House of Mercy, a longstanding food pantry and thrift store near Manassas, announced significant operational changes in response to a sharp increase in demand for its services. The organization will temporarily halt new client registrations and shift from offering free to discounted clothing.
“We’ve seen a 49% increase in demand just this year,” said Jessica Root, executive director for House of Mercy. “This year, we hit our capacity, serving over 134 families in a single day. We’re temporarily pausing new client registrations to focus on our current clients and ensure we maintain the quality of service.”