Social4Good Brings Holiday Cheer to Babies, Teens and Families

Article by Sharon Grace

Photos by Mary Stahl and Faith Boettger

S4G’s monthly project

Social4Good Brings Holiday Cheer to Babies, Teens and Families

In December, S4G aimed to spread more holiday cheer by supporting two nonprofit partners – a program project with LINK, and a volunteer opportunity with Committee for Helping Others. 
 
LINK is all-volunteer non-profit organization that has been serving the community for more than 51 years, providing emergency food and financial assistance to qualified people in need. Supported primarily by donations of food and funds, LINK is comprised of dedicated churches, organizations, and individuals serving the Herndon, Sterling, and Ashburn, Virginia communities.  

“Prior to the pandemic, LINK delivered to approximately 75 homes each month. In November, we delivered to 391 homes,” noted Lisa Lombardozzi, LINK President & Food Committee Chair.  “Along with this increasing need, we’ve seen a decline in donations as more people are working remotely. Businesses that would typically host food drives have dwindled to just a handful. It is more important now than ever, to volunteer where your heart leads you, whether that is food, animals, or people. The time you give, even just an hour, means a lot to all of us!”

A core program of LINK is its holiday program that provides each family with food for 3 – 5 days and, when available, coats and toys.  S4G set a goal for their support at 100 gifts for newborns – two year olds, and 110 $25 Walmart gift cards. They exceeded it with donations of more than 200 toys and 120 gift cards for teens to choose their own special present. Overall, the LINK holiday program in 2023 was a big success: more than 4,700 individuals in nearly 850 families received food, grocery gift cards, and toys to celebrate the holidays.

S4G’s other December work involved supporting the Committee for Helping Others (CHO) Christmas Store. CHO is an all-volunteer organization that was organized in 1969 by a group of concerned churches and individuals in the Vienna, Oakton, Dunn Loring, and Merrifield area to provide assistance to those in need of goods and services they were unable to provide for themselves or obtain from government social service organizations.

Families identified by neighborhood schools and organizations were invited to the CHO Christmas Store which opened December 9 at Vienna Presbyterian Church. The day before volunteers worked to organize all the donations and set up the space.  S4G members logged more than 50 volunteer hours setting up and staffing the Christmas Store and gathered over $2,200 in new and used coats and children’s clothing. S4G efforts were supported by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – Tysons Ward, whose members donated coats and clothing for CHO’s Christmas Store and gift cards for LINK’s teenagers. 

S4G members gather for holiday cheer and to learn more about LINK

S4G members gather for holiday cheer and to learn more about LINK

S4G is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization that brings together engaged women who want to meet new people and support the organizations that make our community strong. Each month, this column will highlight S4G’s monthly project to raise awareness on critical needs in our community and local nonprofits making a difference. 

To learn more about S4G or to support local nonprofits, visit www.Social4Good.community.