ECHO's Needs for August

ECHO’s Backpack Program Prepares for Back-To-School
Back-to-School is just around the corner! Two afternoons each week this summer, ECHO has been buzzing with kids and adults organizing donated supplies and packing backpacks for our clients' school-age children. We hope to pack 1,400 grade specific backpacks this year and we need your donations to make that happen. The list of our most-needed supplies includes high school backpacks (17” -19”), mechanical pencils, pens (blue ink), pink pearl erasers, wide rule composition books, college rule spiral notebooks, paper pocket folders, plastic pocket folders. A complete list is on the ECHO website at echo-inc.org/donate/seasonal-programs/. Donors might prefer to use our Amazon Wishlist, echo-inc.org/donate/donate-goods/#amazon-wishlist, to have supplies delivered directly to ECHO. Thank you for helping us equip every child for a successful start to the new school year! 

ECHO Breaks a Record
ECHO broke a record for the fiscal year ending June 30, but it isn’t one we were hoping to break. We served people who were seeking food assistance during a record breaking 2,044 appointments at our Food Pantry, distributing 360,772 pounds of food. This represents help to more than 8,000 individuals who are our neighbors in Burke and Springfield. This also represents a growing number of local households whose circumstances are so difficult that covering the basic human need of food is not always possible for them, so they must ask for assistance. 

 If you are in a position to help ECHO rise to this growing challenge, here is what our Food Pantry needs most right now: macaroni and cheese, canned tomatoes, dried beans, instant potatoes, canned fruit, toilet paper, bath soap and toothpaste, though we can use all types of non-perishable foods and personal hygiene supplies. 

ECHO’s Fall Needs
Is the hot weather keeping everyone inside entertaining themselves by going through their closets? We’ve been receiving lots of clothing donations, and we are grateful, but the generosity of the community has filled our nooks and crannies! Very soon we will be distributing fall and winter clothing, but we are asking that donors please hold on to their donations of warm clothing until late August so that we can manage our backlog. We still—and always—need new or gently used kids’ shoes as well as athletic shoes for men in sizes 7, 8, and 9. 

The Housewares Department is currently out of bathmats and is low on medium-size pots and king and queen size comforters.  ECHO, at 7205 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, is open to receive donations from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, as well as one Saturday morning a month. Please see our website, www.echo-inc.org to find out which Saturday we are open.

Get Ready to Spend a Spooky Halloween Morning at the ECHO Yard Sale
ECHO has chosen an unforgettable date for its Fall Yard Sale this year! Mark your calendar to join us on October 31, in the gym at St. Bernadette’s School, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, for a massive sale of home accessories, fashion items, collectibles, toys, electronics, and more. We’re done by noon, so you’ll have time to prepare for Trick or Treat! ECHO’s semi-annual yard sales support our mission of helping people in our community.

Burke Fairfax CROP Walk Helps ECHO
The 34th Annual Burke Fairfax CROP Hunger Walk will be held on November 8. Communities around the country conduct CROP Walks. Proceeds of these walks have benefitted the work of Church World Service (CWS) in projects around the world to teach farming practices, build wells, help people recover from disasters, AND feed hungry people in our own neighborhoods. CWS sends a large percentage of funds raised by a local walk back to local organizations that combat hunger. Thus, each Burke Fairfax CROP Walk benefits ECHO’s work in addition to global initiatives. Learn more about the local CROP walk at burkecropwalk.org.

Upcoming Dates to Note
August 1 - Saturday Opening
August 17-19 Change to Fall/Winter Clothing
September 5 - Saturday Opening
September 7 - Closed for Labor Day
September 9 - Executive Committee Meeting
September 13 - Volunteer Appreciation Picnic
September 21 - Board of Directors Meeting

For more information about ECHO on the following topics, please click any of the links below:
How to Get Help from ECHO
Donate Money
Find Us on Instagram
Find Us on Facebook 
ECHO Food and Clothing Amazon Wish List