Need Help?

Are you experiencing a setback in your ability to maintain your household? With some help could you keep things going for your family?

ECHO can help you with emergency food, clothing, housewares, school supplies, and limited financial assistance with rent, utilities, and car repairs.
Call 703-569-9160 or see How to Get Help

ECHO boundaries include Springfield and Burke ZIP codes: 22151, 22152, 22153, and 22015,and parts of 22150, (West of I-95), and a portion of 22312, (Southwest of Indian Run Stream/Spring Valley Drive)

Esta usted en problemas para mantener a su familia? En ECHO estamos listos para ayudar a nuestros vecinos que se encuentran necesitados.

ECHO puede ayudarle con alimentos de emergencia, ropa, útiles escolares y asistencia financiera limitada para su alquiler, artículos para el hogar, servicios públicos y reparaciones de automóviles.
Llame al 703.569.9160, o busquenos en la red en: Como solicito ayuda

Las areas de ECHO incluyen los siguientes codigos postales en Springfield y en Burke: 22151, 22152, 22153 y 22015, partes de 22150 (Oeste de la ruta 95), y partes de 22312 (Suroeste de Indian Run Stream/Spring Valley Drive).

How you can help:

  • Donate food or organize a food drive with friends, neighbors, or other groups you belong to using the Most Needed Items list below and drop off the items you collect at ECHO (7205 Old Keene Mill Rd.) or at one of the two drop box locations listed below.
  • Organize a donation drive for food or personal care items, gently used or new clothing and/or housewares and bed linens from the Other Donations Needed Now list below using the ECHO Donation Drive Guidelines.
  • Donate financial assistance to help with rent and utility payments and fresh food coupons by visiting the Donate Money tab above
  • Shop for ECHO on Amazon by visiting the ECHO Wishlist for a variety of items needed by ECHO’s Food and Clothing Departments. In order to assure deliveries when ECHO is closed, please choose the delivery address: ECHO c/o Debby McElroy in Burke VA
  • Donate Windows laptops or desktops –  Windows 7 or later – in working condition with power cords.

ECHO Food Room Most Needed Items - Fall 2024

Thank you for including ECHO Food Room needs on your shopping list.
ECHO’s Food Room continues to break records. During July and August 343 families (1400 people fed) came to ECHO for food assistance. We gave out 51,000 pounds of food during these two months. Consider pre-COVID the food Room averaged helping 78 families a month and gave out 15,000 pounds of food. Your help in meeting this challenge is most appreciated.
• Choose sizes appropriate for our average family size of four.
• Include an assortment of food to ensure a variety of items for our clients.
• Because of the generosity of our community, ECHO has an ample supply of canned vegetables (especially green beans), can pumpkin, applesauce, and stuffing. However, we are short on many other items such as personal care products and the items listed below.
• ECHO continues to see a deficit of several thousand pounds a month between food donated and food given to clients. Since the beginning of the pandemic ECHO has seen an increase in need and this need has not abated. Any donation, large or small, is most gratefully welcomed.

• ECHO 's policy is to not give expired, open or repackaged food to clients. PLEASE do not bring these items to ECHO.
The items in bold below are in shortest supply and are staples for many of our clients.


FOOD ITEMS
  • Bag Beans (black, red or garbanzo beans preferred)

  • Lentils

  • Bag rice

  • Protein Items (e.g. can chicken, Spam, sardines, tuna, chili, etc.)

  • Can Fruit

  • Instant (Box) Potatoes

  • Box Pasta

  • Spaghetti Sauce

  • Can Tomatoes, Tomato paste and sauce

  • Can Milk, Shelf Stable Milk and Hot Chocolate

  • Cereal/Oatmeal

  • Snacks (Crackers, raisins, granola bars, dry fruit, nuts, etc.)

  • Baked Beans

  • Instant and Ground Coffee

  • Tea (green, herbal, black)

FOOD ITEMS
  • Juice (Bottles or box)

  • Pancake Mix and Syrup

  • Cooking Oil

  • Spices (garlic, onion, cinnamon, salt, pepper

  • Masa (Corn) Flour

  • Flour

  • Sugar

  • Lemon or Lime Juice

  • Honey and Jelly

  • Tortillas

  • Condiments (Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard)

  • Macaroni and Cheese

  • Muffin Mix

  • Brown Paper Bags

  • Reusable Grocery Bags


Hygiene Items
  • Toilet Paper

  • Facial Tissues

  • Children and Adult Toothbrushes

  • Toothpaste

  • Shampoo

  • Dish Soap

  • Laundry Detergent

  • Deodorant

  • Paper Towels

  • Body/Hand Lotion

  • Band Aids

  • Diapers - Sizes 2, 4, 5, 6
  • Baby Wipes
  • Sanitary Napkins

Other Donations Needed Now

Men and Boy’s Clothing

  • Boy's Sneakers Sizes 1 thru 6

  • Boy's Tops/Bottoms Sizes 18 months to 20

  • Boy's New Underwear Sizes 2T-20

  • Boy's New Athletic Socks-Sizes Large, X-Large

  • Boy's Winter Coats Sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20

  • Boy's Winter Scarves

  • Men's Winter Coats Sizes Small, Medium, Large

  • Men's Jeans Sizes 30/30, 30/32, 32/30, 32/32
  • Men's Winter Hats, Gloves, Scarves

  • Men's New Underwear Sizes 28/30, 32/34, 36/38

Women and Girl's Clothing

  • Girl's Sneakers Sizes 1 thru 6

  • Girl's Tops/Bottoms Sizes 18 months to 20

  • Girls New Athletic Socks Sizes S, M, L, XL

  • Girl's Winter Coats Sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20

  • Girl's Winter Scarves

  • Women's Winter Coats Sizes S, M, L, XL

  • Women's Winter Hats, Gloves, Scarves

  • Women's New Athletic Socks
Housewares
  • Queen sheets and comforters

  • King sheets and comforters

  • Towel sets (bath towel, hand towel, and facecloth)

  • Hand towels in gray or white (these neutral colors can be matched with our inventory of bath towels)

  • Facecloths in gray or white (these neutral colors can be matched with our inventory of bath towels)

  • 2-4 qt. saucepans with lids

  • 4-6 qt. pots with lids

  • Flatware (knives, forks, spoons)

  • Tall drinking glasses (in glass - not plastic)

  • White coffee mugs (these can be used to make dish sets for our clients)

  • Toasters/toaster ovens

  • Electric coffee pots

  • Electric hand mixers

To make food donations to ECHO even easier, there are now many drop boxes (for Food and Personal Care items ONLY) in the community:
• Franconia District Gov’t Office lobby, 6121 Franconia Road, open 24 hours
• Braddock District Gov’t Office lobby, 9002 Burke Lake Road, weekdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and accessible through the Kings Park Library until 9:00 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays
• West Springfield Gov’t Office lobby of the police station, 6140 Rolling Road, open 24 hours
If you can’t get to ECHO during our hours of operation, please use one of these drop boxes. Every item on the Most Needed list above is welcome and needed.

There are also drop boxes at six Giant Supermarkets in the Springfield area:
Cardinal Forest Giant, 8320 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield (maintained by Summit Church – thank you!)
Huntsman Giant, 7501 Huntsman Blvd., Springfield
Saratoga Giant, 8074 Rolling Road, Springfield (maintained by Summit Church – thank you!)
Springfield Plaza, 6364A Springfield Plaza, Springfield (maintained by Summit Church – thank you!)
Crossroads Giant, 3480 S. Jefferson Street, Falls Church (maintained by Summit Church – thank you!)
Kings Park Shopping Center Giant, 8970 Burke Lake Road, Springfield (maintained by Summit Church – thank you!)

Upcoming Food Drives

Community Outreach Police Officers Food Drive – December 7

The Community Outreach Police Officers from the West Springfield District Station are holding a toy and food drive on Saturday, December 7 from 10 AM to 2 PM at the Cardinal Forest Giant Food (in front of the store), 8320 Old Keene Mill Rd. in Springfield. The toys will be delivered to kids at the Inova Children’s Hospital and the Georgetown Hospital Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. The food will be delivered to ECHO