Celebration of Service, Volunteer Spotlight, Did You Know, Sharing Warmth, Top Needs, Volunteers Needed
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Monthly Newsletter of Northern Virginia Family Services
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Celebrating Service, Strengthening Community
We are thrilled to announce NVFS’ Celebration of Service <[link removed]> at 6pm on Friday, May 1, 2026, at The Barns at Wolf Trap. Tickets and sponsorships <[link removed]> are now available, and if you’re interested in supporting the auction, now is a great time to get involved.
The popular NVFS Mission Experience will return, offering a powerful, immersive look at the programs, services, and dedicated staff who help guide individuals and families along their path to wellbeing.
We look forward to gathering with you for an evening of purpose and connection as, together, we reaffirm our commitment to building strong foundations—ensuring that all our neighbors have access to resources and opportunities to thrive.
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MLK Day of Service: Winter Mitzvah Day in Action
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?’” On MLK Day of Service, congregants from Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church will put those words into action through their annual Winter Mitzvah Day—a meaningful day dedicated to service and community care.
As part of the effort, a group of volunteers will spend the day supporting the NVFS Thrift Store, while nearly 300 congregants—children and adults alike—take part in family-friendly service projects making warm blankets, assembling snack packs, and packing hygiene kits to support families served by Northern Virginia Family Services.
We’re grateful to Temple Rodef Shalom for showing up with generosity, care, and intention—honoring Dr. King’s legacy through service and helping strengthen our community one act of kindness at a time this year and every year.
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Did You Know? The Power of Volunteering at NVFS
Did you know that in 2025, more than 2,700 NVFS volunteers <[link removed]> contributed over 33,000 hours of time, care, and energy to support our neighbors across Northern Virginia—directly expanding our capacity to serve more people in our community?
Volunteers of all ages show up in meaningful ways: families volunteering serving side by side, youth groups and scouts learning the value of service, and corporate teams lending their skills and time. Whether preparing meals, assembling essential supports like snack packs and blankets, organizing food collections, making building improvements, or reading to young children, volunteers played a critical role in ensuring our programs remained welcoming, well-resourced, and responsive to community needs.
Every hour volunteered extends our reach and strengthens our ability to meet growing community needs. Thank you to every volunteer who showed up and made this possible. Your time creates a ripple effect that amplifies our collective impact.
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Community Care in Action: Sharing Warmth
For the second year in a row, the students and faculty of Westminster School in Annandale came together to support neighbors during the coldest months of the year, donating warm blankets to NVFS for winter distribution.
Through NVFS’ Community In Reach efforts, those blankets were given directly to people facing extreme cold conditions. NVFS partnered with two churches operating hypothermia shelters in Vienna and along Route 1 in Alexandria to distribute the blankets during the holiday season. Hypothermia shelters are temporary, emergency programs activated during periods of dangerously cold weather. They provide a safe, warm place to sleep, offer fresh meals, and connect those who are unhoused to essential resources, helping prevent life-threatening cold-related injuries and death along with critical support.
In total, more than 60 individuals benefited from this shared generosity—a powerful example of how students, volunteers, community faith partners, and NVFS come together to meet urgent community needs with compassion and care.
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Top NVFS Family Shelter <[link removed]> Needs
* Baby wipes
* Laundry detergent
* Cleaning supplies (multi-purpose cleaners, disinfectants)
* Paper towels
* Toilet paper
* Tissues
Top Hunger Resource Center <[link removed]> Needs
* Cereal
* Shelf-stable milk
* Low sodium vegetables
* Frozen vegetables
* Pasta
* Pasta sauce
* Canned and dry beans
* Canned meat
* Soup
* Boxed macaroni and cheese
* Diapers (sizes 4, 5, 6)
Top Healthy Families <[link removed]> Needs (drop off at the SERVE Campus <[link removed]>, attn. Navara Cannon or the NVFS HQ office <[link removed]>, attn. Samara Weinstein)
* Board Books (English and Spanish)
* Wipes
* Diapers
Top Early Childhood Education <[link removed]> Needs (drop off at the SERVE Campus <[link removed]>, attn. Navara Cannon)
* Diapers and pull-ups
* Wipes
* Light table ( this one <[link removed]> or something similar)
* Valentines Day decor and activities
Top Volunteer Needs
* Food Recovery Driver <[link removed]> (Contact Navara Cannon <mailto:
[email protected] > for more information)
* Food Assistance Specialist <[link removed]> (Contact Vicky Bonilla <mailto:
[email protected]> for more information)
* Shelter Kitchen Assistant <[link removed]> (Contact Vicky Bonilla <mailto:
[email protected]> for more information)
* Court Appointed Special Advocate <[link removed]> (Contact Laura Jameson <mailto:
[email protected]> for more information)
Did you enjoy this edition of the Insider? Have a suggestion? Send us an email. <mailto:
[email protected]?subject=Insider suggestion> We love hearing from our readers and are continually striving to provide relevant content.
Some NVFS programs are partially funded with federal dollars. View our Public Funding Acknowledgements <[link removed]> for details.
Some NVFS programs participate in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). View the anti-discrimination notice <[link removed]> for details.
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3110 Fairview Park Dr., Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042
