County, Nonprofit Needs Holiday Support for Silver Spring, Wheaton Families

Montgomery County families facing hard times and a rapidly approaching holiday season need help, organizers of nonprofit A Wider Circle told local news outlets. 

The organization was chosen as the county's partner in the annual Holiday Giving Project, which pairs faith-based, nonprofit and government sponsors with people in need by zip code. This year, organizers told the Gazette newspaper that two zip codes in Silver Spring, one zip code in Wheaton and one zip code in Aspen Hill are still without a sponsor, a week before Thanksgiving.

"Some families may not get the help in Silver Spring that they will get in Rockville or Gaithersburg," Mark Bergel, founder and executive director of A Wider Circle, told ABC7. 

The zip codes without a sponsor are 20910 and 20903 in Silver Spring, 20902 in Wheaton and 20906 in Aspen Hill. 

For Thanksgiving, donations often include gift cards to grocery stores, nonperishable food items or a Thanksgiving basket to help families assemble a holiday meal, according to the organization's website. In December, toys are often donated. 

“This is a very generous county, and I look at the holiday program as an opportunity to channel that generosity to those who are most in need this holiday season,” Bergel told the Gazette. “It’s my hope that every child can have a happy holiday season, and this program helps to make that happen.”

According to the organization's website, nonperishable food items, $20 grocery store gift cards and baskets of food may be dropped off at the Silver Spring community center between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. 

The center is located at 9159-C Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The mailing address is 4808 Moorland Lane, Suite 802, Bethesda, MD 20814. 

The following items are requested:

• low-sodium canned beans
• yams
• vegetables
• collard greens
• low-sodium gravy
• stuffing mix
• cranberry sauce

For other opportunities to donate or sponsor a family for the holidays, visit the website.

For more information on the Holiday Giving Project, contact A Wider Circle at 301-608-3504 or online at AWiderCircle.org. The deadline for Thanksgiving donations is Nov. 19, according to the Gazette.