Feeding, Clothing & Supporting Local Children-every Single Week

1,250+ children
46+ local schools
Every week

Just $5 provides one local child with a full weekend meal bag.

Buddy Bags - Weekly Weekend Meal Bags

Imagine being a child who leaves school on Friday and doesn’t know if there will be food at home until Monday morning. This is the reality for hundreds of children in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and King George.

At Spreading Smiles, we created the Buddy Bags Program to fill that gap. Each week, over 1,250 children take home a bag packed with milk, juice, water, snacks, breakfast items, and ready-to-eat meals. For many—especially those living in shelters, motels, or unstable housing—these bags are the difference between going hungry and feeling cared for.

It costs just $5 to make sure a child has food for the entire weekend. Your gift puts hope, comfort, and nourishment directly into their hands.

Our Programs

Weekly Weekend Buddy Bags

Every week, Spreading Smiles provides weekend meal bags to more than 1,250 children across 47 local schools who may not have enough to eat when school is closed. Each bag is filled with kid-friendly, shelf-stable food, including breakfast items, ready-to-eat meals, drinks, and snacks. Children are connected to the program primarily through their school counselors, allowing us to respond quickly as needs change while protecting each child’s privacy and dignity. We also provide additional food support during extended school breaks, when children may be away from the meals they normally receive at school.
Kicks for Kids

Every child deserves shoes that fit. Through Kicks for Kids, Spreading Smiles provides brand-new sneakers to local children who need them, helping kids head to school and into everyday life with comfort and confidence. We work with schools, community partners, and local events to identify needs and get shoes into the hands of children as quickly as possible. Since launching Kicks for Kids, more than 1,700 pairs of new sneakers have been distributed to local children.
Smiles Essentials

Sometimes the simplest necessities can make the biggest difference. Smiles Essentials provides clothing, coats, socks, undergarments, hygiene items, backpacks, school supplies, and other everyday essentials to local children facing hardship. Many needs come directly from school counselors and community partners who know when a child needs a coat, clean clothes, school supplies, or another basic necessity. Our goal is simple: when a need is brought to us and we have the resources to help, we work to get those items to the child as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Holiday Smiles

Every child deserves to experience the magic of the holidays. Holiday Smiles brings together our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter programs to provide food, gifts, Easter baskets, and special moments of joy for local children and families facing hardship. From serving Thanksgiving meals to filling our Christmas room with gifts and creating Easter baskets for children, these programs are about more than providing necessities. They are about making sure children experiencing difficult circumstances still have opportunities to celebrate, make memories, and simply enjoy being kids.
Summer Smiles

When school closes for summer, the need doesn’t disappear. Summer Smiles helps bridge the gap by providing food, essentials, school supplies, and other support to local children during the months when many school-based resources are unavailable. We work with schools, shelters, community organizations, and other local partners to reach children where they are. Whether it is providing summer food support, helping a child prepare for the new school year, or creating a special summer experience, our goal is to make sure local kids continue to feel supported all summer long.

Get Involved

There are so many ways to be part of Spreading Smiles – and every single one makes a difference. Just $5 feeds a child for the weekend. $100 feeds 20 children.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to provide food, essential resources, and support to children in need — so they can feel cared for, supported, and free to just be kids. Through programs that provide weekend meal bags, gifts, school supplies, clothing, and essential items year-round, we’re committed to creating stability and opportunity for every child we serve — regardless of their circumstances.

Why It Matters

Every child deserves to experience the full joy of childhood. But for many in our community, financial hardship makes that impossible — worrying about food instead of playing, or arriving at school without the basics they need to learn. We believe no child should face that alone. No child should miss out on the magic of being a kid because of circumstances beyond their control. That’s why we show up — every single week — with meals, shoes, coats, backpacks, and hope.

About us...

For years, Ristorante Renato has been working closely with local school social workers and community organizations to provide programs that meet the immediate needs of children and families in our community. In 2024, with the support of our ownership and patrons, Spreading Smiles was officially established to expand these initiatives and continue fulfilling our mission.

Spreading Smiles is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families in Fredericksburg and surrounding counties who face significant challenges. Our mission is to bring joy, hope, and essential resources to those who need them most.

Make a Bigger Impact: Donate Stock to Spreading Smiles

Want to make a lasting impact through your investments?

You can now donate appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds directly to Spreading Smiles!

Email us to learn how!

DTC Transfer Instructions:

Please provide your financial advisor or brokerage firm with the following information:

Important: To ensure proper acknowledgment and receipt, please notify us at elisa@spreadingsmilesfxbg.org once your stock transfer is initiated.

Why Donate Stock?

Every share you give brings us closer to a world where every child smiles a little brighter. Your generosity plants the seeds of joy, opportunity, and hope.

Holiday Magic on Main, Presented by Amazon

Holiday Magic on Main brought 100 local children together for an unforgettable holiday evening in downtown Fredericksburg, thanks to Amazon’s generous support.

From ice skating and Santa to STEM activities, gifts, and hot chocolate, the event created joyful memories while supporting Spreading Smiles’ mission to bring hope and happiness to local children.

Summer Smiles at the Ballpark

For the second year, Amazon and Turner Construction treated local children and their families to a special evening at a Fredericksburg Nationals game.

The event included dinner, baseball, activities, and lasting memories—many children attended their first-ever game. We’re grateful for their continued support in helping Spreading Smiles create joyful experiences for local families.

News & Events

A Proud Moment for Our Community

Delegate Joshua Cole presented us with House Resolution No. 715, commending Spreading Smiles at Renatos. This resolution was unanimously approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly.

Our 2025 Impact Report is Here!

We are so proud to share our 2025 Impact Report – a look at everything our incredible community made possible last year.

Every number represents a child who was seen, supported, and cared for. Thank you for being a part of this.

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