Give Joy This Holiday Season

What we are doing:
This year, we are once again partnering with the DC Housing Authority to ensure that each child living in public housing in DC — or scattered site housing across the District — has a few toys to make their December holidays joyous. Thanks to supporters like you, we are able to give out thousands of toys through this partnership each year.

Every year, we also set up a magical “Winter Wonderland” for neighbors who visit our Silver Spring Center for furniture and clothing appointments in December. Neighbors select new toys for their children — then our volunteers wrap and send the toys home with the parents to distribute during their own holiday celebrations.

How you can help:
There are a few ways you can participate:

• Peruse our Amazon wishlist for potential gifts to purchase and donate. Toy and gift donations are not limited to what is on the wishlist — we will take any new toys, games, sports gear, or educational gifts for children between the ages of 2 and 17. Keep in mind that we’ll need to cover a wide variety of ages, genders, and specific interests.
  
  
• Drop off new unwrapped gifts to our headquarters, the Ann and Don Brown Center for Community Service, 9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, starting Wednesday, November 1 through Saturday, December 9. Our hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday-Saturday. You do not need to confirm your participation or call or email ahead of time.
  
  
• If you prefer to ship items to us, our Amazon wishlist will allow you to send items directly to us. Or, you can use any other shopping website to send gifts to: “A Wider Circle, ATTN: HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE, 9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910.” Please plan for your items to arrive between Wednesday November 1 and Saturday, December 9, 2023.

Something that inspires us every year is how many supporters run a toy drive at their workplace, or among their family and neighbors, and drop items off in bulk.

Send your questions to holiday@awidercircle.org or call (301) 807-9380 to speak with or leave a message for Liz Anne, our coordinator.

We need individuals and families to sign up for volunteer shifts wrapping gifts, helping parents select gift items at our headquarters in Silver Spring, and delivering Thanksgiving baskets and holiday gifts to families in the DC area.

If you would like to help out, email us at volunteer@awidercircle.org. Existing and recent volunteers will be provided the link to sign up for shifts directly. New volunteers will first be provided with a link to complete the volunteer waiver. We will provide a brief orientation to anyone on or before their first holiday volunteer shift.

If you have any questions, please send them to volunteer@awidercircle.org or call 301-608-3504 and select the prompt to reach the Volunteer Team.

If you are not able or prefer not to shop directly, you can still help us reach our goal and round out your neighbors’ needs.

Click here to support the holiday program with a financial gift. Or, you can also give a general gift to support all of A Wider Circle’s programs and services throughout the year. 

12/1/2023: With your help, we distributed Thanksgiving baskets to more than 400 families this year!
Thank you so much for your help ensuring our neighbors could enjoy a holiday meal.

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Over the past few years, we have seen a dramatic increase in families experiencing food insecurity. The Capital Area Food Bank recently found that 32% of households in the Washington region did not always know where their next meal would come from. 

What we are doing:
Each year, we give out 300+ Thanksgiving baskets to families in DC and MD. Our recipients include the residents of served by our Ward 8 Hub in DC’s Washington Highlands neighborhood, as well as clients attending furniture, clothing, and career support appointments at our Center in Silver Spring, MD.

The baskets include a set of non-perishables and a gift card for fresh grocery items. Donated baskets or individual items/gift cards can be dropped off to us in Silver Spring between October 24 and November 14, and we’ll deliver them to families in need.

Send your questions to holiday@awidercircle.org or call 301-608-3504 and dial 0 for the receptionist.

How you can help:
To help your neighbors experience the bounty of a full table, please consider dropping off a gift card and a bundle of shelf-stable items. With your help, we’re looking to fill all 300 baskets with the following items:

• 1 $50 Safeway or Giant gift card (If $50 is not within your reach this year, you can decrease the value to $25; if the opposite is true, you can increase the value to $75 or $100)
• 1 Cranberry sauce (whole or jellied)
• 1 Stuffing mix (Stove Top, etc.)
• 1 Box of Instant Mashed Potatoes
• 1-2 Cans of Sweet Potatoes
• 1-2 Cans or Jars of Turkey Gravy
• 1 Box of Macaroni Noodles
• 2-3 Canned Vegetables (low sodium preferably)
• 1 Cornbread Mix
• 1 Can or Box of Shelf-Stable Milk

Create a whole bag, box, or basket. Make 2 or 5 kits, even! Or, you can just contribute particular items and leave the rest to our team to assemble.

Please drop your donation off at our headquarters, the Ann and Don Brown Center for Community Service, 9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, starting Tuesday, October 24, through Tuesday, November 14.

Our hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday-Saturday. You do not need to confirm your participation or call or email ahead of time.