Over the past week, the County Board completed our January meetings, I spent 10 pm to 2 am volunteering to help on homelessness, visited training facilities for plumbers and carpenters, and we held a wonderful campaign kickoff. We also received a tribute to our COVID Heroes and we are just $552 short of our goal by midnight tonight, if you want to chip in.
With Department of Human Services Director Anita Friedman and Dr. Bryna Helfer, Assistant County Manager & Director of Communications and Public Engagement before the Point in Time Count.
First, on Wednesday night I helped count the homeless in Arlington through the Point in Time Count, an annual effort to account for all those in Arlington homeless on a given night. I always dread the cold a little and the anticipation of the evening. But I also feel it is so important to be part of this night with our Department of Human Services (DHS) and to help those in need. As a community we are down from 199 to somewhere in the 170's according to the former police officer I joined who now works for DHS. We will learn the exact number over the coming months. I am grateful for DHS staff and our nonprofit leaders who do this every year. We must keep working to end homelessness in Arlington.
With carpenters at the Mid-Atlantic Carpenters' Training Center in a meeting/tour arranged by the Carpenters I worked with to help Develop a Best in Class Agreement at the First of the Amazon Buildings
On Friday, I went to Maryland to engage with Raul Castro, Ginny Diamond, and Greg Ackerman, three labor leaders I worked with to help the carpenters and our community secure an agreement to labor standards with Amazon that we should be proud of. Working men and women are benefitting from that work to prevent wage theft and misclassification which still exists in Northern Virginia, but we are working to end. The picture below is at the training facility with carpenters in apprenticeships.
Screen Shot from Saturday's Re-Election Campaign Kickoff
On Saturday, I was proud of our campaign kickoff. 83 people joined the zoom and I was so honored to hear from 7 people who spoke to the priorities we've shared: COVID response, inclusive economic growth, affordable housing, racial equity, fighting climate change, our schools, and hunger. It was a special hour. Take a look at the picture below and let me know if you'd like to help via email or by chipping in: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/matt4arl2022
I just checked again at 5:31 Eastern today, Monday, and we are just $552 short of our goal tonight for the month of January. Would you consider being one of the 10 people who can help us get there before 12 midnight tonight?
Last, but certainly not least, I want to share with you a short video of our COVID heroes. I promise you will be moved and inspired by this short summary of those who have stepped up to save lives and help serve.
2 minutes and 20 seconds about our heroes--those who have served during COVID.
Thank you for reading and for the opportunity to serve you,
