Fall Food Drive, CARE Winners, Blog, 100th Did You Know, Volunteer Spotlight, Top Needs, Volunteers Needed |
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Monthly Newsletter of Northern Virginia Family Service |
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Fall Food Drive is Live! Get Involved to Help Families Access Food this Season
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 resulting in a distribution of 46,322 pounds of food per month. There are many ways to get involved!
- Donate food in-person on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 – 12:00pm-5:00pm or Wednesday, October 23, 2024 – 10:00am-5:00pm at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manassas. See our most needed food at our webpage.
- Donate food online through our page at https://yougivegoods.com/nvfsfallfood and items will be shipped directly to the HRC. Fast and easy!
- Host your own mini food drive by engaging your family, friends, co-workers, or networks. Check out our toolkits which will help you to encourage your community to get involved. Giving back as a group can be even more fun!
- Volunteer to help with the food drive by yourself or as a group between October 18th and November 1st. Email Navara Cannon for more info.
- Donate funds online or by check, or through your donor-advised fund. See our giving page for more info.
However you decide to participate, thank you for your help making sure our neighbors and their families get the food they need to thrive!
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Congratulations to the 2024 Care Awards Winners!
For more than 30 years, NVFS has presented the CARE Awards to recognize companies that proactively make our region a better place for everyone to work, live, and play. Winners are selected based on how they support employee needs, their diversity and inclusion efforts, and their community involvement. Congratulations to the 22 outstanding companies who have won a CARE Award for their outstanding efforts in our community creating thriving and exemplary workplaces for employees every day.
Join us or sponsor the CARE Awards reception on Wednesday, November 13 from 3:30-5:30pm at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner to learn about the best practices these companies employ and meet this year's award winners! The reception will bring together business leaders from Northern Virginia as we honor companies who have demonstrated a clear commitment to improving work/life balance, employee engagement and well-being, and community stewardship.
To learn more about the CARE Awards reception and to purchase tickets and sponsorships, please visit our website.
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Volunteer Spotlight:Sandra Medrano Bonilla
September is Hispanic Heritage Month and we’d like to uplift one of our fantastic volunteers, Sandra Medrano Bonilla. Sandra has volunteered at NVFS’ Healthy Families Arlington and Healthy Families Alexandria playgroups and graduations. In addition, as a leader of the MITRE Corporations Latin American Network (LAN), she has brought a team to volunteer at our Back2School Drive and Gifting for Families toy drive. We look forward to having MITRE’s LAN return to our Head Start center to read stories in English and Spanish and celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Thank you, Sandra, for sharing your culture, your giving spirit, and your dedication to the children and families in our community!
Do you want to make a positive impact in our community? Learn more and connect with NVFS.
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Blog: Businesses Can Help Alleviate Hunger
Our latest blog explores how local businesses can alleviate food insecurity through various initiatives like donating food, providing services, volunteering and investing in hunger alleviation.
Food insecurity is an ongoing crisis affecting many communities. In Northern Virginia, food insecurity is often linked to job loss, chronic illness expenses, and unstable housing, among other factors. Households facing these issues must frequently choose between buying food and covering other essential expenses. Businesses are positioned to assist in the fight against hunger in unique ways. Check out our blog to learn more!
Check out our Fall Food Drive toolkit to jump right in to helping our neighbors get the food they need!
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Did You Know? Fun Facts About NVFS' 100-year Journey
This September, NVFS is looking back to our role leading the 9/11 Survivor’s Fund Project which helped the victims and first responders of the attacks. As a century old organization, we have a long history of providing support during community crises. For example:
- NVFS provided rent and utility assistance, and helped care for neglected children during the Great Depression.
- After WWII, NVFS provided a mental health clinic to help support those retuning from the war.
- NVFS helped with the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s.
- We helped Hurricane Katrina evacuees rebuild their lives by providing basic needs and trauma counseling.
- NVFS has been there, helping government employees and their families, during numerous government shutdowns.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, we helped our neighbors and community by providing basic needs, emergency assistance, mental health support, and ways to keep spirits up during lockdown.
During these moments our aim is for our Northern Virginia neighbors to not merely survive, but to thrive. To do that, we have learned to lean into our partnerships and the inherent resilience of the individuals and families in our community. We have learned that by taking care of our employees, they can better take care of our neighbors. With each crisis, our model of response changes as we learn and grow stronger, not just as an agency but as a community – for 100 years and counting.
Learn more and celebrate NVFS’ 100 years with us at nvfs.org/100.
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Top NVFS SERVE Shelter Needs
- Body wash (men and women)
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Rat tail teasing combs
- Laundry detergent
- Laundry softener
- Dryer sheets
- New bed pillows
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Top Hunger Resource Center Needs
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Canned vegetables
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Beans (canned and dry)
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Cereal
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Fruit pouches/fruit cups
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Pasta & pasta sauce
- One box meals (i.e. Hamburger Helper)
- Shelf stable milk
- Rice
- Coffee/tea
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Sugar
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Cooking oil/spray
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Top Multicultural Center Needs
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Beans (canned and dried)
- Oil
- Canned tuna
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Pasta sauce
- Rice (white and brown)
- Oatmeal and cereal
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
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Top Volunteer Needs
- HRC: Food recovery drivers
- Early Head Start: Classroom assistants
- SERVE Family Shelter (Contact Vicky Bonilla for more information)
- Shelter assistant: These weekday volunteers support daily operations at our family shelter by welcoming guests and visitors, answering calls and guest questions, filling supply requests, and providing administrative support as needed. Volunteers are most needed on weekdays from 4pm-7pm
- Shelter kitchen assistant: These volunteers help ensure efficient kitchen operations by partnering with the shelter cook to maintain the kitchen, prepare food, and serve lunch to shelter guests. Volunteers are most needed on weekdays from 11am-2pm.
Did you enjoy this edition of the Insider? Have a suggestion? Send us an email. We love hearing from our readers and are continually striving to provide relevant content. |
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3110 Fairview Park Dr., Suite 500 (We've moved!), Falls Church, VA 22042
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