(From left) Combined Properties' Linda Dreyer presents grocery gift cards to ODB Holiday Program Manager Dawn Sykes, with Holiday Program Coordinator Stella Roberts, Holiday Data Coordinator Dee Osei-Boateng and Executive Director Lisa Whetzel. Photo Courtesy of Our Daily Bread
Combined Properties donated store space at Courthouse Plaza in Fairfax City so that Our Daily Bread (ODB) and six other local organizations could conduct Fall Food Drives every Saturday from Nov. 1 through Dec. 13. This is its sixth year of supporting these food drives.
In addition, on Dec. 5, Linda Dreyer of Combined Properties delivered $10,000 worth of grocery cards to ODB for the organization to give to local families enrolled in its holiday program – enough to help 200 families enjoy holiday meals this December.
ODB has 3,000 individuals and families throughout Fairfax County on its holiday-assistance list, and the grocery cards are helping it provide assistance to those whom they weren’t able to match with sponsors from the community to provide meals. “We are so grateful to Combined Properties for their generous support of our programs to help those in our community who are struggling to make ends meet,” said ODB Executive Director Lisa Whetzel. “Their support is making a real difference for people who live very near us.”
Organizations that benefited from the fall food drives are: FACETS, Marshall Road Elementary School’s Food4Thought weekend backpack program, Koinonia Foundation, Our Daily Bread, Cunningham Park Elementary School’s Weekend Backpack Program, Lorton Community Action Center and James Mott Community Assistance Program.