A Partnership for Food

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

Food donations are desperately needed to stock the shelves.

Delegate Tom Rust has again partnered with the Herndon High School Hornets Marching Band to conduct a food drive to benefit the LINK pantry during the Herndon HS Homecoming parade and football game.  Due to the extraordinary high demand for food to support our neighbors in need, the pantry shelves at LINK are very low.  Food donations are desperately needed to stock the shelves.  Donations needed include peanut butter, jelly, canned tomato products, dried beans, canned black beans, canned chicken, canned fruit, canned chili, and all types of soups.

Delegate Rust will be collecting non-perishable food in children’s wagons along the parade route at the entrance to the Homecoming game on October 22, 2011 and also at his legislative office in downtown Herndon. 

“I have personally donated to LINK numerous times and this is a terrific way to assist those in our community who are in currently in need.  Last year we collected over 600 pounds of food and we are hoping to exceed that number this year,” says Rust.

Last year, LINK averaged 17 home deliveries a week which equates to almost a ton of food provided each week, for 52 weeks a year.  LINK volunteers delivered to 75 households this past August, providing a week's worth of food for 315 people.

LINK is an all volunteer local nonprofit organization that collects and distributes non-perishable food to needy families. Donations can also be dropped off at Rust’s legislative office in Herndon’s Town Hall located at 730 Elden Street, next to the Herndon Visitor’s Center.

A special update from LINK President Lisa Lombardozzi:

Spanish speaking volunteers are needed.

As LINK enters the Fall season, we look back on the many volunteers who helped stock the empty pantry shelves during the Summer season lull for donations.

LINK, an all volunteer organization, has been serving the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn community since 1972. We are a consortium of churches of various backgrounds who find common ground in making sure that the basic need for food is provided for our neighbors. We have been blessed to receive several significant donations from area businesses, schools, individuals and civic groups.

Neustar, a Sterling-based firm sent a volunteer group of employees to help sort and organize food for LINK.

Two of the older classes from Herndon United Methodist Vacation Bible School worked in the pantry, helping clean up as well as sort and shelf food.

The Trinity Presbyterian Vacation Bible School (Herndon) featured LINK during its mission sessions.  The children prepared bags of rice, with cooking directions attached in both English and Spanish.  They also collected and boxed non-perishable food for LINK.  Two of the youth volunteers helped drop off the food at the pantry.

The Youth Group from Cross Current Ministries (Ashburn) worked in the pantry as well as around the grounds. 

A group from Cross Roads United Methodist Church (Ashburn) worked in the pantry, helping to sort food from Trader Joe's as well as around the grounds.

Youth from St. Joseph's (Herndon) and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church (Sterling) and Herndon United Methodist Church volunteered in the pantry, helping to sort and shelf food as well as clean up.   

The Catholic Young Adult Group, organized by a parishioner of St. Theresa's Catholic Church (Ashburn), packed for deliveries one Saturday and worked in the pantry as well.

A local preschool in the Ashburn area collected food for LINK.

Over 50 emergency volunteers delivered food for LINK during the Summer months.

The combined donations received keep our food pantry shelves full so that we can serve over 350 individuals each month. LINK is also seeking individuals or businesses to volunteer to make home deliveries to families in need. We deliver food Tuesdays through Saturdays all year long. Weekday deliveries are typically made after 6 pm and Saturday deliveries are made between 1– 4 pm. 

If you are interested in more information regarding volunteering or would like to speak to someone about promoting food donations for LINK, please call Lisa Lombardozzi at 703-973-4444 or email – president@linkagainsthunger.org or visit our website – www.linkagainsthunger.org.