What to Donate
ECHO provides vital support to neighbors in the Springfield/Burke community, and your donations make it possible. Just 1.2 pounds of food can provide a meal—and so far this fiscal year, ECHO has distributed 314,362 pounds of food in fiscal year 2025, the equivalent of 261,968 meals for local families.
This kind of impact is only possible because of generous donors like you. In addition to food, we gratefully accept clothing, household items and school supplies to help families meet basic needs. Also consider donating from our Amazon Wishlist.
To ensure your donation is put to good use, please review our list of items we can and cannot accept before donating.
Food & Personal Items
Each month, ECHO gives out thousands more pounds of food than we receive. The need in our community has remained high since the pandemic, and every donation—large or small—helps us bridge that gap. To make the greatest impact, please keep the following tips in mind:
- Use our Most Needed Food Items list to select a variety of nutritional foods.
- Choose family-friendly sizes—our average household has four people.
- Provide a variety of items to support balanced meals.
- There is always a need for food staples and personal care products as these are in high demand.
- Please do not donate expired, opened, or repackaged food. We cannot distribute it.
- Please do not collect perishables without consulting with us first, as storage for perishables is extremely limited.
Most Needed Items
ECHO’s Food Items
- Bag Rice (White or Basmati)
- Bag Beans (black, red or garbanzo beans preferred)
- Lentils
- Canned Fruit (100% juice)
- Cereal/Oatmeal (Low sugar)
- Can Tomatoes, Tomato paste and sauce
- Pasta Sauce
- Spaghetti Pasta
- Can Milk, Shelf Stable Milk and Hot Chocolate
- Snacks (Crackers, raisins, granola bars, dry fruit, nuts, etc.)
- Baked Beans
- Coffee (Instant and Ground)
- Honey
- Pancake Syrup
- Cooking Oil
- Non-Salt Spices (cinnamon, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
- Masa (Corn) Flour
- Sugar (Granulated)
- Lemon or Lime Juice
- Tortillas (corn and flour)
- Condiments (Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard)
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Canned Meat (Spam, beef stew, chili, chicken etc.)
- Paper Bags (Brown Grocery and Reusable)
- Paper boxes (that hold reams of 8 1/2 x 11 paper)
Convenient Food Drop Off Locations
In addition to the donation door at ECHO located at 7205 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA, 22150, ECHO has multiple community drop boxes for food and hygiene donations only located at District Government Offices and six Giant Food stores:
Government Offices
- Franconia District: 6121 Franconia Rd – open 24/7
- Braddock District: 9002 Burke Lake Rd – weekdays 9 AM–5 PM, and until 9 PM Mon/Tues via Kings Park Library
- West Springfield: 6140 Rolling Rd (Police Station Lobby) – open 24/7
Giant Food Stores
- Cardinal Forest – 8320 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield
- Huntsman – 7501 Huntsman Blvd, Springfield
- Saratoga – 8074 Rolling Rd, Springfield
- Springfield Plaza – 6364A Springfield Plaza
- Crossroads – 3480 S. Jefferson St, Falls Church
- Kings Park – 8970 Burke Lake Rd, Springfield
Special thanks to Summit Church for maintaining the drop boxes at some Giant Food locations.
Clothing Donations
Each year, ECHO distributes thousands of bags of clothing and more than 1,250 coats and jackets to neighbors in need. Your donations help families stay warm, confident and better equipped to manage daily life.
We accept clean, gently used clothing in current styles for all ages. All underwear and socks must be new. Please ensure all items are in good condition—no stains, tears or missing buttons/zippers.
Men's and Boy's Clothing
ECHO’s Men's and Boy's Clothing List
- 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 0-6 months Tops, Onesies, Bottoms, Pajamas, Sleep Sacks, Swaddle Wraps, Hooded Bath Towels
- Boy's New Athletic Socks - Sizes: L, XL
- Men's Jeans - Sizes: 30/30, 30/32, 32/30, 32/32
- Men's Winter Coats - Sizes S, M
- Men's Long and Short-Sleeve T-shirts -Sizes S, M, L
- Men's Sneakers - Sizes: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Men's New Underwear - Sizes: 28/30, 32/34, 36/38
Women and Girl's Clothing
ECHO’s Women and Girl's Clothing List
- 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
- Women's Sneakers - Sizes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Women's New Athletic Socks
Your thoughtful donations bring dignity and comfort to families right here in the Springfield/Burke community. Thank you for giving generously.
Housewares
ECHO gratefully accepts clean, gently used household items to help local families settle in and stretch their budgets. Each year, we distribute everything from sheets and towels to cookware, tableware, small appliances, and even laptops.
ECHO’s Houseware List
Please ensure linens are new or like new, freshly washed, undamaged, and labeled by size. All items should be clean, complete, and in good working condition.
- Towel sets (bath towel, hand towel, and facecloth)
- Hand towels in gray or white (neutral colors to match our bath towel inventory)
- Facecloths in gray or white (neutral colors to match our bath towel inventory)
- 2–4 qt. saucepans with lids
- 4–6 qt. pots with lids
- Flatware (knives, forks, spoons)
- Tall drinking glasses (glass only)
- White coffee mugs (used to complete dish sets)
- Toasters/toaster ovens
- Electric coffee pots
- Electric hand mixers
- Working Windows laptops
Amazon Wishlist
You can support ECHO by ordering from our Amazon Wishlist. It features frequently needed food, clothing, household, and school supplies that aren’t always covered by donations. Your purchase ships directly to ECHO and helps reduce what we may need to buy to serve neighbors in need.
Items ECHO Can and Cannot Accept
We welcome donations that best support our clients’ needs. To help us help others, please avoid items that are torn, dirty, broken, or not listed in our current guidelines. Learn more about what ECHO can and cannot accept.
