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TextBraddock Community Events for December
The Giving Season: During the month of December there are a number of
Charitable Organizations that Could Use Your Help
As we prepare for the holiday season it is important to remember
there are those in Fairfax County who could use our support. The Office
of Public, Private Partnership has begun its 12 ways of giving campaign
by offering suggestions of organizations that you may donate to. Below
are a few suggestions as well as additional organizations.
BeFriend-A-Child
To make a difference in the life of a child, consider BeFriend-A
Child, a volunteer mentoring program.
Through mentoring, BeFriend-A-Child hopes to reduce some of the child
abuse and neglect “risk factors”, like social isolation, lack of support,
and family stress; and to enhance various “protective factors” like
positive self-esteem, good social skills, hobbies, interests, and good
peer relationships. BeFriend-A-Child can also help encourage youth (with
strong parental involvement) to make healthy life decisions and to
achieve their potential.
Children from ages 5 to 12 are matched one-on-one with volunteers who
are trained to serve as mentors and friends. In addition to spending
one-on-one time together, the mentors and children participate in monthly
educational and social group activities, such as the holiday party,
performing arts workshop, hayride, tour of the Washington Post, and
community services project. Mentors agree to spend a minimum of eight
hours a month and at least twice a month for one year with their
mentees.
To get more information or to request an application, please contact
Andrea Stephenson from the Department of Family Services at 703-324-7072
or check out this website: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/childrenyouth/befriendachild.htm
Holiday Drive with Facets
Interested in volunteering to help with the Holiday Drives? FACETS
needs people to help receive, sort, transport, and assist in distributing
donations; help children pick out gifts for their siblings; assist with
activities at holiday events; and wrap gifts. If you would like to
volunteer your time please download the Holiday Drives flyer or contact
Stacy Boden at 703-352-3268 or sboden@FacetsCares.org.
Holiday Cheer to Ill Children
For the 26th year in a row, the Fairfax County Police Department
Motorcycle Squad is working collaboratively with the Fairfax County
Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, Fairfax City Police, Falls
Church Sheriff’s Office, and the Town of Vienna Police to collect and
distribute toys for sick children, as well as local charities such as the
Ronald McDonald House.
Please consider donating a new, unwrapped toy, game or book at any
Fairfax County Police station before Monday, December 10. These items
bring joy and smiles to the many children who are critically ill and
unable to be home for the holidays. Donations are also being accepted at
the Fairfax County Police Headquarters at 4100 Chain Bridge Road,
Fairfax.
The motorcycle officers’ “Santa’s Ride” collection will take place on
December 11; distribution of gifts will take place at Inova Fairfax
Hospital on December 12 and Georgetown Hospital on December 13.
Holiday Gifts
Share the holiday spirit with children and adults by donating gifts
for the holidays to FACETS.
Please drop off your holiday gift donations by December 14, 9:00 a.m.
until 5:00 p.m. Donations will be accepted at FACETS’ main office, 10640
Page Avenue, Suite 300, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Please do not wrap
gifts. To sign up to donate, please complete and return the form on the
flyer or complete the online Holiday Drives form. Gifts for teens are
especially needed.
Please also consider donating gifts cards (of $10 or $15) to stores such
as Target, Walmart, Kmart, Old Navy, Payless Shoe Source, Kohl’s, The
Children’s Place, Macy’s, and Best Buy. Please contact Melissa Edwards at
703-865-4251 or medwards@FacetsCares.org to sign up to volunteer or for
more information.
Suggested items for children ($10 in value)
games
puzzles
toys (preferably not requiring
batteries;
please include batteries if needed)
sports equipment/balls
movie
tickets
CDs
perfume/cologne
books
Christmas stockings
(empty)
DVDs
jewelry
Suggested items for adults
($15 in value)
movie tickets
perfume/cologne
body lotion/spa items
scarves
gloves
hats
belts
wallets
books
Winter Outerwear Drive to benefit ECHO
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce will run its winter
outerwear campaign to benefit ECHO until Wednesday, December 14. The
Braddock District Office, located at 9002 Burke Lake Road in Burke is a
drop-off location. Please bring new winter hats, scarves and gloves for
all ages and new children’s coats, as well as gently used blankets.
Donate Library Books
If you would like to donate to the Fairfax County Public Library
they are now accepting donations through Amazon. You may go to
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/002-9627810-1915264?id=2P3AKWX1F9FO
and purchase a book that will enter circulation at one of the Fairfax
County Libraries.
Give the Gift of Trees
Looking for something special for a loved one, friend or client this
holiday season? How about giving a gift that will show the recipient your
appreciation while doing something positive for Fairfax County’s
environment? ReForest Fairfax allows you to do that by giving the gift of
trees. For each gift you buy, Fairfax ReLeaf (a local organization
dedicated to restoring Fairfax County’s tree canopy) will plant five
seedlings in your recipient’s honor. A personalized card and certificate
will be sent to your recipient informing them of the gift, and they can
even check the online map to see where in the county their trees are
planted. All proceeds from your purchase go towards Fairfax ReLeaf’s tree
planting efforts. To place an order or learn more about the program,
please visit http://www.fcrpp3.org/reforestfairfax/
Ombudsman Program Recruits Volunteers for Spring Training
Would you like to help residents of nursing and assisted living
facilities advocate for their rights, resolve conflicts and improve their
quality of life? The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
needs volunteers to commit four hours a week for one year. Volunteers set
their own schedules and receive training and support. Visits usually
occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Apply now for the spring
2013 training. Application forms can be found on the Northern Virginia
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program website
www.FairfaxCounty.Gov/LTCOmbudsman You can also call 703-324-5861 or
703-324-5422; TTY 703-449-1186 or e-mail:
lisa.callahan@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Donate to the Elderly and Disabled
This holiday season, Life Circle Alliances is partnering with
Fairfax County’s Division of Adult and Aging Services/Fairfax Area Agency
on Aging to purchase holiday gift cards for older adults and adults with
disabilities who are clients of the County.To donate to the holiday gift
card fund, please go to http://www.lifecirclealliances.org/donate.htm
and follow the instructions on the website for donating.
Adopt a Family for Christmas
A Way Forward will be helping the Fairfax County Office for Women
& Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (OFWDSVS) adopt families for
the holidays. A Way Forward helps survivors of domestic and sexual
violence transition to safe and independent living by providing
assistance for emergency services such as temporary housing,
transportation, food and other basic life needs They are accepting
monetary donations which will then be used to purchase gifts and goods
that one family will need during the winter months and beyond. In order
to get an idea for how large a family or what type of family you can
support, please contact Vanessa Cullers at
vanessa.cullers@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-2842. You may also make a
monetary donation through their website at http://www.awayforward.org/
Toys for Tots
Support the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program. The
program has been collecting toys since 1991 and has distributed over 64.5
million toys since then to children in need.
Local Toys for Tots Drop-Off Location:
Glory Days Grill: Jim Rafferty
11/07 - 12/18
11:30 AM thru Midnight
9526 Old Keene Mill Rd. , Burke, Virginia, 22015
Help a Burke Family Displaced by a Fire
Neighbors and friends of a family who lost many of their possessions
in a Burke fire have set up a fund to help their neighbors.
Checks can be sent to Burke & Herbert Bank, 9516 Old Keene Mill Rd.,
Burke, VA 22015. The bank asks that donors put “Help Manet Road” and
account number 211008906 on checks. Donors can call the bank at
703-684-1655 and ask for the branch manager if they have questions.
Questions can also be sent to the neighbors responsible for setting up
the fund at helpmanetroad@gmail.com.
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