Bringing Joy to NoVA Families

Help make the holiday season brighter for more than 2,000 children and their families in our community. Whether you donate, volunteer, or organize a toy drive, it can't happen without you!

This year we have four ways you can help:

• Donate funds online or by check
• Donate new, unwrapped toys
• Donate $25 gift cards (perfect for our teenagers!)
• Volunteer

Thank you for helping us make this challenging time a bit more festive!

Help Your Neighbors By Grabbing Some Tasty Treats

We are proud to be the exclusive Northern Virginia partner with Whole Foods for the Shop Local, Give Local holiday campaign!

Through December 13, when you buy a local product, Whole Foods will match 100% of the product purchase in support of our work, up to a total of $10,000.

Visit one of these participating Whole Foods stores to pick up something tasty while supporting both NVFS and local food purveyors:

• Tysons Corner at the Boro: 1635 Boro Place, McLean
• Tysons: 7511 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church
• Vienna: 143 Maple Ave E, Vienna
• Reston: 11660 Plaza America Dr, Reston

If you want to help spread the word, you can share our post on Facebook. Thank you!

Corporate Responsibilty Helps Contain the Public Health Crisis

We are thankful for our many partners who help make sure that those making their journey toward self-sufficiency are not waylaid. This is especially true during this ongoing public health crisis.

This month we'd like to thank the Washington Nationals for a generous $50,000 grant that supports hunger relief, housing assistance, and mental health services for Northern Virginia residents. The grant was made possible with matching funds from Trustar Bank. See more on Facebook.

And, special thanks goes to Truist Cares, who profiled the work they've helped fund to overcome the barriers of shifting our mental health services to a virtual format. Not only does this mean vulnerable populations are still receiving regular support from their mental health counselors like Bianca Añez (pictured), but the burgeoning stress due to the pandemic is being addressed as well.

Tim Settle and the Washington Football Team Root for NVFS

Check out this Thanksgiving message from Washington Football Team player and Manassas native Tim Settle in support of our holiday drives and Hunger Resource Center in Prince William County. You can view it on YouTube or on Facebook.

Tim, Greg Stroman, and Morgan Moses all generously supported our Operation Turkey food drive. Visit our Holiday Giving page to find out how you can get involved!

Thanks, team!

Community Resource: Warmline Available to All Virginians Struggling to Cope

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused upheaval and unexpected stress in the lives of so many people. To support Virginians, the VA C.O.P.E.S. (compassionate, optomistic, person-centered, empowering support) warmline is available to offer support. The mental health tip line started in May 2020 and, thanks to new funding, the service will be extended through May 2021. 

Any Virginian can make a confidential call and speak to a crisis counselor about what's bothering them. The line is available Monday-Friday 9am-9pm and 5pm-9pm on the weekends by phone or text at 877-349-6428. Spanish counselors are also available.

The warmline is available to residents who may be struggling to cope with the effects of the pandemic including isolation, fear, grief, and anxiety. Not only will callers be provided a supportive compassionate ear, but they will also be provided additional information, resources, and referalls as needed.

Please spread the word through your networks!

Note: VA Copes is not a suicide hotline. If in crisis call 800-273-8255 for the National Crisis Hotline, or 911.

Find a Fabulous Gift Online

The NVFS Clocktower Thrift Shop is not only a must-visit destination for thrifters in the know, it also supports all of the work we do across Northern Virginia. The store offers a wide array of unique, quality goods with prices that are easy on the wallet.

Now, through Poshmark, the leading online marketplace and e-commerce platform for pre-loved fashion and accessories, the Clocktower Shopping experience is availabe to buyers beyond Northern Virginia.

NVFS' Fabulous Finds on Poshmark features carefully curated boutique and brand-name items at unbeatable prices--a perfect place to get some holiday shopping done. And don't forget to visit often--the site is regularly updated with hot new items!

If you are interested in donating items specifically for our online store, email Leyla Alijani to coordinate the logistics, or stop by our brick and mortar Clocktower Thrift Shop to donate during store hours and mark your donation "Poshmark."

November is National Adoption Month

Thousands of children and youth across the country need permanent families. Through our foster care program, NVFS is proud to work with families that help kids find their forever family through adoption, or simply just stability during unpredictable times of their lives.

We are grateful for our wonderful foster and adoptive families, and the dedicated staff who work closely with families to ensure that kids are nutured and supported.

Since March 2020, our Child Placement team has been working virtual and have made some fantastic accomplishments helping the kids in our community.

• 4 kids officially adopted
• 12 children on track to have a permanent home this year
• 8 children returned home to their birth families
• 8 children reunited with their siblings
• 5 children placed with foster familes, with sibling groups kept together

One of these families, the Gwaltneys (pictured), opened their hearts to two foster children, and the happines of their home grew exponentially!

Learn more about our Foster Care and Adoption program here.