(Posted 2024 January)

What can we say?! The 2023 BeFriend-A-Child Mentoring Program’s Holiday Party was nothing short of amazing! The kids and families enjoyed raffles galore, face painting and balloon animals by Laurie Magic, caricatures by Jason Levinson & Co., adorable snowmen, and the sweetest-tasting handmade Christmas tree decorations. There was something for everyone! 

Fairfax Church, our gracious host, made sure the 100-plus crowd felt nothing short of at home! Mission BBQ, provided courtesy of Namita Magoon with Information Technology Strategies, LLC, made sure our families left with full bellies! Nema Djavadi provided drinks for everyone. Cake4Kids and Fair Lakes Nothing Bundt Cakes made sure the mentors and mentees had just the right amount of sweetness to round out the day!

We had many special guests brighten the day including the director of Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services, Michael Becketts, and the Children, Youth, and Families’ division director, Oriane Eriksen! Santa and Mrs. Claus brought their jolly holiday spirit and warmly greeted each family during a photo opportunity courtesy of photographer Melanie Read!

And we cannot forget about the countless Touching Heart volunteers who kept things running smoothly in each of our craft rooms. We really appreciated the extra hands helping the mentors, mentees, and their families to indulge their creative crafty sides. 

A special thanks goes to Samantha Prince and her team for generously providing gifts and gift cards to make the season cheerful for all the attendees.

Of course, this event would not have been possible if it weren’t for our amazing mentors and their ongoing commitment to being a positive presence in the lives of the children we serve!

Thank you all for making the 2023 BeFriend-A-Child holiday party a true success! 

Volunteers and sponsors make this life-changing program possible. If you are interested in supporting the Fairfax County Befriend-A-Child Mentoring Program, please contact us for more information.