Neighborhood and Community Services

Longtime Fairfax County 4-H participant Ariana Blake was among four teens honored with the 2026 Virginia 4-H Youth in Action Award in January.The Youth in Action Award honors outstanding teens who exemplify leadership, service and impact within their communities through 4-H. Recipients are selected based on their demonstrated excellence in one of the four core pillars of 4-H: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living and STEM.Fairfax County 4-H participant Ariana Blake was honored with a 2026 Virginia 4-H Youth in Action Award.In addition to celebrating their achievements, honorees receive a $500 grant to support a community service project, a scholarship to attend Virginia State 4-H Congress at Virginia Tech and the opportunity to serve as a statewide youth spokesperson. This role allows recipients to share their 4-H experiences, advocate for youth leadership, and inspire others across the Commonwealth.Blake, 16, was recognized for Civic Engagement for a project she spearheaded based on a personal challenging experience.When she was diagnosed with a serious illness during the summer before ninth grade, she became very familiar with long stretches of waiting-room anxiety while sitting in hospitals with other kids.Blake began a project called “Boredom Buster Bags,” which provide children in hospitals with kits filled with crayons, coloring pages, sticker and creative activities. With help from her school’s Junior Optimist club, her 4-H community club, and volunteers at a homecoming football game, Blake assembled more than 350 kits last year.Blake also led efforts to restart her school’s dormant Junior Optimist club, which now organizes regular Bingo and trivia game visits at a local assisted living facility. On Valentine’s Day, she coordinated the delivery of 300 roses to seniors across two communities, creating opportunities for connection across generations.“4-H gave me the confidence and skills I needed to be a leader — and now I try to make sure everyone feels included, just like others did for me,” she said.A 4-H member since age 7, Blake has led numerous countywide and local service projects over the years, including her first service project at age 8. She has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award Gold Level for her service. She serves as Fairfax County 4-H County Council president and as a Virginia 4-H State Cabinet ambassador.“We are thrilled for Ariana to earn this award — she is very deserving,” said India Pearson, Fairfax County 4-H Extension Agent. “She has grown up in 4-H; she is a leader in our organization as well as in the community and spreads 4-H magic wherever she goes."The Fairfax County 4-H program is offered by the Virginia Cooperative Extension Program as part of its partnership with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS).Read more about this year's Youth in Action honorees.

March 15-21, 2026, is National Child and Adult Care Food Program Week. Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services is proud to be a part of the USDA program that helps provide high-quality food and snacks in licensed Fairfax County in-home child care programs.CACFP Week is a national educational and information campaign by the CACFP Sponsors Association. It raises awareness of how the CACFP works to combat hunger and bring healthy foods to child care settings.Under the program, the hundreds of family day care providers in Fairfax County receive reimbursements for meals and snacks served to children in care; receive training on nutrition, menu planned and shopping, budgeting, food safety, and children’s nutrition activities; and regularly consult with registered dietitians employed by the county.Providers must submit menus in order to be reimbursed, and therefore serve more fruit, vegetables and milk than non-CACFP providers.More than 138,000 child and adult care providers work with the CACFP, serving nutritious meals and snacks to over 4.5 million children and adults nationwide every day. These CACFP-provided meals contribute to the healthy growth and development of young children and wellness of adults throughout the United States. In Virginia, about 95,000 children and adults are served annually by the CACFP.To mark CACFP Week, Fairfax County will be distributing kid-friendly nutrition information and activities to families. The county is also encouraging family child care providers and centers to participate in activities that promote community awareness of the CACFP and its importance to sound nutrition.According to the CACFP, children and adults that are cared for by providers in the CACFP benefit from the nutritious meals that follow the CACFP meal pattern. This helps the community by establishing positive eating habits, reducing food insecurity, and ensuring proper nutrition for growth and learning.March is National Nutrition MonthThe Fairfax County Board of Supervisors proclaimed March 2026 as Nutrition Month in Fairfax County, part of a national initiative. NCS Director Lloyd Tucker accepted the proclamation at the Supervisors’ March 3, 2026, meeting.The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors proclaimed March 2026 as National Nutrition Month in Fairfax County.Each March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month to help people learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. This year’s theme is “Discovering the Power of Nutrition.”In Fairfax County, 1 in 4 residents face food insecurity; 36% of Fairfax County Public School students qualify for free or reduced-price meals; and members of our most vulnerable populations rely on nutrition assistance programs to feed themselves and their families.Proclaiming March as Nutrition Month in Fairfax County helps celebrate the network of Registered Dietitians and nutrition paraprofessionals, county agencies, local hospital systems, nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups who understand the link between nutrition and health outcomes and work to increase access to healthy food for all County residents.Read the proclamation declaring March 2026 as National Nutrition Month in Fairfax County.Learn more about the Fairfax County Food Access Program.