SOS Tabernacle – Dale City

Feeding God’s People in Prince William County

A Vision Rooted in Scripture. A Response to Real Hunger.

When Jesus fed the five thousand, He was not only performing a miracle—He was revealing the heart of God.

The prophets spoke of a Messiah whose arrival would be marked by healing, restoration, justice, and the feeding of the hungry. On that hillside, Christ showed us that God sees hunger, is moved by compassion, and responds with provision that is abundant and sufficient.

That same call echoes later in the Gospels when Jesus tells Peter,
“If you love me, feed my sheep.”

The command is simple.
The responsibility is sacred.

SOS Tabernacle exists to answer that call in Prince William County—beginning in Dale City.

Our Mission

SOS Feeding Ministry exists to confront food insecurity through tangible acts of compassion that honor the dignity of every person. Our mission is rooted in Jesus’ command to love one another through action, recognizing that faith expressed through service is central to Christian discipleship.

We serve individuals and families experiencing food insecurity throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC by creating innovative, sustainable programs that provide food with dignity, respect, and purpose.

Our work is carried out through an integrated system of ministries:

  • Shepherds Pantry – community-based food access and hot meal distribution

  • Transporting Hope – last-mile food delivery and logistics

  • Ichthys Farms & SOS Tabernacle – local food production and aggregation

  • In His Name Outreach – benevolence and crisis assistance

We invest our time, expertise, and resources to confront hunger holistically, recognizing every person as fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God.

Program Sequence: Building Faithfully and Responsibly

SOS Feeding Ministry is launching programs in a deliberate, faithful sequence:

  1. Shepherds Pantry – Dale City (22193)
    Our first step is establishing Shepherds Pantry, providing immediate food access, hot meals, cold storage, and a local hub for families and partners.

  2. SOS Tabernacle – Dale City
    Once the pantry is operational, SOS Tabernacle will follow as a long-term solution—producing fresh food locally to sustain pantries and deliveries for years to come.

This approach ensures we meet urgent needs now while building durable food security for the future.

Food Insecurity Is More Than Hunger

Food insecurity touches every corner of our community.

It affects:

  • Families working full-time jobs

  • Seniors living on fixed incomes

  • Parents choosing between rent and groceries

  • Children whose ability to learn depends on whether there is food at home

Hunger is not only physical. It creates cognitive stress, reduces decision-making capacity, and limits a person’s ability to thrive at work, in school, and in family life. When nutritious food is inconsistent, the effects ripple across generations.

As Christians, we are not called merely to observe this suffering.
We are called to respond.

Food Insecurity in Prince William County: The People Behind the Numbers

Food insecurity in Prince William County is not abstract—it is a daily reality for tens of thousands of neighbors.

Countywide Impact

  • 43% of households in Prince William County are food insecure, meaning nearly half of all families struggle to access adequate food regularly.

  • This includes more than 28,000 households with children, raising kids without consistent nutrition.

Income Diversity of Hunger

Food insecurity does not only affect the poorest households:

  • 82% of food-insecure households earn under $90,000

  • 14% earn $90,000–$179,000

  • 4% earn over $180,000

Hunger is increasingly a working-family issue, driven by housing costs, transportation expenses, healthcare, and inflation—not lack of effort.

Demographic Reality

Food insecurity in Prince William County disproportionately impacts:

  • 41% Black or African American households

  • 27% Hispanic or Latino households

  • 18% White (non-Hispanic) households

  • 12% Asian, Middle Eastern, multiracial, or other households

These disparities reflect long-standing inequities that persist even in a county with significant economic resources.

Why Dale City (22193) Matters

Dale City sits at the intersection of high need and high opportunity.

The 22193 ZIP code includes census tracts with:

  • Large concentrations of families with children

  • High housing and transportation cost burdens

  • Limited access to consistent, nearby food distribution

From this location, SOS Feeding Ministry can reach approximately:

  • 140,000 households within a 15-mile delivery radius

  • Including an estimated 80,000 children

This radius extends across Prince William County and into surrounding areas, allowing food to reach:

  • Apartment communities

  • Single-family neighborhoods

  • Seniors aging in place

  • Working households without flexible schedules or transportation

This is why Dale City is not just a starting point—it is a strategic anchor.

What Is SOS Tabernacle?

SOS Tabernacle is a faith-rooted, community-serving food production and distribution ministry designed to provide free, nutritious food directly to families’ doors.

At its heart is a 4,000-gallon aquaponic food production system, housed in a repurposed warehouse or flex-use facility—chosen intentionally to reduce environmental impact and steward resources wisely.

Here, we will grow, harvest, pack, and distribute food locally, removing barriers created by distance, cost, and supply chain disruption.

What the System Produces

Each year, SOS Tabernacle will produce approximately:

  • 75,000+ pounds of fresh vegetables and microgreens

  • 2,400 pounds of protein (tilapia)

Including:

  • Leafy greens and lettuces

  • Herbs

  • Nutrient-dense microgreens

  • Root and fruiting vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions, and peppers

Together, these foods provide families with what they need to prepare healthy meals from a single source.

Why Microgreens Matter

Microgreens are harvested at peak nutrient density and often contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than mature crops.

For children, seniors, and individuals with limited access to fresh produce, microgreens significantly improve nutritional quality—supporting growth, immunity, and long-term health.

A Modern Expression of God’s Provision

From manna in the wilderness to bread broken by Christ Himself, Scripture shows us again and again that food is a sign of God’s care.

Through SOS Tabernacle, that provision reaches families:

  • On their own schedule

  • Any day of the week

  • Without stigma or transportation barriers

Through our partnership with Project DASH by DoorDash, food is delivered directly to families’ doors—confirming that help arrived and dignity was preserved.

Because we produce and distribute food locally, we are less vulnerable to tariffs, fuel costs, and supply disruptions. What God provides through this system goes directly to His people.

Built for Stewardship and Sustainability

SOS Tabernacle is designed to be:

  • Near zero-waste

  • Highly water-efficient

  • Urban-ready inside existing infrastructure

  • Energy-responsible, with future solar integration planned

This is stewardship in action—caring for people and creation together.

Why the Church Matters Here

Jesus did not define love as a feeling. In John 13:34, the word He used—agapate—is a verb. Love, to Christ, is action.

SOS Feeding Ministry lives out this call through:

  • Social holiness

  • Feeding the hungry

  • Serving Christ by serving others

  • Living faith publicly, not privately

This work is not charity alone.
It is discipleship.

Every family fed is a witness.
Every delivery is proclamation.
Every seed planted declares that God still provides.

How You Can Help

Give Generously

Your gift supports:

  • Building the SOS Tabernacle

  • Operating it faithfully

  • Feeding families consistently

Create a Fundraising Team

Multiply your impact by inviting others to join you:

  • Friends and family

  • Congregations

  • Coworkers and networks

The early church grew through communities acting together.

Be Part of the Tabernacle

In Scripture, the Tabernacle was where God dwelt among His people.

SOS Tabernacle is built on that same conviction—
that when we feed the hungry, Christ is present among us.

👉 Give today. Create a team.
👉 Be part of what God is building in Prince William County.

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