Department of Family Services – Children, Youth and Families

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
703-324-7500 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035
Oriane Eriksen
Director

STAY CONNECTED

To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below.

The Volunteer Post Newsletter – Current Issue

The Volunteer Post Newsletter blue banner graphic

Keep in Touch!

Sign-up below to receive our monthly email newsletter for program highlights and opportunities to help children and families in our community. To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below.

 

Welcome to the 2025 January issue of The Volunteer Post Newsletter, for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families. 

Table of Contents
  • Adopt-A-Family Program the Heart of the Holidays
  • BeFriend-A-Child Program Makes Holiday Memories
  • Celebrating Our Unsung Heroes: A Tribute to the BeFriend-A-Child Mentors
  • Volunteer and Make Baby Boxes
  • Resolve to Volunteer in the New Year

 

Adopt-A-Family Program the Heart of the Holidays

2024 Adopt-A-Family Program HighlightsFor the second year our Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program was able to serve the entire Department of Family Services for all child serving programs and the turnout was bigger than ever with 697 donors helping to support 1,009 families with 2,190 children! This was only possible due to more generous Fairfax County sponsors than we can name. But we’ll mention a few including Project Belong and McLean Bible Church, Child Welfare Information Gateway, New Union Baptist Church, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services, Arcfield, Little Oaks Montessori Academy, the Country Day School, and the Aquinas Montessori School. Thank you everyone for giving generously. Learn more about the impact you helped to make.

BeFriend-A-Child Program Makes Holiday Memories

BeFriend-A-Child Holiday PartyOur BeFriend-A-Child program ended the year with a festive holiday celebration for mentors, mentees, and their families. So many partners and sponsors came together to make this a special event. We are so grateful to each and every organization and volunteer who supported this special event. Learn more about the party and our special guests!

 

 

Celebrating Our Unsung Heroes: A Tribute to the BeFriend-A-Child Mentors

Thank you January is National Mentoring Month and January 25 is Thank your Mentor Day! At this time, we pause to thank the dedicated group of individuals who help to nurture the dreams of Fairfax County's vulnerable children, ages 5-12. These mentors play a crucial role in shaping young minds during their formative years. Thank You! Read more



 

Volunteer and Make Baby Boxes

Make Baby BoxesBaby Boxes are a meaningful way to make sure that the littlest members of our community have the basic necessities to get started in life. Individuals or organizations can make baby boxes to help support teen moms, babies in foster care, young mothers, and other families in need. It’s as easy as 1,2, 3 for volunteers to build these customizable baby boxes. Learn more!



 

Resolve to Volunteer in the New Year

Body Safety volunteers enjoying an impromptu lunchVolunteering provides a whole host of benefits to the individual volunteers and the community in which they live. One of the biggest rewards is making connections within the community which can give volunteers a broader sense of purpose and meaning. Check out this article for other reasons to consider making a New Year’s resolution to volunteer.

 

 

ABOUT VOLUNTEER & PARTNER SERVICES (VPS)

The Volunteer Post Newsletter is part of the Department of Family Services Volunteer & Partner Services Program (VPS) - managing volunteer programs (Administrative Assistant Program, BeFriend-A-Child Mentoring Program, Body Safety Program - Speak Up Be Safe, recruiting and training volunteers for programs (Father Engagement Program and Parenting Education Programs); and working with partners, sponsors and donors to help in special efforts (Adopt-A-Family Program, Baby box initiative, back-to-school backpacks). Learn more about VPS and how volunteers are making a positive difference.

Browse through past newsletters in the archive. To provide feedback on our newsletter or to be added to our mailing list, contact us.

Back to top

Fairfax Virtual Assistant