Imagine a happy family gathering.
You share a meal, see what everyone’s been up to, and spend time with people you care about.
That’s what it’s like at Love Thy Neighbor. Love Thy Neighbor is a community food pantry and soup kitchen gathering held the third Sunday of each month at the King George Citizens Center at 8076 Kings Hwy.
“The people who attend have become family,” said Gina Panciera, president of Love Thy Neighbor. “We’ve really gotten to know them. It’s more than just providing food.”
About 100 people attend each month. The event begins at 2 p.m. with an inspirational hour led by pastors from churches in King George and surrounding counties. From 3 – 4 p.m., Love Thy Neighbor serves a hot meal to all their guests and volunteers. From 4 – 5 p.m., they offer a food pantry.
“The third week of the month is hard for folks,” said Chris Buck, Love Thy Neighbor’s vice president. “People are paying utility and medical bills. Senior citizens are on a fixed income. For many folks, they’re running short on money by the end of the month. We want to help people maximize their resources and not have to worry about the food.”
It takes lots of time, energy and organization to keep the program running. That’s where Rappahannock United Way stepped in. Volunteers from NSWC Federal Credit Union spent the day building shelves and organizing food and supplies during Rappahannock United Way’s Spring King George Day of Action.
“The Day of Action was the perfect opportunity to get the help we needed,” said Buck. “We’d been wanting to do it ourselves, but haven’t had the time.”
Rappahannock United Way manages a Volunteer Center where local nonprofits can post their volunteer opportunities and in-kind needs. Local citizens can easily search for volunteer opportunities in the Greater Fredericksburg area and respond online. Check it out at www.RUWVolunteer.org.
