On Thursday, July 24, Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg and Grove Christian Outreach Center joined forces once again for the annual “Sleigh Hunger: Christmas in July” drive-thru food drive—collecting over 4,600 pounds of food to help stock the shelves of The Gathering Place, Grove’s free grocery market serving vulnerable families in the greater Williamsburg community.
The event, held at the Habitat ReStore in Williamsburg, was fueled by the support of generous donors and an incredible team of volunteers.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our community and to our friends at Habitat ReStore for partnering with us,” said Katie Patrick, Executive Director of Grove Christian Outreach Center. “Thanks to your generosity, we’re able to meet a critical need at The Gathering Place and bring hope to families across our region—not just during the holidays, but every day.”
For Habitat for Humanity, Sleigh Hunger represents the kind of collaborative effort that strengthens the entire community.
“Food security and housing go hand in hand,” said Tiffany King, ReStore Operations Director. “We’re honored to help support families through events like Sleigh Hunger.”
“It was incredible to see so many people, from longtime volunteers to first-time donors, come together with one goal: to help our neighbors,” said Holly Hockaday, Manager of the Habitat ReStore in Williamsburg. “That spirit of generosity is what makes events like this so impactful.”
Organizers called the event a powerful reminder that while holiday giving is important, the need for food assistance is year-round.
“When organizations and individuals unite, meaningful change is possible,” Patrick said.
The need for food assistance continues to grow across Greater Williamsburg, and local shelves are in urgent need of restocking. To meet this demand, we are partnering with Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Williamsburg to host a Christmas in July Drive-Thru Food Drive on Thursday, July 24, with a goal of collecting 10,000 pounds of food to support families served by Grove Christian Outreach Center.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Williamsburg ReStore located at 1303 Jamestown Road.
Donating is simple—just drive through and drop off your items. No need to get out of your car.
Community members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to help fill the shelves and support neighbors facing food insecurity during the summer months—a time when donations typically slow down but need remains high.
Suggested items include but aren’t limited to:
Cereal
Pasta
Canned vegetables and fruit
Soups
Tuna
Rice
Baby food
Food donations will directly benefit local families served by Grove Christian Outreach Center.
If you can’t make it on July 24, you can still participate by dropping off donations at any of the Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg ReStores in the region, including the Williamsburg ReStore here, the Newport News ReStore here and the Yorktown ReStore here. any time before the event.
For many students, school isn’t just a place for learning—it’s where they receive their most reliable meals. But what happens when summer vacation begins?
Thanks to a continued partnership with Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, Grove Christian Outreach Center is making sure no child in the Grove community goes without a nutritious lunch this summer.
From June 23 through August 11, the Grove Summer Lunch Program is providing healthy lunches seven days a week to more than 120 school-aged children.
“This came out of an initiative by the Greater Williamsburg Child Hunger Coalition, which was formed in 2023 and met throughout 2024 and into 2025 to discuss the challenges and solutions to ensure children get a meal for each day of the week,” said Katie Patrick, Executive Director at Grove.
The Coalition was a community-based team of community members including representatives from Williamsburg House of Mercy, FISH, Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, distinguished pediatrician Cindy Devore, Williamsburg Area Meals on Wheels, Williamsburg-James City County Community Action Agency, members of the James City County Lions and Grove.
“During the summer, kids are often home—and if their parent isn’t, that opens up the opportunity for them to not receive a meal at all,” said Matthew Pollino, Development Manager at Grove. “This program ensures that children aren’t just being fed—they’re being fed something healthy and nutritious. It’s about making sure they continue to eat well, even when school’s out.”
The Grove Summer Lunch Program is possible thanks to Williamsburg-James City County Schools, a grant from the Williamsburg Health Foundation and the many dedicated volunteers who give so generously of their time.
Here’s how it all works.
The schools prepare, package and freeze the meals. Grove Christian Outreach Center volunteers pick the meals up in a meal delivery truck.
“Volunteers then deliver the majority of the meals to children in the Grove community,” Patrick said.
Meals for all seven days of the week are delivered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The need is real not just in Grove.
In Virginia, 13% of children live below the poverty line (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2025). Nationally, 14 million children experience food insecurity annually, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life (Feeding America).
Access to nutritious food isn’t just about staying full, it’s about thriving. Research shows that good nutrition plays a key role in keeping skin, teeth and eyes healthy. It supports strong muscles, helps children achieve and maintain a healthy weight and strengthens bones. Proper nourishment also aids brain development, promotes healthy growth, boosts immunity and ensures the digestive system functions effectively.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024).
Inconsistent access to food during summer months can undo some of the progress made during the school year.
With the food for the Summer Lunch Program already generously provided, donations from the community can continue to fill The Gathering Place, Williamsburg’s first free grocery market here at Grove.
Lauren Landis didn’t set out to build a career in nonprofit leadership—it just kept calling her back.
With a heart for service and a mind for strategy, Lauren has spent years building a career that bridges advocacy, direct service and meaningful community impact. Now, she’s bringing that experience to Grove Christian Outreach Center as our new Operations Director.
Born in Reston, Virginia, Lauren spent most of her childhood in Central Texas before heading back east to attend William & Mary in 2007. But even before college, she was drawn to roles that provided tangible impact.
Her first experience in service came as a teenager. While most highschoolers spent their days off hanging out at the mall, Lauren could be found working at a Christian summer camp that supported children with special needs and their families.
That early introduction to advocacy left a lasting mark. After college, she returned to nonprofit work, interning at An Achievable Dream in Newport News before moving into roles with the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Richmond and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.
Over the past six years, Lauren shifted focus to climate change solutions, working with grassroots organizations.
“I’m still very passionate about environmental advocacy,” she said. “But I always had the long-term goal to return to local direct service work that centers hunger relief.”
When she saw Grove’s opening for an Operations Director, it felt like a clear fit.
“The mission and the role really aligned with all of the priorities I was keeping an eye out for—commitment to serving vulnerable families by providing immediate resources.”
While she’s still in full learning mode having only joined the team a month ago, Lauren is thinking critically about how her new perspective might support Grove’s future growth alongside Executive Director Katie Patrick. Her vision is to help Grove continue to be what it’s always been: a neighbor.
“Our goal is really to be true neighbors to the group of community members we serve. We hope to have a very tangible, direct impact on their lives to ensure that their most basic needs are met.”
Off the clock, Lauren keeps things cozy. She and her husband are big fans of K-dramas, long walks and Baskin Robbins milkshakes—chocolate fudge, to be exact.
“We’re on a first-name basis with several of the servers,” she admitted with a laugh.
A quiet afternoon, a nap and a scoop of ice cream? That’s her recipe for recharging.
And if spellcheck ever stops working? Lauren’s not worried. A former competitive spelling bee kid, she’s got a knack for words and spelling them right on the first try – a fact her husband teases about with love and admiration.
We’re so excited to welcome Lauren to Grove and look forward to the leadership, insight and compassion she brings to the Williamsburg community.
