Welcome to the 2024 July issue of The Volunteer Post Newsletter, for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families.
| Table of Contents | |
|---|---|
|
|
Body Safety Classes Teach Kids to Recognize Harmful Situations – Volunteers Needed to Support Program’s Growth
Last year, over 3,700 cases of child abuse or neglect were identified in Fairfax County. The Body Safety Program aims to help lower this number by empowering children in pre-k through sixth grade with the tools they need to prevent or interrupt child abuse. The Body Safety Program made its biggest impact to date in FY 2024. The program served 15,000 children in more than 870 in-person groups at 51 partner locations across Fairfax County. Learn more about the program’s impact and how you can get involved.
Foster Parents Enjoy Connecting at Annual Appreciation Event!
Our Annual Foster Parent Appreciation Event was a smash hit with our families! We were so pleased to have 28 foster parents and 15 children join us on Saturday, May 4 for a fun and relaxing respite night. The foster parents had a chance to connect, and the kids had so much fun. We want to thank all the sponsors, donors and volunteers that made this event such a success. Thanks to Fairfax Church for providing the space, and Ace Hardware, PF Chang’s, Crafthouse Fairfax, Cooper’s Hawk, The Enchanted Florist, Aura Spa, Fairfax Racquet Club and Starbucks (Centreville) who provided gift cards in appreciation for our foster parents. Check out more about this event.
Summer Training Dates – Volunteers Needed, Spread the Word!
Become a BeFriend-A-Child Mentor – Saturday, July 27, 2024
It’s time again for Fairfax County residents from various walks of life to come together to learn how to effectively support the boys and girls of the BeFriend-A-Child Mentoring Program! This training, which is only offered twice a year, will be held Saturday, July 27, 12-4 p.m. As a mentor, you can make a difference to a child in need with fun activities designed to build up their social skills and increase their self-esteem while preventing the risk of child abuse and neglect! If you have some time to connect with and mentor a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old, and you are looking for a volunteer opportunity that works around your availability, becoming a BeFriend-A-Child Mentor is a great program for you! Learn more and sign-up!
Volunteer to Teach Kids About Staying Safe – August 16, 2024
Are you available on weekdays during school hours? Do you enjoy working with kids? If so, this opportunity is for you! The Department of Family Services’ Body Safety Program needs volunteer classroom instructors to help empower elementary students with the tools they need to prevent or interrupt child abuse. Apply online, email the Body Safety staff or call 703-324-7459. Our next training is August 16, 2024. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Help us reach our goal of 30 new volunteers by then!
Celebrate the Class of 2024!!
Youth in foster care face unique educational obstacles. They experience frequent changes in schools, have less involvement in extracurriculars, and often have less stable and supportive relationships with teachers and other students, which results in less of a sense of stability and belonging. It should come as no surprise that these students struggle to graduate at the same rate as their peers. Nationally, by age 21 about 70% of children in foster care have graduated from high school (Child Welfare and Foster Care Statistics - The Annie E. Casey Foundation (aecf.org)) compared to 87% for all US High School Students (COE - High School Graduation Rates (ed.gov)).
This year foster care has 13 youth who have graduated from high school and college! Many of these kids have overcome great struggles that other teenagers do not face. Please join us in celebrating their successes and let them know how proud we are of their amazing accomplishments by donating items on their wish lists or considering one of these ways to support older youth in foster care.
Support the Ongoing VPS Donation Drive
VPS still needs your help to restock our Baby Closets for local families as we are low on frequently requested items. Currently, VPS is completely out of essential baby items like infant car seats, infant strollers, and portable cribs. We are accepting Brand New Items, and a full list with detailed information about the items needed can be found on our Sign-Up Genius. Thank you to those who have already donated and supported the children and families in Fairfax County. Your generosity goes a long way, and we appreciate all you do as VPS continues to connect families with the resources they need!
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.