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Category Archives: Get Involved!

Pender’s Mini Free Pantry

Pender’s Mini Food Pantry: A Small Space with a Big Mission

The Pender Mini Food Pantry is officially open and ready to serve our community! This little structure—built as an Eagle Scout Project by one of Pender’s Boy Scouts—is a beautiful example of service, compassion, and creativity.

At first glance, it looks a lot like a Little Free Library, but instead of books, it’s stocked with nonperishable food for anyone in need. It’s a simple yet powerful way to share kindness and nourishment in our neighborhood.

📍 Location:
You’ll find the pantry at 12301 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033—coming from Route 50, it’s the second driveway on the left into Pender, right beside the sidewalk.

🥫 What’s Inside:
As of this writing, the pantry is filled with a wide variety of items, including:

  • Canned tuna, chicken, chili, and soup
  • Broth, vegetables, pumpkin, and apple sauce
  • Shelf-stable milk, peach slices, mandarin oranges, and individual fruit packs
  • Jello, pudding cups, mac and cheese servings, and mashed potatoes
  • Coffee, oatmeal, ketchup, gravy packets, and cooking oil

It’s truly a community effort—and every contribution helps keep it going.

💜 How to Help:
Anyone is welcome to take what they need or to donate food items to keep the pantry stocked. When you give, please remember our guiding principle:

Give with dignity. Donate items you’d feel comfortable using yourself.

✝️ A Reflection

In Matthew 14:19–20, Jesus blesses a few loaves and fishes and feeds thousands—reminding us that God multiplies our small acts of generosity into abundance for all.

The Pender Mini Food Pantry is one small basket among many, but together, we can feed both body and spirit in the name of Christ.

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2025 in food insecurity, Get Involved!, Pender UMC

 

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Veterans Day

honoring-heroes

The observance of Veterans Day, Nov. 11, began almost a century ago.

In the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Allied nations and Germany declared an armistice – a temporary cessation of hostilities – in World War I. Commemorated as Armistice Day the next year, Nov. 11 became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to U.S. veterans of all wars.

Now is the perfect time for congregations to engage in ministry with active troops and the families left behind.

Click here for 20 ideas.

 

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Scouting for Food, Troop 1530

Pender’s Boy Scout Troop 1530
If anyone wants to donate food they can drop it off at the church parking lot next Saturday. We will be there from 9 – 10AM.
 
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Posted by on November 7, 2025 in Get Involved!, Pender UMC

 

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Food Insecurity: WegmansWednesday

 

It’s a #WegmansWednesday.

Did you know that anytime you shop at Wegmans thru November 29, you can participate in “Checkout Hunger” and your donations at checkout will benefit WFCM and the families we serve.

Thank you for being a #CaringConnection!

 
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Posted by on November 5, 2025 in food insecurity, Get Involved!, Pender UMC

 

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Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Event

Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Event

Two hours. 20 thousand meals. Lasting impact on the global community. Are you in?

You can have a hands-on effect on world hunger by packaging meals with Rise Against Hunger on November 2 arriving by 3:30-5 pm in Pender UMC’s Gathering Place. These meals are nutrient-dense combinations of protein, grains, vegetables, and vitamins, but their benefits reach far beyond just nutrition!

Meals are sent to disaster recovery areas and school programs internationally, where they have long-term positive consequences surrounding poverty, education, and more.

Bring a willing set of hands for assembly-line packaging. Children are welcome – this is an all ages and abilities event.

Each year, KUMC of Koinonia partners with the organization Rise Against Hunger on the first Sunday of November to pack 20,000 meals that are sent to communities in need around the world. This has been a meaningful and impactful tradition for our congregation.

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2025 in Get Involved!, Outreach, Pender UMC

 

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