Alexandria non-profit ‘Mother of Light’ is helping 800 families in need

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WDVM) — From food to flowers, and everything in between, the non-profit organization Mother of Light is assisting Alexandria families in need.

“We get toothpaste and toothbrushes, anything that they may need,” said Matilde Alvarado, Director at Mother of Light.

The organization assists the poor and homeless members of the community six days a week, and the families in need have grown exponentially since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We went from 280 families to now 800, I believe,” said Rob Huddleston, Operations Coordinator at the non-profit.

Mother of Light relies on donations, volunteers, and partnerships, such as the Capital Area Food Bank, for supplies. Most of the families that benefit from the organization are migrant communities that have been hit hard by COVID-19.

Volunteers at the organization load up a van to deliver food and toiletries to families — sometimes dropping off 50 bags per day.

“We assemble groceries we get from donations of various kinds,” said Huddleston. “We take it out and give it to people.”

As the center approaches its two-year anniversary, they hope to gather more volunteers, create more partnerships, and continue to serve.

“We are so thankful just to be able to be in this modest way helping people who really need our help,” said Huddleston.

As the need for assistance grows, the Mother of Light staff hopes that their office space will, too, in the near future.