Over 4,000 pounds of food and toiletries were delivered to local food banks on Saturday, Sept. 19 during this Falls Church City’s day to serve. This year a food drive sponsored by the Falls Church Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints proved no different. Mayor David Tarter spoke to volunteers who attended the Day to Serve event at the Latter-Day Saints chapel on Great Falls Street. “Today I am reminded of what a special place Falls Church is, and in large part it is because of the community minded citizens who contribute so much time and talent to make our community one of caring, inclusion, and creativity,” he said.

Since 2011 the Falls Church Ward has sponsored an annual food drive to benefit our local food banks. The is annual event is part of the regional Day to Serve, an interfaith, bipartisan movement started four years ago which has been continued by the current governors of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and the mayor of Washington, D.C. What started as a single day dedicated to service projects to improve communities and bring people together is now a month long effort September 11 – October 12 with thousands participating in hundreds of projects across the region.

The food and toiletries collected went to benefit the Columbia Baptist “Spend Yourself Pantry” and the Falls Church Community Services Council Food Bank. More than 100 people served nearly 500 hours, canvassing 1,000 homes in the Falls Church area with donation bags and also requesting donations at area grocery stores.

“All this just shows you the generosity of people in our area,” said Justin Huff, a church member, as he and others delivered and stocked donations to the “Spend Yourself Pantry.” Other organizations and congregations in the area are still organizing Day to Serve activities, which run until October 12. For more information visit daytoserve.org.