(Posted 2025 December)
Public Assistance and Employment Services (PAES) has had a busy year serving the community. From job fairs to back-to-school nights to supporting those affected by federal actions, PAES employees have stepped up to provide essential information and services to help adults and families improve their financial stability and economic mobility.
Expanding Access: Public Assistance Outreach Connects Communities to Essential Services
In 2025, the PAES Outreach Team helped over 2,000 people with important steps related to their benefits, like filling out applications, renewing their cases, answering questions, and helping with required paperwork. Many of these clients were referred by community partners such as Springfield Family Resource Center, HealthWorks of Northern Virginia, and the Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center. On top of that, the Outreach Team participated in 364 outreach events at schools, health fairs, farmers markets, and partner organizations during the year to share information and reach even more people.
The number of people participating in Medicaid stayed fairly consistent from 2024 to 2025, with over 150,000 individuals in Fairfax County meeting their healthcare needs through low-cost services. The largest populations Medicaid serves are low-income adults and families, people with disabilities, older adults, and pregnant women. Medicaid covers healthcare services such as preventive care, behavioral health, dental coverage, maternal and child health, and even transportation services to make sure clients can get to important healthcare appointments.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves over 67,000 people in Fairfax County, including 17,000 adults over age 50. SNAP provides a monthly benefit to buy food from grocery stores and farmers markets to make sure people have enough to eat and avoid going hungry. SNAP was temporarily disrupted this fall due to the federal government shutdown, but participants received a partial benefit through the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) program and eventually received their full November benefits once the federal government reopened. This disruption reminded us all how important SNAP is for helping individuals and families put food on the table and afford other essentials like housing and utilities.
Empowering Success: Improving Economic Mobility and Transforming Career Prospects with Employment Services
Employment Services assisted job seekers in reaching their employment goals during 3,580 one-on-one appointments across the four One-Stop Employment Resource Centers in Annandale, Alexandria, Reston, and Fairfax. The Centers are often the first step for someone looking to find a new job or improve their skills through training and workforce development programs. Walk-ins are always welcome, but appointments are encouraged. Appointments with one of the Centers’ certified workforce development professionals are free and introduce job seekers to the wide array of services and programs available through Employment Services. Virtual appointments and webinars are also offered by the Centers staff. Career Specialists hosted 19 webinars to support and coach job seekers in essential skills like resume writing and interview techniques.
In addition to free services for job seekers, Employment Services also provided free tax preparation assistance to households who made less than $67,000 in 2024 through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. In spring 2025, the volunteers with the VITA program prepared a total of 2,380 tax returns which yielded a total federal tax refund amount of $2,867,135. In addition, VITA helped individuals and families claim $1,117,942 in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), further maximizing tax benefits to support households.
Another special workforce development program is the annual Educating Youth through Employment (EYE) program, providing youth ages 16-24 with hands-on employment experience for six weeks each summer. In 2025, 123 young adults participated in EYE and worked with employers across Fairfax County to improve their professional skills and explore career interests. We are so proud of our 2025 EYE cohort!
Lastly, Employment Services hosted more workshops and hiring events than ever, bringing 18 workshops and information sessions and 14 job fairs to the community. Many of these events bring together employers and job seekers to facilitate meaningful connections that hopefully lead to strong hiring for employers and a new opportunity for job seekers. In May, the Employer Engagement Team hosted their largest event, the Northern Virginia Regional Job Fair, that connected over 1,500 job seekers with dozens of employers looking to hire. The event showcased the diversity of industries and expertise across Fairfax County. Job seekers and employers can learn about upcoming events by visiting the Job Fairs and Events page or subscribing to the weekly Career Resources newsletter. New job fairs and events are added regularly.
It's impossible to count all the small moments that lead to successes like hosting a hiring event where people can take a step towards a better life or making sure a single mother gets her health and food benefits in a timely manner to support her young children. PAES employees’ positive impact stems from the administration of large programs through small connections that add up to something very meaningful – creating a better future for all of us.
This posting is part of the Department of Family Services' Community Corner where you’ll find timely information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your friends and family. Don't miss out on future postings! Sign up today!