At Kings Park Elementary School it didn’t take long for the holiday food donations to line the hall outside the office. Like in previous years, the

school is working with the Ecumenical Community Helping Others to help those in need around Springfield.

Principal Dotty Lin described her students and their families as ”very giving,” she said as a group of the third grade “Cub Council” members loaded Dick Marvin’s car with boxes and bags on Nov. 19. “The message was that we’re helping families in need,” Lin said of the effort but the students also used communications skills, advertising and commitment “to think of others,” Lin said.

All boxes and bags of food were going to ECHO, located on Old Keene Mill Drive in Springfield. “It’s a real challenging time,” said Anita King, the ECHO executive director. Springfield may seem like a middle-class community, but falling on hard times, even temporarily, can happen to anyone. “Maybe they were doing well, but now they’re not,” said King. And that’s when ECHO helps out so there is food on the table during the holiday.

On Saturday, Nov. 9, the annual Scouting for Food drive yielded more than 18,000 pounds of food for the pantries at ECHO. “There are a lot of asking for Christmas food this year,” said Cheryl Schmidt, a Burke resident who has been volunteering at ECHO for 10 years. Just about everyone there is a volunteer, and they depend on community groups for the food and the gifts for the Christmas gift table. “Churches have a giving tree, it’s usually very nice gifts,” Schmidt said.

ECHO’s Foothold in Springfield

ECHO recently celebrated their 50th year helping out in Springfield. Inside the non-descript ECHO building, there are areas where people can find out about heating assistance, jobs, mental health support, art donations, books and at this time of year there is a wall of holiday decorations to give away. There’s a clothing room, a gift room, and a set of refrigerators and freezers for perishable foods. Scouts, adult social clubs, sport teams, schools and area businesses all chip in. Since they have limited hours and there is no drop off in the parking lot, “everything we do is by appointment only,” Schmidt said. But at the same time, “we don’t turn anybody away,” she said.

They are always looking for volunteers, and teenagers can get community hours for a school requirement by working there, but only if it’s to meet

a school requirement.

“Due to the limited administrative supervision, this program can not be used for court-ordered community service hours,” their information stated. Although ECHO is active all year long, some of the volunteer opportunities are only needed during the holiday season.

Local businesses support ECHO as well, and there is a special page on the ECHO website to recognize these businesses. For instance, for six straight holiday seasons, Sheehy Volkswagen and Subaru in Springfield have donated to ECHO, including $5,000 in December, 2018. Cardinal Forest Shell, Cardinal Forest Giant Foods, the new Marshalls on Loisdale Road, the Springfield Lorton Dental Group, and Language on Demand all were recognized for helping. In addition, Merry Maids cleans the center each week.