Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (SNM) will hold a fundraiser at Britain Hill Venue and Vineyard, 790 Little Britain Road North, Quarryville, on Tuesday, July 25. The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m., and it will include a silent auction, live music and multiple food trucks.

The theme of the fundraiser is "Christmas in July," and attendees are encouraged to wear green and red to bring the Christmas spirit to summertime. Tickets are free, but SNM will accept monetary donations and small, unwrapped gifts, which it will give to families at Christmastime. Gifts can include items such as coloring books, toy cars, nail polish and other items for children. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available to take pictures with families during the fundraiser, and the live music will include traditional Christmas songs and carols.

The silent auction will feature a variety of items, such as tickets to Sight & Sound Theatre, passes to Longwood Gardens, gift cards for local restaurants, holiday crafts made from driftwood and woodworking pieces.

SNM began to host an annual fundraiser three years ago to support its various community service projects. In addition to raising money for projects such as the food bank in Quarryville, SNM wanted to use the fundraiser as a way to draw people in the community together and educate them on needs that are often unmet. "Everyone around you may be going through something. We want to ask people, 'Do you know your neighbor?'" said Teresa Dolan, executive director of SNM. "We're trying to educate people on the needs of the community that go unseen."

While tickets are free, those who plan to attend must register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/snmchristmas.

SNM has recently seen an increase in the number of families requesting assistance, which Dolan attributed to rising prices and the organization's move to a more visible location. SNM relocated to South Church Street in Quarryville in September and has since made several changes to better suit the community's needs.

Previously, the food bank prepacked boxes of items to distribute to families. Recently, SNM implemented a choice pantry model, which allows families to shop for the items that they need the most. All of the food is ranked by its nutritional value and organized into groups based on the levels of sodium, sugar and saturated fat. The color-coded system allows patrons to find the items they need the most and is intended to make it easier for those with diabetes or high cholesterol to shop for food. SNM will provide a list of the food bank's inventory to those who are unable to visit the food bank due to their work schedules or mobility issues. They can choose which items they need from the list, and the food bank's volunteers will pack their order for them.

"Our families are really happy to have the choice. It minimizes them getting something they don't need and helps us with our inventory," Dolan said. "We keep track of what people request the most so we can make sure it's stocked, and we try to make sure at least 80% of our food has a high nutritional value."

For more information, visit https://solanconeighborhoodministries.org.