2026 Holiday Food Baskets @ CUMC
Fall is upon us once again! And along with the cooler weather, it’s time for another round of CUMC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Food Baskets. There is a lot of information below, covering current food and volunteer needs, the ability to make “Pack at Home” Baskets again this year, and the preparation and distribution of the baskets to more than 1,200 local families on the Saturdays before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our goal for this year is to provide a total of 600 baskets and “fresh food packs”: 300 Thanksgiving Baskets, and 300 Christmas Baskets.
Mission: Thanksgiving
We have once again seen a lot of changes over the past year. But one unfortunate constant is that folks in our area and across the country continue to struggle with high prices across the board. From housing to food, we continue to feel the pinch. This is especially true for families in need in our community. And if anything, these rising costs have only served to exacerbate and increase the challenges among an even broader cross section of our community.
How can you help?
As you can imagine, we will be in need of a number of helping hands to reach our goals for this year. Below are several opportunities to assist us in this effort by: (1) sponsoring a basket and “Fresh Food Pack” for an area family in need; (2) donating needed food items; (3) signing up to make a basket at home; and (4) volunteering to help pack baskets and/or aid with distribution of the baskets at WFCM in Chantilly on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
You can register for one or more of these opportunities by clicking here.
Sponsoring a Basket+Fresh Food Pack
During the next two months, please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry by making a $50 gift to sponsor a basket and “fresh food pack” for a local family in need. Each “Fresh Pack” will consist of a turkey or chicken, plus items such as eggs, milk, and fresh vegetables and will be distributed to local families along with the baskets on the Saturdays before Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can make your donation by completing the form here, or by making a donation during Sunday worship (please make the check payable to CUMC and write “Food Baskets” on the memo line).
We’ve also created a space on the form to make a separate “general donation” to support CUMC’s year-round, multifaceted hunger missions such as GRACE Ministries and the U Feed Others backpack meals for area school children.
Donating Needed Food Items
Over the next two months, CUMC will also be accepting donations of the food items for the Baskets. These can be dropped off between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. M-F, or on Sunday mornings. For Thanksgiving, the needed food items for the 300 baskets we are preparing are:
- Canned vegetables (corn, peas, mixed veggies, etc.)
- Instant Potatoes (13.75 oz box or greater)
- Canned Fruit (peaches, pears, mixed fruit, etc.)
- Chicken Broth (14.5 oz can or larger box - no glass jars)
- Rice (white or brown, 1 or 2 lb bag)
- Sugar (2 or 4 lb. bag)
- Oil (48 oz or less)
- Maseca (“Masa”) Corn Flour (4 lb. bag)
Make a Basket at Home
You can also support this effort by purchasing the supplies and making a basket at home! If you would like to make a basket at home, please sign-up here. Approximately 48 hours after you sign-up, you will receive an email with a printable packing list to include with your basket and specific instructions to guide you. Thanksgiving Baskets should be delivered between November 1 and November 15, to Centreville UMC (6400 Old Centreville Road, Centreville, VA, 20121).
Help Pack and Distribute Baskets in November
Thanksgiving Baskets will be packed on Saturday, November 14, at CUMC. We will then meet on the morning of Saturday, November 21 to load up and deliver the 300 completed baskets to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) in Chantilly for distribution to recipient families. You can register for one or both volunteer opportunities by using the SignUp Genius, available here.
As noted above, WFCM will be hosting the distribution of the Thanksgiving baskets at its offices in Chantilly. Many helping hands will be needed to assist with this effort throughout that day. WFCM currently has volunteer openings to assist with setup on the 21st from 7:30 to 10 a.m. If you would like to register for this opportunity, please click here.
As always, any support you can provide for the Holiday Baskets will be much appreciated and gratefully accepted!
Blessings & Peace,
Chris Granberg
(202) 570-5768