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Community Corner

Holiday Help Needed

Dear Herndon Community,

Established in 1972, LINK is an all-volunteer non-profit coalition of churches and community organizations providing emergency food assistance on a daily basis directly to the homes of needy families in Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn.  Our motivations are rooted in spirit, mercy and responsibility to others.

LINK is seeking individuals, civic groups, businesses, and schools willing to partner to assist needy families during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

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 Won’t you, or your organization, consider making a donation of cash, non perishable food, gently used coats& winter clothing items, or new toys to LINK?

According to the current US Census Bureau approx. 49.1 million Americans (or 15.1% of the population) are considered poor.   Now among the poor are the college-educated, the former middle-class worker, the suburbanite and the homeowner.  The number of families needing assistance continues to rise, and many of them live in our community.  They are our co-workers, our friends, our neighbors, and most importantly, families with children. 

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LINK provides hundreds of families with various kinds of support throughout the year.  Supplying emergency nonperishable food to local people in need is the main ministry of LINK.  LINK delivers food and grocery gift cards to the homes of approximately 80 families (about 300 people) per month.

During Thanksgiving and Christmas LINK serves additional families through our Holiday Program.  In 2012 we served over 8,300 individuals who received food for 5 days, over $43,000 in grocery gift cards, 2,000+ gently-used winter coats & clothing items, toys for children newborn through 16 years of age, and hundreds of pounds of frozen meat.  The need for such items is expected to rise this year.

LINK strongly believes that assisting those less fortunate with their most basic needs fosters hope and good will among our diverse and fast growing community. Unconditional love that flows freely is the simplest and purest of all acts. A used winter coat, four bags of non-perishables, a grocery gift certificate, two toys for a child at Christmas, these are the simplest of acts.

Information about LINK can be found at http://www.linkagainsthunger.org. LINK needs the continuous financial and volunteer support from our local businesses, civic organizations, Churches and residents. LINK’s Campaign Participant Combined Federal Campaign Number is 78589 and the United Way Number is 9648.

Monetary donations are always welcomed and greatly appreciated.    Donations can be sent to:

LINK     

PO Box 443     

Sterling, VA  20167-0443

 LINK events are always in need of volunteers.  For more information on ways you can help, please contact: 

Carrie Sawicki 

Business & Community Liaison

703-478-6322

cheerthemon@verizon.net

 

We are fortunate to have an involved community and thank all who have supported LINK in the past.  Whether a past participant, or someone new looking to make a difference close to home, we hope you will consider supporting our 2013 Holiday Program.

 

Thank you,

Carrie Sawicki

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