Department of Family Services Alert:

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

703-324-7500 TTY 711

DFSinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov

12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035

Oriane Eriksen
Director

Department Resources

Related Resources

The Volunteer Post Newsletter – Current Issue

Welcome to the 2026 November 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 for the Holiday Season Meet Blanca Castillo, New Body Safety Coordinator County Conversation Podcast Features BeFriend-A-Child Program	November is Adoption Awareness Month Make a Difference: BeFriend a Child Care Packages for Foster Families and Children

Adopt-A-Family for the Holiday Season

Make an impact during this season of giving for children and families who are involved with the Department of Family Services. Individuals and organizations can sign up now to make holiday wishes come true for one or more families in our community. To become a donor and be part of an annual campaign that brought joy to more than 1,000 families last year, visit the Adopt-A-Family website. New families are being added online through November 20. Gifts can be delivered to the social worker between Monday, Nov. 30 and Friday, Dec. 11, 2026.

County Conversation Podcast Features BeFriend-A-Child Program

Tiffani Peguese, one of our BeFriend-A-Child Mentoring Program coordinators, joined Jim Person, host of the County Conversation podcast, to discuss the value of volunteering with our Children, Youth and Families Division to help support children and families in our community. Tiffani shared several short- and long-term opportunities that make a difference and help shape lives for the better. Listen now on Apple podcasts.

November is Adoption Awareness Month

In Fairfax County, the theme for Adoption Awareness Month, “Families, Handcrafted with Love,” recognizes the special way adoptive families are formed. When children in foster care are unable to return safely to their biological families, adoptive parents provide a permanent, loving home.

Please take some time this month to learn more about foster care and adoption and how to support foster families and children in care or download messages and images from our toolkit. Then spread the word on your social media, website, or blog.

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.

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