MANASSAS, Va. – You have until noon Monday, Dec. 9, to order from the December SHARE menu of the House of Mercy, a nonprofit humanitarian organization in Manassas.
December SHARE orders must be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the House of Mercy, located at 8170 Flannery Court.
As part of the SHARE (Self Help And Resource Exchange) nonprofit food network, which House of Mercy joined this year, the organization makes quality, nutritious food available to local families at about half the price they’d pay at the grocery store and at no profit to the House of Mercy. Anyone can buy.
The organization offers a different menu each month, including package selections containing frozen meats, fresh produce and other choices which vary monthly.
The December menu includes four packages, which are priced considerably below their retail value, said House of Mercy Assistant Director Ann Cimini.
At $20, “Best Value,” which she said feeds three to four people for three to four days, is as much as 40 percent to 50 percent below retail price, Cimini said. “Value plus a Turkey,” $39, has a retail value of $65. “Spiral Honey Ham,” $30, would retail for $70 to $100, and the “Meats and Cheeses Box,” priced at $22, would total $40 to $45 at the grocery store, she said.
At such savings, Cimini encouraged buyers to also order packages to donate to the agency’s low-income clients in need. “People who may not want to order from the menu for themselves, and even if they do, could help others who can’t afford to,” she said. “We simply set aside those orders on pick-up day and distribute them to our clients whose families may otherwise have nothing or very little on their tables at Christmas.”
For the holiday season, “Best Value” contains a whole roasting chicken, stuffing mix, two to three more meats or fish, a holiday dessert and fresh sweet potatoes, white potatoes and onions. The package also includes five to seven more pounds of seasonal produce.
“Value plus a Turkey” consists of the same food offerings in “Best Value” but also includes a Jaindl Turkey Farms 10- to 14-pound grain-fed, antibiotic-free turkey for a total of more than 30 pounds of food.
“Spiral Honey Ham” contains a Hormel Foods’ spiral-cut, bone-in honey-baked ham weighing eight to nine pounds. The ham is honey glazed with spicy brown mustard and pineapple tidbits.
“Meats and Cheeses Gift Box” includes three beef summer sausages and three cheeses: mild cheddar, Colby and spicy pepper jack.
To cover transportation costs, House of Mercy also adds a $2 surcharge per package ordered.
For more information or to order via Visa, MasterCard or Discover, call 703-659-1636 or email help@houseofmercyva.org. The House of Mercy also accepts cash, food stamps and EBT for SHARE orders placed at the agency. No checks are accepted. Payment is due when ordering.
The Archdiocese of Washington sponsors SHARE.
