In 2016, after receiving a diagnosis of a rare incurable cancer, Beth Leonard began looking for a way to give back to the community that has given so much to her. Thankful that she still might live a long time with her diagnosis, Beth began to reflect on her life and how to spend her remaining years leaving a positive impact for those in the community.
Beth credits Fairfax County Government programs with helping her through various hardships over the years. When she left a domestic violence situation as a young mother, she received support through short and long term housing, counseling, and career training. Beth used that fresh start to propel herself to the position of the director of delivery excellence at Attain, LLC, an IT federal government consulting firm. Years later, county programs helped Beth to find support diagnosing her son’s learning differences. She proudly speaks of the kind of man he has become, serving this country as an army infantryman.
For a year and a half, Beth has been paired with a mentee through BeFriend-A-Child, and she has been surprised by what a joyous, rewarding learning experience it has been for her. She sings the praises of the program, the staff, and the support they provide to mentors and mentees, including the tireless effort to pull in sponsors, organize structured monthly events, provide mentor training, and to be available for mentor questions and concerns.
Most importantly, Beth can’t say enough about the relationships and support system she now has with her mentee and her family, and the Be-Friend-a-Child program staff.
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