The school year is wrapping up and school children can barely contain their excitement!

Summer is a time for summer jobs and sports, volunteerism and doing a variety of useful activities.  Some children are incredibly motivated while others can use helpful suggestion.  As parents, we want to avoid an irregular schedule with too much screen time.

One community non-profit that could use your help in many ways this summer is Share of McLean. 

Share provides assistance to the less fortunate of McLean, Pimmit Hills, Great Falls and parts of Falls Church.  Last year, Share helped over 1,5000 households and more than 4,000 family members.  

Share is an all-volunteer organization that depends on the direct assistance of the local community.

Ursula Guerrieri of Share McLean says, "Within our community, we truly provide a source of overall support and guidance.  We help the family in a comprehensive manner.  Our Programs include Back-to-School, Thanksgiving program, Christmas program.  Qualifying families receive help for school, gift cards and extra resources for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We also provide counseling and referral to other organizations as needed."

This summer, Ursula says the urgent needs of Share, in addition to food items, is:

brand new underwear, Men, Women, children

Pet food

Laundry detergent

Toiletries, soap, lotion, shampoo

Household cleaning products

Paper goods

Towels

These items are sometimes overlooked in addition to the food items but are still greatly needed.

How can your children help Share of McLean this summer?

- Children can declutter and clean out outgrown clothing that is still in good shape, along with unused toys and sports equipment.

- If your child is playing a summer sport, they can organize a Team Food Drive.  Bring bins to your Saturday games, where a collection can take place for food, toiletries and clothing.  Ursula says, sometimes it can be useful to collect one type of item, like a Toiletries Drive.  Or a Cereal Box Drive.  

- Hold a lemonade stand, yard sale, bake sale or team collection for Share of McLean Family Assistance Program.  This is an emergency financial assistance program that helps over 800 families per year in short term crisis through help with bills, rent, medical expense.  

- Does your child have service hours that they need to commit to this summer, or upcoming school year?  Familiarize yourself with Share of McLean and review guildelines for holding a drive.  What a useful way to get in service hours and do something so important for the local community!

If you would like to hold a drive for Share of McLean, you are asked to call them weeks in advance to notify them.  Their website contains a great deal of useful information to get the ball rolling.  

Donations can be made at Share, located at McLean Baptist Church, 1367 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Virginia 22101.  Share is open for donations Wednesdays and Saturdays 9:30 am-noon.  For more information on all of their programs and to contact Share please visit their website at https://www.shareofmclean.org/.