Back2School Drive is a Success Thanks to You!

Your donations have been the ultimate power-up, giving our kids the tools they need to conquer new challenges and unlock their full potential. Thanks to your generous contributions, we've unlocked new levels of success for the kids in our community. 1,700+ students were outfitted with backpacks filled with school supplies including:

• 654 packs of crayons
• 1,660 glue sticks
• 1,715 highlighters
• 1,962 pocket folders
• 3,402 spiral notebooks
• And more than 16,000 pencils!

And a big thank you to all of the Back2School sponsors! A special shoutout to our Valedictorian, AWS InCommunities, and Take2 who made the Honor Roll, along with Cherry Bekaert Foundation, Ennis Electric, Evans Consulting, and Peterson Companies who all contributed to a Brighter Future.

Our sponsors, volunteers, and donors, truly are top-tier players in our community, and we couldn’t have achieved this without you. Thank you all for helping us create a brighter future for all!

Did You Know? Fun facts about NVFS' 100-year journey

Did you know that throughout NVFS’ history we’ve supported mental and emotional well-being?

In the 1940s, we operated our first mental health clinic for those facing challenges after World War II. In 2001, we provided trauma recovery services to September 11th victims of the Pentagon attack, first responders, and their families. In 2008, we launched our Multicultural Center to provide culturally and linguistically sensitive mental health services. And in 2020, we expanded mental health support across our service areas in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Why? Because mental is a critical aspect of overall well-being.

Learn more and celebrate NVFS’ 100 years with us at nvfs.org/100.

On the Horizon: Fall Food Drive

Help us stock the shelves at the NVFS Hunger Resource Center by donating food to the Fall Food Drive. Nearly 400 families per month rely on regular support from the HRC, which distributes 46,322 pounds of food per month. Visit our site to learn about the most needed items and the ways you can get involved in ending hunger in our community!

Mark your calendar! Donation Drop-off Days:

• Tuesday, October 22, 2024 – 12:00pm-5:00pm
• Wednesday, October 23, 2024 – 10:00am-5:00pm

Drop-off Location:

• Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas, VA 20110

Supporter Spotlight: Elevation Church

A big thank you to Elevation Church for going above and beyond to support NVFS. Their teamwork and generosity has made a positive impact throughout many NVFS programs and helping families across our region. Recently, they’ve: 

• Prepared 80 weekend snack packs for local families in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King.
• Supported Healthy Families Arlington by providing supplies to ensure that the families and young children would have fun activities to engage in during their spring playgroup: plastic eggs, stickers, jumbo crayons, and bubble wands, a kid favorite!
• Provided supplies for a Healthy Families playgroup which focused on providing an opportunity for fathers and father figures to bond with their little ones. Supplies included: bug catching kits, motivational wristbands for the dads and father figures, snacks, and, of course, bubble wands.
• The kids in NVFS’ Early Head Start brush their teeth everyday at the program. Toothbrushes are replaced every three months, (or more often as little hands accidentally drop them or throw them away.) Elevation Church responded to this ongoing need for toothbrushes by providing little kid toothbrushes and toothbrush holders.
• They recently stocked up the toiletry pantry at NVFS’ Multicultural Center to ensure families have the hygiene products they need.
• For our 2024 Back2School Drive, Elevation Church assembled 100 backpacks, complete with school supplies and, when dropping them off, also made a generous donation.

We are so grateful to everyone at Elevation Church for their ongoing support. 

Are you part of a group that wants to engage with your community? Learn more and connect with NVFS.

August is Make a Will Month

Now that William the kitten has gotten your attention.... Remember, making a will is important at every age and this month is Make a Will Month! Consider this your gentle reminder to learn more about the importance of a will and how you can create a lasting legacy for your loved ones and community with this document. Read more in our newest blog.

Thank You Youth Volunteers!

Ever wonder what youth were doing during their summer break? Well, in Northern Virginia, we had a number of kids supporting their community by volunteering with NVFS!

• The Dang family (pictured), Nga, Long, Liam, and Andon - had a fun and memorable time preparing snack packs that they delivered to the Head Start Center. The Head Start Center distributed these snacks to children to take home for their two week summer break.
• Sisters, Betel and Filimona, spent time during their summer break at the Head Start Center.
• The Murphy family, Mom, Maddie, Owen and Kassie, – volunteered as a team at the 2024 NVFS Back2School Drive.
• Girl Scouts, Maddie and Sophie, led an art project at the Head Start Center for their Girl Scout Silver Award.

Thank you all and thank you to all our youth volunteers who work to make our community a thriving place for everyone!

Want to get involved? Check out our volunteer page.