™For dates for each event, please visit our calendar.
Yard Sales
Yard Sales are held twice a year, in the spring and fall in the cafeteria/gymnasium of St. Bernadette’s Church on Old Keene Mill Road. Items sold at these yard sales were donated to ECHO but are not readily used by the clients. All proceeds from the sale benefit ECHO.
Food Drives
In addition to food drives held by churches, schools and community organizations, ECHO is the grateful recipient of three large scale food drives each year: Scouting for Food in November sponsored by Scouts BSA, the USPS Letter Carriers food drive in May and the Fairfax County-Giant Foods-MV Transportation “Stuff the Bus” drive in February.
School Supplies
Each summer, ECHO solicits donations of school supplies and new backpacks. Volunteers fill the backpacks with grade-appropriate supplies for distribution in late summer and early fall to client families who have school-age children See our “School Supplies” page to find a list of needed items.
CROP Walk for Hunger
ECHO benefits from the Burke/Fairfax CROP Hunger Walk (www.burkecropwalk.org) a local event held annually on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to raise money for, and awareness of, the world’s hungry. Walkers solicit donations for their walk. Proceeds go to Church World Service www.churchworldservice.org/ which uses 75% for assistance worldwide (including in the U.S.) and 25% for local charities that combat hunger. Walkers are also encouraged to bring canned goods for ECHO’s food pantry.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Meals
During November and December, counselors process requests for holiday food baskets from clients. More information about this program can be found on our Holiday Programs page, under Donate.
Holiday Store
ECHO collects donations of new toys, games and books to display in a store-like setting so that clients who are parents of young children can come in by appointment in December to choose the most appropriate gifts for their children. ECHO calls it a store, but no client is charged for anything ECHO gives to them.