Street Smart’s Holiday Resource Guide

As we near the winter and holiday season, the Street Smart team has created a comprehensive resource guide that can be essential in the spirit of Holiday Cheer. This guide consists of holiday resources and volunteer opportunities. This is our gift to you to spread the gift of love to others.

Holiday Resources

These events allow you to receive aid you might need for the holidays or allow you to give your time through volunteer work.

Thrive DC Emergency Food Pantry

Thrive DC works to prevent and end homelessness in Washington, DC by providing vulnerable people with a wide range of services to help stabilize their lives. Their pantry bag distribution is on Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. An appointment is necessary. Call 202-503-1524 and leave your contact information. Someone will return the call and confirm your appointment.

Address: 1525 Newton Street Northwest, Suite G1 Washington, DC 20010

Toy Drive at SOME

This year sign-ups are limited to the first 150 children and taking place online. You will need to register each child individually and upload a picture of their birth certificate. The Toy Pick-up will be in the SOME parking lot (socially distanced outside): Thursday, December 10 — 1:00 - 3:00 p.m, Friday, December 11— 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please email Anne at aourand@some.org.

Sign up: Click here

Food for All DC (Food Delivery)

Food for All DC makes food deliveries for DC residents who are homebound. Deliveries are made on Saturday mornings, every week, including holidays. Please call 240-505-4607, leave your name and contact number to ask about food delivery assistance.

Location: 1810 16th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20009

Sign up: Click here

Action Chapel Virginia's Drive-Thru Toys & Grocery Give-Away

In response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis, this holiday season Action Chapel is bringing toys and meals to families going through hard times. Families within the DMV Metropolitan area are invited to come and receive fresh produce, meat, dairy, canned goods, other groceries, and toys for the kids at their upcoming contactless drive-thru event. Volunteers will place bags or boxes filled with food and toy into automobile trunks as cars stop at the different stations categorized by food type and toys.

Location: Action Chapel Virginia - 6315 Bren Mar Drive #200

Alexandria, VA 22312

Sign up: Click here

Woodley House Food Pantry

The Woodley House Food Pantry is open to all DC residents and is centrally located on Connecticut Avenue, NW near the Woodley Park Metro and bus line. Proof of Washington, DC residency is required. Please bring a current photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or other identification cards, along with proof of residency such as a utility bill, etc.

For more information, contact Sheryl Kennerly at skennerly@woodleyhouse.org or 202-830-3508.

Address: 2711 Connecticut Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20008

Phone: 202-830-3516 ext.

Learn more: Click here

Volunteer Opportunities

Give the gift of time and talent this holiday season by volunteering in your community.

So Others Might Eat (SOME) Holiday Drives

Holiday Toy Drive: This holiday season, you can sponsor a child from a family experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty. Each child will receive a shoebox gift filled with necessary winter and hygiene items, and their parent/guardian will receive a gift card to ensure that they can make holiday wishes come true.

Donate: Click here

Holiday Shoebox Gift Drive: Shoebox gifts are shoeboxes decorated for the holidays and brimming with essential items for those in need. Your gift boxes will be given out over the holidays to all who come to SOME for meals and services and to residents of SOME's affordable housing.

Donate: Click here

Salvation Army Angel Tree Program

Angel Tree is a unique holiday assistance program that connects an individual sponsor or a group sponsor with a deserving child (or “Angel”) in need. Sponsors buy presents, and volunteers help unload, sort, organize, decorate, and distribute gifts!

Volunteer Here: Available Time Slots

True Vine Center’s Pantry Volunteer Opportunity

The True Vine Center is committed to providing programs and activities that will

create a positive and motivational environment to increase the participants’ educational potential and social consciousness. They need pantry volunteers to register clients, check eligibility, answer phones, fill out data on forms, pass out food, assist clients with bags, and help keep the pantry clean amongst other duties.

Location: 4880 Stamp Road Temple Hills, MD 20748

Sign Up: Click here

New Creation Church’s Monthly Food Distribution

New Creation Church partners with the Capital Area Food Bank to provide free food to the ... Food Distribution is conducted on the 4th Tuesday of each month. They need people to sort food, bag, and distribute to Seniors that already purchased (no money on-site) and finish around 12:00 pm.

Location: 5999 Emerson Street

Bladensburg, MD 20710

Sign Up: Click here

Lastly, Street Smart Collaborative is still raising funds for our first Black-owned Gift Box. Our Black Gift Box hopes to advance the mission of supporting underserved communities by curating and selling a selection of goods from local black-owned businesses while serving as an advertisement for small businesses.

Donate to our cause through our GoFundMe here!

Hope this resource guide serves you and your loved ones well in these unexpected times. After checking out these resources visit our blog page for our weekly #TheMoves blog with the DMV moves and more holiday volunteer opportunities. Happy holidays!