Good Shepherd, 8710 Mount Vernon Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309 

For more information or to schedule a drive, contact the outreach specialist at 703-479-2975, EXT 103;  Patricia.Kuntz@ccda.net

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How We Serve the Hungry 

Catholic Charities' St. Lucy Food Project is our way of addressing the problem of hunger – or "food insecurity'' – within our Diocese. This program offers an opportunity to live out your faith by directly serving the hungry. As Christ said: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matt 25:40).

Almost a quarter of a million people in the Diocese of Arlington are “food insecure,” meaning they do not know where their next meal is coming from. Our St. Lucy Food Project supplies and operates three Catholic Charities pantries that feed the hungry within their communities: Christ House in Alexandria, Leesburg Regional Office, and Loaves and Fishes in Front Royal.  It also supplies food to 60 other urban and rural parish, community and government pantries, delivering nonperishable food, produce and meat.

About the St. Lucy Food Project Warehouse

St. Lucy's food warehouse serves as a distribution center to supply food to the three pantries – as well as 69 other parish, interfaith, community and government pantries within the Diocese.    

A key component of the St. Lucy Food Project is its emphasis on providing a balanced diet for the men, women and families who come for assistance. The warehouse and two of Catholic Charities pantries now include refrigerator and freezer units to store healthier fresh and frozen food: meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. Catholic Charities relies on partnerships with local farms and food producers to stock its refrigerator shelves. Parish youth groups and families often pick this farm fresh produce for St. Lucy.

The warehouse also offers its partner pantries traditional non-perishable foods, such as canned and boxed peanut butter, tuna, cereal, rice and beans. This food is gathered St. Lucy Food Project collection drives and sorted and stacked by parish and community volunteers. 

How You Can Help

Catholic Charities' St. Lucy Food Project depends upon a growing network of volunteers to make possible its growing response to those in need.

Volunteer opportunities include:

  1. Conducting a food drive at your parish, school, or business
  2. Sorting and packing food at the Manassas warehouse
  3. Driving a van or truck to retrieve and deliver food from parishes or other donation sites to pantries throughout the Diocese
  4. Helping clients receive services from a pantry network across the Diocese
  5. Volunteer for one of our produce gleaning projects at local farms. Summer and fall opportunities are available.

The St. Lucy Project Food Drive Kit

Feeding the Hungry, Nourishing the Soul

 

To conduct a food drive in your parish, school, or place of business please download the Food Drive Kit as a guide for your event. To set up your event, please contact  FoodDrive@ccda.net or call (703) 479-2975 x103. You will truly help feed the hungry of the Diocese of Arlington.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please call (703) 479-2975 ext. 100 or email debra.beard@ccda.net. Thank you for your support!

 

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Alexandria Food Pantry (Christ House)

The Christ House food pantry in Alexandria provides perishable and non-perishable foods to homeless and low-income households in Alexandria and the surrounding areas.
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Front Royal Food Pantry (Loaves & Fishes)

The Loaves & Fishes food pantry in Front Royal provides perishable and non-perishable foods to homeless and low-income households in Front Royal and the surrounding areas. Loaves & Fishes also serves as a depot to support pantries in the western quadrant of the Diocese.
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Leesburg Food Pantry

The Leesburg Regional Office food pantry in Leesburg (Loudoun County) provides perishable and non-perishable foods to homeless and low-income households in Loudoun County and the surrounding areas.
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Manassas Food Warehouse

The Manassas warehouse accepts donations of perishable and non-perishable foods. The Manassas warehouse is the distribution center for the St. Lucy Project. The centralized location in Manassas allows the St. Lucy Project easy access to major highways and efficient routes to every region in the Diocese.