Help Us Gear Up Kids for Back2School

We need your help with our quest this summer – successful completion of our Back2School Drive! A backpack of new school supplies can give a child the level up they need to begin the school year right AND help ease the financial burden for the family. 

Check out these easy ways to help the children from NVFS programs gear up to ace the school year ahead.

• Shop for school supplies from our list and drop them off during one of the following donation days at 12955 Fair Lakes Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22033 (next to the Starbucks), see the map here: Wednesday, July 24, 9am-1pm or Thursday, July 25, 1pm-6pm.

• Donate through August 8 to make sure any gaps in our supply needs are covered!

• Organize a school supply drive! If you are a corporate or civic group interested in organizing a school supply drive, please contact Lacy Hurst at [email protected].

• Shop our wish list. It will be open in early. Check for the link to appear on the Back2School website when it opens.

• Partner with NVFS and our community by sponsoring the Back2School drive.

Delotte Makes an Impact

On June 7th over 1200 Deloitte professionals volunteered around the country for their annual day of service.  Deloitte selected three projects with Northern Virginia Family Service for their Impact Day. Employee volunteers organized and assembled shelving at the Clock Tower Thrift Store and cleaned and sorted items at the Hunger Resource Center at the SERVE Campus. Deloitte Volunteers assembled STEM kits for our Head Start Center in partnership with the Children’s Science Center. Volunteers also participated in an excercise to learn about the specific circumstances surrounding NVFS clients and the social determinants of health, which are the non-medical life factors a person is born into and raised in that impact/affect their long-term health. Thank you Deloitte!

If your company is interested in partnering with us to make a positive impact in the Northern Virginia community, email Sara Kreitzer at [email protected].

Curiosity on Display at the Head Start Science Fair

NVFS’ Head Start Center recently tapped into curiosity and exploration with an exciting focus on fun and engaging science experiments. The experiments included classroom favorites like “What Sinks and What Floats,” where the teachers would present objects and the kids would guess what would happen when they were dropped into water. This taught them about density and buoyancy. Another experiment focused on the plant life cycle as the class planted seeds and watched them grow. Another plant-related exercise focused on what would happen to a carnation that had food coloring put in it. Some students hypothesized that the plant would grow bigger, or faster, while others thought it would change color.

The classes made display boards sharing their project and the scientific process they followed in exploring the experiments, what they thought would happen, and what they witnessed happening and then shared their science experiments to special guests and the other classrooms. It was definitely a fun, play-based, STEAM activity for all!

A Big Thank You to Mill Creek Residential Group!

Shout out to Mill Creek Residential Group!  Close to 50 Mill Creek volunteers stepped up to make a difference in the community.  Volunteer projects included SERVE Campus Spring Freshen Up, SERVE Shelter Kitchen Deep Clean and volunteering at the Clock Tower Thrift Store.  Thank you, Mill Creek for knocking it out of the park!

Help Fill Your Neighbors' Tables, Give Food to the HRC

Summer brings the slow giving months at our Hunger Resoucr Center (HRC), coinciding with a time where families have kids home from school and more meals to prepare. Help us ensure that the families that depend on the HRC get the healthy food they need to thrive. Starting a food collection drive with your work, community organization, or even your neighborhood is a great summer activity that not only gives back, but gives your social circle a chance to reap the benefits of volunteering like improved self-esteem, growing community, or if you get your family involved, teaching kids the value of helping others.

The HRC gratefully accepts everything from canned and dry goods to meats, dairy, and fresh fruits and vegetables. That's right! We love getting fruits and veggies from prolific gardens.

Learn more about the greatest need items and donation hours or make an online donation today.