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A Thanksgiving effort that began with just 30 baskets has grown dramatically, with Lake Braddock Secondary School collecting 425 baskets for families across Fairfax County in 2025.

The Blessing Basket program is led by Lake Braddock’s school counseling team with support from Principal Lindsey Kearns and community partner Jeannie Garcia. Garcia has helped expand the initiative through her network and outreach efforts over several years.

Most donations come from the Lake Braddock community and local businesses. Some baskets arrive ready for distribution, while school staff assemble others on campus.

Counseling and administrative teams first provide baskets to Lake Braddock families. When supplies permit, the remaining donations are sent to other schools with families seeking assistance.

This year’s collection reached Burke Elementary School, Herndon High School, Mountain View High School and Frost Middle School. Frost had recently identified additional families needing help following the government shutdown.

The expanded drive comes as organizations supporting school-based food programs report growing demand across Fairfax County. Inflation, reduced program support and increased financial hardship have contributed to more emergency requests from schools.

Counselor Debby Brown said 2025 was the program’s most successful year. She also said the team has continued refining its distribution process to provide assistance in a meaningful way that respects each family’s circumstances.

The program’s growth has extended its reach well beyond the Lake Braddock pyramid, connecting donations from school staff, businesses and community members with families throughout the county.