Update: The ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour originally slated for Feb. 19 has been postponed. It will be rescheduled for a later date.
Catholic Charities will open a spacious new food pantry in
Sterling this month in an expanded Loudoun Regional Office that will serve the
western part of the Arlington diocese. It replaces the former Leesburg Regional
Office, which has served the area for the past 15 years.
In addition to the food pantry, the new location will include
offices for the Catholic Charities Emergency Assistance program, as well as
Pregnancy and Adoption Support and legal aid through the Hogar Legal program.
In its 15 years in Loudoun County, Catholic Charities has served
more than 3,500 clients a year at the food pantry and provided emergency assistance to
more than 1,500 clients who received help paying rent or utility bills.
“The steady increase in
the number of clients served by Catholic Charities meant we needed a larger
space, especially for the food pantry,” said Catherine Hassinger, director of
community services for diocesan Catholic Charities.
The Sterling location almost doubles the space available to the
food pantry, which is part of the St. Lucy Food Project pantry network. The
site includes a large lobby, ample warehouse space and a loading dock in the
rear that will facilitate the delivery of food. It also allows for more
parking, which will enable the agency to dramatically increase the number of
clients it serves.
“Sterling was a natural fit for us,” Hassinger said. “Our new
site sits at the crossroads of Sterling, Ashburn and Leesburg, so we will be
able to continue serving our existing clients. We anticipate being able to help
an even greater number of families who may need a local solution to keep their
families fed.”
Find out more:
Catholic Charities’ new Loudoun Regional Office and food
pantry is at 113 Executive Dr., Building 2, Suite 110; Sterling.
bit.ly/CCDA-Loudoun-pantry