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Haymarket Food Pantry plans benefit
Asking for donations, begging businesses, calling in favors: these are the ABCs of putting together a nonprofit fundraiser.
Seven local women recently put on their thinking caps, put together an ABC plan, and put out the word; they plan to raise $10,000 for the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry this month.
Regional businesses like Dominion Valley Country Club and Great American Restaurants jumped on board to help the food pantry volunteers ease the strained pantry budget by donating thousands of dollars in prizes, gift cards and certificates to the upcoming HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) silent auction and dinner dance on Sept. 30.
Taking their decorating color scheme from the food pantry’s HOPE logo, the fundraising committee hopes to turn their yellow and teal event into gold for their mission.
“We are counting down the last few weeks before the silent auction,” said board member Mary Lou Scarbrough.
In addition to enjoying the annual Haymarket Day parade and festivities this Saturday, visitors can take a minute to help a neighbor in need by donating or purchasing a ticket for a seat at the upcoming charity dinner planned for Friday, Sept. 30, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Dominion Valley Country Club in Haymarket.
Tickets and information about the fundraiser will be available at the food pantry booth.
The $60 donation includes a sit-down dinner prepared by the Dominion Valley Country Club chef, two drink tickets and an evening of entertainment by the Andre Fox Band. The popular band, which performs in clubs and private venues up and down the East Coast, performs from 8 until 11 p.m. Throughout the evening, bidders can also peruse and stake their claims on silent auction items or snag them with a special “buy now” option. The list of items up for grabs includes specialty baskets, art and jewelry from local artists, Lenox metal ware, season passes to the Manassas Ballet, Pampered Chef cookware and more.
“We’re hoping for 150 people,” said food pantry board member Celeste Schwartz.
“I think the key to this is that we started several months ago soliciting donations both near and far,” said Schwartz, who added the massive letter writing campaign helped tremendously. She added she received certificates for golf cart and fees from local clubs, Skate-N-Fun Zone, George Mason Freedom Aquatic Center passes, and local restaurants like Giuseppe’s.
A trove of specialty baskets for art lovers, cooks, golfers, and gamers are being designed by the fundraising committee members which includes Haymarket Mayor Pam Stutz, Jennifer Schadowsky, Ginger Carroll, Kim Kennedy, Melanie Estaban, Scarbrough, and Schwartz.
The food pantry, an ecumenical and community-based ministry, is staffed entirely by volunteers aiming to eliminate hunger in Haymarket and throughout the Piedmont region.
“We are definitely serving a need in the community,” stated Schwartz.
The number of clients being served from January to June went up by 27 percent this spring, she added.
What began as a small food closet at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in 2005 is now a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization that provides food for more than 100 people each month. Half of those clients are under the age of 18.
This spring, the food pantry relocated to a house next to the Haymarket Police Department on Washington Street. Operating hours for the pantry are Tuesdays and Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
“We need volunteers to assist us in many areas,” said Schwartz, who added she hopes the community won’t forget the old adage, “Many hands make light work.”
Volunteers are also needed to help during set up, registration, and checkout on Sept. 30 at the dinner event.
To volunteer, email Brenda Dinan at 4dragonflies@comcast.net.
For tickets, call Melanie Esteban at 703-932-2906 or Scarbrough at 703-963-5918; or email haymarketfoodpantry@gmail.com.
All proceeds will benefit the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry.
Monetary donation can be sent to: Haymarket Regional Food Pantry, P.O. Box 132, Haymarket, Virginia 20168.
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