[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 101 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1206-E1207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING LINK'S 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, July 9, 2012

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize LINK, which 
celebrates 40 years serving the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn 
communities in northern Virginia this month.

[[Page E1207]]

  LINK began as a number of congregations came together to start a food 
pantry for those in need. Today, LINK is comprised of a strong group of 
churches from different backgrounds and partners with local businesses, 
schools and individuals efforts to serve the emergency food needs in 
our community.
  In 2011, LINK utilized over a thousand volunteers to serve over 2,700 
families with food, clothing and toys for children. LINK has also been 
working with public schools in Fairfax County to distribute unused 
cafeteria food to families in need.
  I have had the privilege of working with LINK, and its excellent 
leadership and volunteers, many times over the years. It is a wonderful 
organization and I extend my sincere appreciation and deepest gratitude 
to the volunteers for their many years of hard work to address the 
serious challenge of hunger in our community.
  I submit the following article from the Herndon Patch honoring LINK's 
40 years of service.

                  [From Herndon Patch, June 22, 2012]

             LINK Celebrates 40 Years Serving the Community

                          (By Leslie Perales)

       This July LINK Against Hunger will celebrate 40 years 
     serving the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn area communities.
       The organization began with a number of congregations 
     combining their efforts to start a food pantry for those in 
     need. Though it's grown and changed over the years, LINK's 
     mission is the same: Christians linking their neighbors to 
     food and financial assistance.
       The entire LINK organization is run by volunteers. Patch 
     sat down with three of LINK's volunteers that have spent many 
     years serving their neighbors through the organization.
       Bob Ashdown has been volunteering with the organization for 
     about 35 years and is the food pantry manager. He picks up 
     donations from area bakeries, grocery stores, farmers markets 
     and even schools, and oversees the pantry.
       Jim Butts is the website manager for LINK and has 
     volunteered with the organization since before it existed. He 
     did much of the organization's paperwork on a daily basis for 
     a time, and helped work with the furniture mission when LINK 
     operated one.
       LINK President Lisa Lombardozzi has been working with the 
     organization for about 15 years, beginning when she began 
     staying home with her children. She began as a food 
     coordinator, then worked with the food basket program.
       Lombardozzi said the biggest change she's seen in her years 
     with LINK is more involvement from the community, and how the 
     church demographics have changed.
       She said with so many area organizations that people can 
     volunteer with, LINK has to fight a little more to stay on 
     people's radars, but at the same time they have been able to 
     expand and respond to the increased need in the community.
       Ashdown said in the past few years, during the recession, 
     the community has become more aware of the need and responds 
     very well. Social networking has had a big impact on 
     community response, he said.
       When LINK was running low on food for its holiday basket 
     program, volunteers sent out a message on Facebook and people 
     shared the message and responded to the need, Ashdown said.
       He said the holiday basket program used to have three to 
     four dedicated volunteers packing food over two to three 
     weeks, but now more than 40 volunteers will come take shifts 
     to pack the baskets.
       Butts said he's seen the organization start with a food 
     mission, add a furniture and bed mission, then eventually 
     phase it out again. They also had a clothing mission, which 
     eventually combined with and became The Closet, located in 
     downtown Herndon.
       LINK is unique in that it's the only organization that 
     brings the food to its clients instead of having clients come 
     to the pantry, Butts said. When someone in need contacts 
     LINK, volunteers with the organization are usually able to 
     deliver food to them within 24 to 48 hours, he said.
       Butts said another unique aspect of LINK is how volunteers 
     are able to assist stranded travelers at Dulles International 
     Airport. He said they can respond within 24 hours to make 
     sure they have what they need if they get stuck in the area 
     while traveling.
       Butts said in the first 25 years at LINK they had about 15 
     to 20 churches rotating responsibilities. Since then some 
     have dropped out and others have joined.
       Ashdown said the organization has received a lot of support 
     from government organizations and elected officials, though 
     none of it monetary. Local representatives hold food drives 
     for the organization.
       Lombardozzi said LINK has been consistent in its 
     leadership, but has seen many different volunteers. A lot of 
     volunteers come to the organization around Christmas and end 
     up staying when they find they enjoy the work, she said.
       Butts said in the near future he sees LINK working to 
     improve communications with other area food pantries and 
     banks. He said he's also working on one phone number for 
     those in need of food to call so based on their location they 
     can connect them with the closest location.
       Ashdown said he enjoys getting to meet new people and work 
     with them through LINK, and at the same time the volunteers 
     get to share the gospel and live out Christianity.
       LINK gives people the chance to be the hands and feet of 
     Jesus, Lombardozzi said. When they serve clients they get to 
     know them, pray with them and sometimes find other ways to 
     help them, she said.
       Lombardozzi said she likes that an organization that 
     includes many faith backgrounds has been able to collaborate 
     to serve their community for 40 years, working together for 
     something they believe in.
       To learn more about LINK or how to get involved, visit 
     LINK's website here.

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