Burnett & Williams specializes in personal injury law, which encompasses many injuries and incidents for which a third party is negligent and legally responsible.
Help for the Hungry.
The Ampersand Pantry Project started in January of 2020 as a little free pantry box on Edwards Ferry Road where non-perishable foods and other items could be provided to neighborhood residents who found themselves in urgent need. Every day we see the lives of our hard-working neighbors turned upside down through no fault of their own. Accordingly, we were moved to find a way to help our community when COVID struck.
We secured a vacant building with a drive-through window at 338 East Market Street where free lunches could be safely served seven days a week. Since April 16, 2020, the Ampersand Pantry Project has distributed more than 96,000 free lunches to COVID-impacted individuals and families, no questions asked. Meals are professionally prepared by local restaurants and include an entree, granola bar, juice pouch and fresh fruit. Each day a different restaurant or catering company provides lunch entrees, some donating and some working at cost, all to serve up to 350 meals a day. In addition to lunches, the project has provided more than 568,000 diapers, 18,400 carnations, 15,200 pounds of pet food, dozens of haircuts, numerous hygiene products, and thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables.
Additionally, a second pantry box location has been opened on Harrison Street to facilitate greater, more convenient distribution.
The success of this project relies on in-kind donations and tax-deductible contributions from the community at large, and the enthusiastic support from local restaurants, catering companies, businesses and stores. The project is a 100% volunteer organization with overhead being limited to accounting and liability insurance costs.
Coming together for those in need
Being particularly mindful of the psychological stressors of the COVID environment on children, Ampersand has lifted spirits by providing carnations daily and special items on holidays, such as complete, fully cooked Thanksgiving dinners for over 600 people to enjoy at home, an Angel Tree-type toy drive with child requested Christmas gifts for over 400 children, and ice cream and gift cards on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and the Fourth of July.
This effort has been made possible through countless volunteer hours and generous donations from an expanding group of local citizens. If you would like to help, sign up for our facebook group, donate today on our GoFundMe page , or email Gabriela Lamas at gabriela.lamas.2001@gmail.com. Watch here for more information on this community effort.
Volunteering & Donating
We wouldn’t be able to help those in need without support fro our community. We are thankful for the donations you receive. You can find some of the items we need most on our Amazon Wish List.
Pantry Stocking Suggestion
Our Pantry boxes located at Edwards Ferry Road and Harrison Street also need to be stocked.
1. Items to Avoid
– Homemade foods
– Opened Packages
– Canned foods (when the cans are likely to freeze
– Glass containers
– Sharp objects
– Fresh vegetables
– Frozen foods
– Expired foods
– Alcohol
2. Non- Perishable Foods
– Whole-Grain Bread
– Canned Tuna
– Canned Fruit
– Canned Beans
– Canned Chicken
– Canned Chili
– Soup
– Trail Mix
– Honey
– Applesauce
– Nuts
– Tortillas
– Cereal
– Peanut Butter
– Mac and Cheese (box)
– Whole-Grain Pasta (box)
– Whole-Grain Rice
– Dried Fruit
– Dried Beans
– Oatmeal
– Granola
3. Personal Hygiene
– Feminine Care Products
– Tampons
– Pads
– Bar Soap
– Shampoo
– Toilet Paper
– Laundry Soap
– Toothpaste
– Toothbrush
– Deodorant
– Band-Aids
– Individual Laundry
– Detergent Packages
– Chapstick
– First-aid Ointment
4. Baby Care
– Diapers (all sizes)
– Diaper Wipes
– Baby Powder
– Baby Shampoo
– Vaseline
We are always in need of volunteers. You can sign up to donate your time at our locations.
The Ampersand Pantry Project provides help to neighborhood residents who unexpectedly find themselves in need of essential food, diapers, or personal products for their family. The success of this project relies on food donations and tax deductible contributions from the community at large.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering can contact Gabriela Lamas by phone, text message, or email.
Phone Number: 571-919-1382
We thank you for any help you can give!
PANTRY LOCATIONS:
850 Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg, VA
(between Plaza Street and Heritage Way)
338 East Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176,P.
Harrison Street
(across from BB&T Bank and Brandon Park)
Free Lunch Program Comes to Hopewell
The Ampersand Pantry Project South will be offering free lunches to Hopewell residents suffering from food insecurity on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 11:30 am. This is a contactless drive-through service located outside the Williams Building at the corner of Main
Street and West Broadway. No ID is required and all will be welcome as long as supplies last.
The free lunch program is being sponsored by local attorney Jim Williams of Burnett & Williams. It began in Loudoun County at the beginning of the pandemic through Jim’s partner Peter Burnett and the program kicked-off in Hopewell on May 21st with Subway sandwiches
provided by Urvashi Patel, and canned goods from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. The Hopewell Sheriff’s office has been providing traffic and crowd management support.
The Ampersand Pantry Project was created by Burnett & Williams to help address hunger brought on by the widespread financial hardship many households are facing due to the COVID19 pandemic. With local families and businesses adapting to social distancing, the Ampersand Pantry Project South offers Hopewell restaurants and residents a way to come together once again.
Donations from the public at large are used to purchase lunches at discounted prices to help the restaurants stay in business and are given to anyone in need that shows-up.
The Ampersand Pantry Project South is authorized by Burnett & Williams PC and the Beth Williams Field of Dreams Foundation, which is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
If you would like to donate or volunteer, please contact Jim Williams at (804)794-0080 or by email at jim@burnettwilliams.com.
