WASHINGTON — James Marshall and his family started Families4FamiliesDMV to help keep others fed during the pandemic.
The program works like this.
You buy a week’s worth of groceries and take your Bag of Basics to a designated drop zone.
Then a team of volunteers delivers the Bag of Basics to neighbors and non- profits in need.
Reese Waters said, "So, what inspired you to do this?"
James Marshall is Families4Families Director of Communications.
Marshall said, "I just really wanted to help people because we knew they were going to be a ton of people struggling."
Waters asked, "Now How many people have you been able to help so far?"
Marshall replied, "We have delivered 125,000 meals across the country, Families4families has expanded to 12 cities and about 1000 people have volunteered across the country which is crazy and tens and thousands of have donated."
F4F has expanded this model for reaching families in need beyond the DMV to Wilmington, NC; Chapel Hill, NC; Norwell, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Toledo, OH; Chicago, IL; Winston Salem, NC; Hampton Roads, VA; Nantucket, MA; Ponte Vedra, FL; and South Bay, CA
"It’s been a very overwhelming response we just thought the idea we were going to do it right out of our house and deliver 10 boxes a week but it’s really expanded quickly," he added.
Waters asked, "How do other people watching this get involved? How can they help Families4Families?"
Marshall said, "We’re setting up at 501(c)(3) so you can donate but we're not set up yet."
Water said, "Well it’s actually good people can donate yet because we want to be the first."
He added, "On behalf of WUSA9 and Easterns Automotive Group we would like to donate $1000 to Familes4Families."
"Oh really wow and thank you so much," he said.
Thank you to Easterns Automotive Group for Sponsoring this segment”
Families4FamiliesDMV is pivoting to Families4Families Student Program.
Each F4F club will be partnered directly with a local nonprofit and throughout the school year the students will continue to provide groceries and other essentials to the families hit the hardest by this pandemic.
The group says it has 7 schools signed up so far for the F4F Student Programs and you can find out more on its webpage.
Get Up DC wants to thank Easterns Automotive Group for partnering with us and sponsoring the segment.
The mission of Families4Families is to provide hungry families with the food they urgently need, but if you like to donate, the they ask that you give directly to our partner organizations each week so that they can continue their important local missions.
F4F says all partner organizations have been vetted by the F4F Team:
Do you know someone we should help?
Let Reese know.
Reach out to Reese on Facebook or on Twitter @reesewaters or rwaters@wusa9.com.
And, #GetUpDC always works.