The Fall Food Drive is Coming Next Week!

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 now through November 2nd on our page at https://yougivegoods.com/nvfsfallfood and items will be shipped directly to the HRC. Fast and easy!
• Donate funds online, 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 in making sure our neighbors and their families get the food they need to thrive!

Fairfax County Department of Family Services Recognizes NVFS

On Thursday, October 17th, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (DSVS) presented NVFS with a community partner award in recognition of our collaborative work in addressing domestic violence in our community. Working to end domestic violence and mitigate its harms benefits both survivors and the community and NVFS is proud to be a part of the community-wide approach.

NVFS is an essential partner with a number of Fairfax County initiatives. This past year we worked with Fairfax County’s Domestic Violence Action Center’s Data Collection and Analysis process to share information and increase the awareness of the domestic violence that occurs in our community in addition to increasing the knowledge of the variety of supports and resources available. NVFS also worked with the Resilient Kids Thriving project, which provides mental health services for children who witness domestic violence. The project also trains youth serving professionals on how to recognize and respond to the needs of children who witness domestic violence and hosts workshops for children and their care givers that focuses on building healthy relationships. NVFS participated in the Culmore Conversations’ work that is designed to bring information and resources to community members in need through more effective and culturally responsive outreach and education.

We are grateful for the recognition and proud to serve more than 300 individuals, annually, through our services which support survivors of domestic violence through education, outreach, and the provision of services in all of our other programs.

If you’d like to support our work, consider making a donation at nvfs.org/donate.

Burke & Herbert Bank Selects NVFS as the Recipient of its Goals for Good Program

Burke & Herbert Bank will donate $100 to Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) for each Washington Capitals goal during the 2024-2025 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season. Since 2014, this unique partnership with Monumental Sports, the broadcasters of the Capitals, raises awareness for critical needs in the region while providing both monetary and tangible support. NVFS is grateful for Burke & Herbert Bank’s partnership as we work together to build thriving communities. Learn more about the Goals for Good program.

Brighten the Holiday Season for Local Children and Families

Help make the holiday season brighter as we distribute more than 2,000 toys to children and their families in Northern Virginia. There are many ways you spread the cheer:

• Donate toys in person at a NEW location this year, NVFS Headquarters, Main level Conference Room at 3110 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042. More information on the holiday drive and toy list can be found at the NVFS website. An Amazon wish list will be posted on our website in early November.
  • Monday, December 9th, 1 pm - 6 pm
  • Tuesday, December 10th, 9 am - 2 pm
• Donate funds to help us purchase any additional toys, gift cards, as well as grocery store gift cards. Or create your own online team fundraising page for your office or community group.
• Donate gift cards. Gift cards can be dropped off on one of the toy drop off dates or mailed to NVFS at Northern Virginia Family Service, ATTN: Holiday Initiatives, 3110 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042.
  • Teen gift cards are often the items we need most. We suggest Target, Walmart, Amazon and Visa in the amount of $25.
  • Supermarket gift cards are appreciated for our families to use for holiday meal purchases.
• Sponsorship opportunities are available for the holiday drive.
• Volunteer opportunities are available. Please contact Samara Weinstein at [email protected] if interested in volunteering.

However you choose to give during the season, thank you!

William & Mary College Students Spend Fall Break Giving Back

For their fall break, twelve volunteers from William & Mary College Wesley Campus Ministry volunteered with Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS). They volunteered at the Clock Tower Thrift Store and at NVFS’ Head Start Child Development Center. Our littlest learners enjoyed listening to them read a story and enjoyed the season fun of pumpkin decorating. In addition, they conducted a food drive to fill the pantry at the Multicultural Center and collected books for the Head Start Center. Thank you all for spending your break giving back!

Do you want to make a positive impact in our community? Learn more and connect with NVFS.

Blog: Ways to Engage Your Community to Fight Hunger

NVFS’ Hunger Resource Center provides food to nearly 400 families each month, distributing over 46,000 pounds of food monthly, most of which comes from the generous donations of individuals, families, and organizations in our community. In our most recent blog we share tips on how to engage your own community to fight hunger by hosting your own food drive at your organization, work, or even neighborhood or friend group. Food insecurity is a persistent challenge but, with your help, we can help make sure our neighbors and their families have the food they need.

Did You Know? Fun Facts About NVFS' 100-year Journey

In 2022, NVFS launched the Community In Reach (CIR) program. CIR partners with resource-limited communities to distribute information, deepen engagement, and help residents navigate the resources available through NVFS and the community. We’ve connected with our neighbors where they live in a variety of ways. We’ve hosted pop-ups which provide a bag of groceries, resource information, and an introduction to NVFS to community residents. We’ve provided a range of health screenings including bringing in a mammogram imaging bus. CIR has hosted job preparation fairs which provided resume advice, assistance applying for positions online, resource information, and a box of groceries. Last year, CIR even hosted a summer cookout to bring a community together while providing resources which included a free book table and games for kids, a bag of groceries, and fun.

CIR’s unique way of going into the community to partner on an individual level with community members works to understand the holistic needs of the individuals that makeup that community and to develop trust and a lasting connection which helps not only that community thrive, but also all of Northern Virginia.

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