At this time VPS is excited to announce some growth in our VPS team. We are committed to supporting families involved with the Department of Family Services’ Children, Youth and Families Division. These staff members bring valuable experience that will help us improve our programs and services in the community.
Meet Arrika Freeman
Arrika recently joined VPS as the new program and partnership coordinator. Arrika holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from Post University and a master’s degree in human services administration from Wilmington University.
Over the past eight years, Arrika has gained experience serving various communities. Her experience includes working with children with special needs and teens in a residential treatment center. She also worked with the Prince Georges County Department of Social Services Transforming Neighborhoods program and the National Center for Children and Families.
Arrika comes to us from another Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services program within Fairfax County Department of Family Services. She was the family resource specialist supervisor with Healthy Families Fairfax. Before that she was the program manager for Healthy Families Fairfax with Northern Virginia Family Service.
In these roles with HFF, Arrika has supported teams in serving children and families across Fairfax County. With her work in Prevention services over the past five years, she has become very passionate about having a positive impact on families from the onset of a child’s life. Arrika is looking forward to continuing to serve families in her new role.
As a current participant of Leadership Fairfax, Arrika has been given the opportunity to serve the community more globally through community service projects. We are so excited to have her as part of the VPS team!
Welcome Emily Swenson
Please join me in congratulating Emily Swenson on her promotion from program and partnership coordinator to the position of Befriend-A-Child co-coordinator. Emily will be partnering with Tiffani Peguese, our current BAC coordinator to fulfill the needs of the growing mentoring program.
Emily previously held a position with Volunteer Fairfax, a local volunteer center, where she managed and created volunteer engagement programs for individuals, groups, and companies in our community. She also helped to build capacity in local nonprofit and public agencies through volunteerism. She has a deep knowledge of volunteer management and partnership development techniques.
Emily is passionate about helping others find their unique gifts to give and serve their community.
Emily is a member of the Leadership Fairfax class of 2012, and she is an alumnus of the American Express Leadership Academy with the Center for Creative Leadership. She holds a degree in public administration from James Madison University.
In her free time, she enjoys engaging her family in volunteering in their community and exploring new and unique destinations. When given the chance, she enjoys snapping photos of the world around her. We are so excited to see the amazing creativity she will bring to the Befriend program in her new role after already bringing so much to the Volunteer & Partner Services program!
This article posting is part of The Volunteer Post Newsletter for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families in crisis. Learn more about Fairfax County Department of Family Services' Volunteer & Partner Services Program (VPS).