NVFS Celebrates Success Stories and Community Impact at Road to Independence Gala

Last Friday, NVFS celebrated its Road to Independence Gala at the Wolf Trap Pavilions and reconnected in person for the first time since 2019. We celebrated with live music from Common Ground Jazz Band, and the evening included dynamic speakers, a silent auction, and raffle prizes. We are grateful to the sponsors and supporters that made the evening a tremendous success and so much fun! Proceeds from the Gala connect our neighbors and their families to resources and support services to build a thriving future. View photos from the Gala. 

Nominate Your Employer for a CARE Award 

The NVFS CARE Awards recognizes the top employers in our region. Over its nearly 30-year history, CARE has recognized companies with robust employee wellbeing programs, a focus on diversity and inclusion, and those that make community engagement a core part of company culture. Is your company interested in applying for a CARE Award? Visit our website to access the application. CARE applications are open until June 20, 2022.

NVFS Thanks Spring2Action Donors for Supporting Healthy Families Program 

Thank you to the generous donors who gave during Spring2Action, Alexandria’s Giving Day last month. NVFS raised more than $16,000 with a sponsor match from the Mason Hirst Foundation. These funds will benefit the NVFS Healthy Families program in Alexandria, which promotes positive, nurturing parenting, improves child health and development, promotes school readiness and prevents abuse and neglect. Learn more about NVFS Healthy Families.

Foster Care Spotlight with Liz Boddye – ABC7 Interview

May is Foster Care Awareness Month. The NVFS Foster Care program provides foster families with the tools and support to build healthy, caring and therapeutic relationships with children placed in foster care. NVFS helps foster parents bridge the gap between the child and his or her biological parents. These strong support networks help ensure that foster children can thrive in a safe and stable homes. 

View this ABC7 interview with Liz Boddye, NVFS resource parent recruiter, on how NVFS supports foster families and children. Learn more about how to become a foster parent.

Mission Moment: Chef and Entrepreneur Uses NVFS Escala to Build Dream Career

Brandy Clinkscale is passionate about food. She developed a love of cooking and baking as a child in the kitchen with her grandmother. As an adult, she studied culinary arts but later worked in the banking and nonprofit industries before she was laid off during the pandemic. As she reevaluated the next steps in her career, she remembered her passion for cooking and decided to take the plunge to build her dream cooking career.

Brandy enrolled in NVFS’ Escala program where she learned introduction to entrepreneurship, business plan writing, how to source financing and received counsel and support from NVFS Small Business Counselor, Liga Brige. Brandy runs Soul Good Kitchen, selling food at local farmers markets, teaching cooking classes and also working as a private chef. View a video about Brandy’s journey. 

Volunteer Appreciation and Needs

Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s volunteer appreciation event at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful day to honor our wonderful volunteers for the positive impact they make in the lives of NVFS clients every day! NVFS volunteers truly are “Picture Perfect”. 

The NVFS Hunger Resource Center is recruiting volunteer food recovery drivers. Volunteers are needed Monday through Saturday 8am-12pm to pick up food from local restaurants, grocery stores, etc. and deliver them to the NVFS Hunger Resource Center, which serves nearly 450 families amonth.

Volunteers must be at least 21 years old and able to commit to at least one shift per week for six months. For more information please contact Navara Cannon, NVFS community and volunteer engagement manager. Learn more about how NVFS volunteering opportunities.