This Week in Giving Back: Get Gifts Wrapped for Charity, Photo to Support Family, Donate Blood

As obligations begin to fill up the calendar over the next few days, it's not too late to help out local people and organizations in need.

Gift wrapping for charity. Up until 7 p.m. Christmas Eve, gifts can be wrapped at the Hyatt Regency Reston by a team of volunteers, all to benefit needy children in local schools. 

Donations made at the wrapping will go to Kids R First, an organization which has helped more than 20,000 local students with school supplies and mini-scholarships. 

According to Kids R First, a donation of $15 will purchase school supplies for two children, and a $30 donation helps a high school student with their academic fees. 

Holiday photo to support displaced family. Local photographer Marc Benton is using his skills to help a family recently displaced by a fire. 

The family, a mother and her two children, had their house destroyed in a fire, and are seeking donations to get them back on their feet. 

Benton is selling an 8x10 print of the U.S. Capitol and its nearby Christmas tree for $15 each, with all proceeds going to the family. 

Local Holiday Blood Drives. This week, the American Red Cross and Inova Blood Donor Services. will also be holding several blood drives in the area. 

According to the Red Cross, the 72 hours before, on and after Christmas is one of their most critical donation periods, because supplies often run low. 

Reston Town Center will host the Inova Drive at the Skating Pavilion Tuesday, Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

On Friday, Dec. 27, there will be a blood drive at St. Thomas a Beckett Catholic Church from 1:30 to 6 p.m. The church is at 1421 Wiehle Avenue. 

On Saturday, Dec. 28, there will be a drive at the YMCA Fairfax County Reston from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The YMCA is at 12196 Sunset Hill Road. 


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