Frequently Asked Questions

CLICK HERE to SPONSOR A FAMILY or be a VIRTUAL DONOR

Sponsor-A-Family Information

CLICK HERE for Guidelines and Suggestions Document

What does it mean to Sponsor a Family/Individual? When you register to sponsor families and/or individuals in Our Daily Bread's Holiday Program, you are making a commitment to helping a person or people in the Fairfax County area who are in need by supplying food at Thanksgiving and/or the December holidays and/or December holiday gifts for any children in the family who are 18 or under. This involves contacting the family/individual directly and arranging to deliver meals and gifts.

What do I do when I receive the information about my family/s?

Please call the family IMMEDIATELY to confirm the information and make arrangements for delivery. Families seeking assistance are anxious about whether they will receive help. Please let them know as soon as you can.

When should I deliver the food and/or gifts?

Please talk to the family and arrange a date and time for delivery that works best for both of you.

What if my family does not speak English?

ODB has a list of volunteers who have offered to help our donors communicate with their families. If you receive information on a family that does not speak English or have an English-speaking contact listed, contact us at info@ODBfairfax.org or at 703-273-8829 to request the translator list. When you receive the list, send an e-mail or call a volunteer as soon as possible to give the volunteer adequate time to help you. We ask that you not share the translator’s contact information with the family you are sponsoring.

Do I have to buy everything on the wish list?

No, you should purchase the items you think are appropriate. Wish list items are just suggestions. Many sponsors like to give each child a clothing item, book and a fun item (a toy or other item off the wish list).

How much do I spend for food and gifts?

For a holiday meal, the average recommended amounts are:

Small family (1-3 people): $50-$75

Medium family (4-6 people): $75-$100

Large family (7 or more people): $100-$150

For gifts for children, we recommend a minimum of $25 per child.

Do I buy gifts for the parents?

We have made it clear to social workers and clients that gifts are intended for children 18 years and younger. You should not feel obligated to buy the parents gifts. However, some sponsors like to get a little something for the mom and/or dad, and Our Daily Bread does not have a problem with this. It is completely up to the sponsor.

Do I wrap the gifts?

We recommend that you ask the family what their preference is.

Can I buy gift cards?

Many families appreciate gift cards, but please check with your family/s to make sure they have transportation to travel to the store in question. We also recommend that you send or deliver those gift cards ahead of time to give them sufficient time to shop.

What kind of gifts should I buy?

It is a good idea to check the wish list first.  We recommend considering basic needs first, i.e. clothing, shoes, pajamas, underwear & socks, coats and winter wear. Many sponsors like to give each child a clothing item, book and a fun item (a toy or other item off the wish list).Note that teens love gift cards: Target, Wal-mart, Best Buy, Shopping Mall gift card.

Should I provide a cooked meal?

That is up to you and your family/s. While some of our sponsors do prepare and deliver a meal to their families, the majority provide baskets of food items and/or grocery gift cards so that families can prepare their own meals. Many sponsors like to order pre-cooked meals for the families from local grocery stores. If you are interested in ordering a pre-cooked meal for the family you are sponsoring, note that Our Daily Bread will partner with local Whole Foods Markets again this year for Thanksgiving and December meals. For every meal purchased through them for ODB families, Whole Foods will donate $10 to ODB so that we can help families who are not sponsored. CLICK HERE to learn more.

Do I provide a turkey?

Please check the “dietary restrictions” on your information sheet and then speak with the family about what their preference is.

Who is my contact if there is a problem?

If you are having issues contacting the family, please call and e-mail their social worker first. This is the contact on your form who provided the information to us and they have direct contact with the family. In some cases, ODB has helped the family enroll in the program. If this is the case or you are unable to reach the social worker, then please contact us at 703-273-8829.

Do I keep my receipts?

Yes. In addition to keeping them for tax purposes, ODB would greatly appreciate if it you would send us copies of the receipts for your holiday family purposes to help us track the value of Holiday Program donations. You may send receipts at any time, but please send them no later than January 4, 2012. Fax the copies to 703-273-7131, email them to Jennifer Rose at holiday@ODBFairfax.org or mail them to her attention at: Our Daily Bread, 4080 Chain Bridge Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Virtual Donor Information

What is a Virtual Donor?

A Virtual Donor provides funds so that Our Daily Bread can purchase a gift card for a specific Fairfax County area family or individual in need. If you register to be a Virtual Donor, we will notify you by email when we “match” your gift with the recipient. You may choose to provide funds for a Thanksgiving meal, December holiday meal, gifts for children in December, or any combination of the three. Please note that if you donate a large amount, we may distribute the funds further to help more families/individuals.

How can I become a Virtual Donor?

You may register using our on-line sponsor form, which will be available soon. Instead of sponsoring a family, you will choose the Virtual Donor option and will pay by credit card using the secure registration form.

Donation Information

How can I donate funds to the Holiday Program?

CLICK HERE to make a donation to the Holiday Program through our secure on-line donation page. Or mail a check to Our Daily Bread, 4080 Chain Bridge Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfax VA 22030.

How will Our Daily Bread use donated funds?

Funds you donate to the Holiday Program will be used to purchase gift cards to send to families who are registered in our program but who are not sponsored by an external donor -- so that they have the opportunity to purchase holiday meals and gifts for their children. Note that if donations arrive after we have distributed gift cards, they will be used throughout the year to help needy families in our community.