Welcome to the 2025 November issue of The Volunteer Post Newsletter, for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families.
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DFS Holiday Giving Programs Spread Goodwill
You’re probably familiar with our Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program that matches generous donors with Fairfax County families in need, but did you know that the Department of Family Services has other holiday giving programs? Learn about all the ways you can support people involved with DFS including victims of domestic violence and older adults in need. Help make the holidays brighter throughout our community! Learn more.
A Heartwarming Partnership with Neighborhood and Community Services
At Volunteer and Partner Services, fostering strong community partnerships is one way we extend the Department of Family Services’ reach and positively impact the Fairfax County community. Recently, we’ve grown our partnership with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services through deploying Rylynn, our agency’s trained facility dog to provide comfort, support, and connection to people from children to older adults in some NCS programs. Learn more.
BeFriend-A-Child Training November 8
BeFriend has been busy using some new methods to recruit new passionate volunteers who are excited to contribute to the program. Due to the surge of incoming volunteers, BeFriend is having a virtual training session on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. We can still use more volunteers, so if you’re interested in learning more about the program or being considered for the upcoming training, please send us an email or call us at 703-324-7072.
Parenting Education Volunteer Spotlight: April Pavis-Schroeder
April, a 14-year resident of Springfield, started volunteering with Parenting Education Programs in fall 2024. Since then, she has supported several classes including a Spanish-speaking class and an African American culturally focused class. April believes that every child needs multiple caring adults in their lives, and she gets to be one for the children in the Parenting Education Program. April brings her infectious positive energy to every class. She even brings her own young daughters to class. April considers it an opportunity to model positivity and teach them to be confident members of their family, classroom, and community. If you want to volunteer to help families relate to each other better, please apply online. Volunteers are trained to co-facilitate classes working with parents and children. For more information, contact Parenting Education Programs by email or call 703-324-7720.
BeFriend-A-Child Mentoring Program Falls into Fun at Cox Farms
Amidst crisp fall air and turning leaves, Fairfax County’s BeFriend-A-Child mentoring pairs got a treat — a day out at Cox Farms. On a sunny weekend in October, mentors and mentees spent an autumn afternoon exploring hayrides, pumpkin patches, farm animals, and seasonal games. They made memories and strengthened connections in a relaxed, carefree setting. Read more.
Body Safety Program’s First Visit to Ft. Belvoir Upper Elementary
We are excited to share the incredible success of our Body Safety program at Ft. Belvoir Upper Elementary School, our first-ever partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) on a military base! This groundbreaking initiative gave us the opportunity to empower children with essential skills to recognize and report unsafe situations. Thank you to the school’s amazing counselor, Ms. Alex Habib for designing the class schedule and coordinating every detail of our visit. Her unwavering support of the program was invaluable. Learn more!
Recognizing Kinship Heroes
Kinship caregivers are everyday heroes. They step up when family is needed most, ensuring that children stay connected to their roots and loved ones. During Kinship Care Awareness Month in September, Department of Family Services Foster Care and Adoption partnered with Citylight Church and Boost Others through Project Belong to honor these incredible families who have opened their hearts and homes to the children of relatives. Read more about this generous outpouring. Learn more.
Adopt-A-Family Featured on Good Morning Washington
Check out this video interview of our program supervisor, Sam Carrico on Good Morning Washington talking about how our Adopt-A-Family program is unwrapping opportunities for kindness. Spread the word and help sponsor a family this year! Learn more.
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.
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