Department of Family Services Alert:
Betsy Clevenger’s Mission to Fight Hunger in Her Community
Betsy Clevenger is a deeply compassionate person. Despite the tough times she has experienced, her desire to help others has never faltered. After raising two sons as a single mom and teaching math to middle-school students for over 30 years, Betsy chose to skip a relaxing retirement. Instead, she is devoting her retirement years to volunteering five days a week at The Mission Center, a food ministry that provides groceries and other basics to families in need in Annandale. Read more.
Ring in 2023 with a Commitment to Healthy Habits
With the new year just around the corner, it’s time to make your resolutions. Here are some ways that you can prioritize your health in 2023. Read more.
Caregiving Over the Holidays
December can be a challenging month for many family caregivers, as it marks the beginning of the winter, and the start of different holiday celebrations. During this time, it is common for people to feel the pressure of hosting dinner parties, preparing special dishes, decorating, buying gifts, or traveling to visit family and friends. If you are feeling the stress of the holidays, here are some tips to help you take care of yourself. Read more.
Staying Safe on the Road: Resources and Technology that May Benefit Older Adult Drivers
Driving in Fairfax County is challenging no matter your age. Roads are often congested, highway construction is never-ending, and aggressive driving is common. To that already intimidating mix, older adult drivers may also contend with slower reaction times, mobility issues, hearing loss and diminished vision. Making the decision to give up your car keys is difficult, and it may feel like you are giving up your independence. As you weigh the risks and benefits of driving, be aware of new technologies that are available to make driving safer and resources that can help you be a safer driver. Read more.
The transition into retirement is an exciting time that offers individuals the opportunity to pursue hobbies and interests they may not have had time to enjoy during their working career. Being aware of healthcare costs and taking steps to ensure financial security can help individuals (and their families) as they transition to a new chapter of their lives.
Mature Living host Anne Hall talks with Bill Vaughan, a Volunteer Counselor with the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP), about healthcare options and costs, as well as how to navigate resources like Medicare. Denise Pitts, an attorney with Legal Services of Northern Virginia, shares information on the importance of estate planning, and Mature Living Producer Fran talks with Carolyn Armstead who shares her experience as a recent retiree, and how she prepared for the new phase of her life.
Mature Living can be seen on Channel 1016 on the following days and times:
This program can also be seen on your computer: FairfaxCounty.gov/cableconsumer/channel-16/mature-living
You can find information on services for older adults at FairfaxCounty.gov/OlderAdults or call 703-324-7948, TTY 711, Monday-Friday.
(by Camden Doran, Long-Term Care Ombudsman)
Do you or someone you know receive long-term care services in the community? The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (NVLTCOP) can assist in resolving care concerns and provide information about community based long-term care services such as home health, hospice, and adult day health care. Consumers can also search for information about these services on Medicare’s website, www.Medicare.gov. There a consumer can locate services near where they live, read the most recent survey results, and compare agencies, to make an informed decision about their long-term care services.
As a mandated program under the Older Americans Act, the NVLTCOP is often called on to assist residents and consumers to advocate for their rights to ensure quality of care and quality of life. The NVLTCOP is a resident-directed program that is available to assist with concerns and to educate the community about long-term care services. For more information about long-term care services in the community, or nursing facility and assisted living concerns, please call the NVLTCOP at 703-324-5861, TTY 711, or contact the Ombudsman Program by email at NVLTCOP@fairfaxcounty.gov.
(by Jacquie Woodruff, Fairfax Area Agency on Aging)
The Fairfax Area Commission on Aging (COA) is an advisory board mandated by the Older Americans Act. Commissioners for the Fairfax Area Commission on Aging are appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of the City of Fairfax and the City of Falls Church.
At the November 16 COA meeting, Andre Atkins, Director of Growth & Enrollment, presented about the Cherry Blossom PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in Alexandria.
COA Meeting Wednesday, December 21, 1 p.m.
The meeting will be held electronically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: us06web.zoom.us/j/87171482674.
Access code: COA-m1234!
Live audio of the meeting may be accessed by dialing 888-270-9936 (US Toll Free) or
602-333-0032; conference code: 231525.
For ADA accommodations, contact Ana Valdivia, 571-407-6960 or ana.valdivia@fairfaxcounty.gov; TTY services available via 711.
*Note: Meeting will be held virtually unless otherwise impacted by Fairfax County's State of Emergency Status due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Check website for meeting location updates: FairfaxCounty.gov/familyservices/older-adults/fairfax-area-commission-on-aging/meetings.
(by Courtney Arroyo, Department of Emergency Management and Security)
Winter weather includes ice, heavy snow, and extreme cold conditions. Pay attention to weather reports and warnings of freezing weather and winter storms. These can cause power outages and loss of heat and communication services – sometimes for many days. The greatest threat from winter weather is often from secondary impacts, such as traffic accidents on icy roads. Hypothermia and frostbite, which can result from prolonged exposure to cold, are also risks. Listen for emergency information and alerts.
Additionally, clean-up (shoveling) from winter weather events can be strenuous and may therefore pose a risk for older adults and others with physical limitations. If you are concerned about your ability to shovel, reach out to your neighbors for help. If YOU need help, don’t be afraid to ask a neighbor or friend for help!
Sign up for Fairfax Alerts so you can stay up-to-date on weather and traffic in Fairfax County. Sign up today: FairfaxCounty.gov/alerts.
(by Melissa Smarr, Fairfax County Silver Shield Anti-Scam Campaign)
The holiday season is upon us. It is estimated that people will be spending approximately $800 billion during this time. However, scammers will be lurking to try and steal not only money, but also the gifts you are purchasing for family and friends.
Here is a list of common scams seen during recent holiday seasons:
To protect yourself from scams this season, we recommend following these dos and don’ts.
Do:
Don't:
Please use these helpful tips as you start or continue shopping for the holidays. Remember, stay safe and have a Happy Holiday Season.
(by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services)
By now you are probably familiar with Little Free Libraries – small, informal lending libraries located on both private and public property, where anyone is welcome to take a book to read or leave a book to share. These small freestanding structures have popped up all over Fairfax County, allowing free and easy access to books.
This same model is being used to create Little Free Food Pantries. The idea behind little free food pantries is to provide easy access to unexpired, nonperishable food in communities with the greatest need. Residents of these communities are encouraged to “take what you need and leave what you can.”
Little free food pantries have been established outside houses of worship, nonprofit organizations, private businesses, community gathering sites and schools. One local leader in the creation of little free food pantries in Fairfax County is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Be the Good, who has established over 20 little free food pantries at locations throughout Alexandria and Springfield. The pantries are maintained and restocked regularly by volunteers.
Earlier this year, Fairfax County Zoning Administration, in consultation with the Fairfax County Health Department, conducted a review of the little free food pantry and determined that “Providing access to nonperishable food is in the public interest. As such, a little free food pantry may be permitted.”
If you are interested in establishing a little free food pantry in your community, it must meet the following guidelines. No additional zoning approval or issuance of a building permit is required.
For additional information or questions, please contact Planning and Development’s Zoning Administration Division at 703-324-1314 or by email at ORDAdmin@fairfaxcounty.gov.
(by the Public Assistance and Employment and Training Division of DFS)
Are you facing a “no heat” situation? The Crisis Assistance Program helps households overcome energy emergencies that cannot be met by other resources. An energy emergency is determined when a household has no heat or is in imminent danger of being without heat. The open application period for the Crisis Assistance Program closes on March 15, 2023. Learn more and apply for the Crisis Assistance Program at CommonHelp.Virginia.gov or by calling 1-833-522-5582.
(by Tanya Erway, Volunteer Solutions Recruitment Coordinator)
Volunteers are needed for the 2023 Tax Season! The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program needs: greeters, interpreters (including ASL), screeners and tax preparers. No tax training is needed for greeters and interpreters. Free training is available for screeners and tax preparers. Opportunities are available throughout Fairfax County, with flexible schedules. For more information go to nvacash.org. The VITA program offers free income tax preparation and filing services to individuals and families who earned less than $60,000 in 2022.
Haven of Northern Virginia is committed to offering support, compassion, information, and resources to the bereaved and seriously ill. Volunteers provide individual and group support to those experiencing a loss. Please contact Haven at 703-941-7000 or havenofnova@verizon.net if you are interested.
Volunteer Solutions offers meaningful opportunities to provide support to older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers. The following roles are needed (especially in the Alexandria and Falls Church regions): drivers for medical appointments and grocery shopping, social visitors, household organizers, and more. If you prefer group settings, senior centers have various needs for activity leaders, skilled instructors, entertainers, and assistants. Bilingual volunteers are needed, too! To learn more and register go to bit.ly/FXVSVOL, email VolunteerSolutions@FairfaxCounty.gov, or call 703-324-5406.
FACETS is a non-profit organization whose mission is, “Opening doors for people in need.” Their volunteers support families and individuals in various ways, including afterschool homework help, food distribution, administrative support, and much more. Go to FacetsCares.org for more information. If you’re interested in volunteering, email Suzanne Hough at shough@facetscares.org or call 703-352-5090.
Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) needs friendly volunteers in different roles, at various locations. If you’re organized, bilingual in Spanish and English, comfortable greeting people, answering phones, and providing administrative support, you’re needed. NVFS is also seeking classroom assistants for Head Start programs, who enjoy interacting with young children. Thrift Shop Ambassadors are needed to sort and organize donations, tag items for sale, replenish items on the sales floor, process donations, greet customers, and more. Visit NVFS.org for more information or contact Samara Weinstein at sweinstein@nvfs.org or 571-748-2876.
If you wish to advertise volunteer opportunities, email Tanya at Tanya.Erway@FairfaxCounty.gov.
Interested in volunteering? Attend the Domestic and Sexual Violence Services’ (DSVS) winter 2023 orientation for prospective volunteers to learn about DSVS, who they serve and how you can help! There are several orientation dates; choose the one that’s most convenient for you.
For more information, contact Tanisha Cox at tanisha.cox@fairfaxcounty.gov.
(by Jeremy Dow, Fairfax County Land Development Services)
Fairfax County has great news for homeowners who are looking to make renovations or other changes to their homes: the new Planning and Land Use System (PLUS). This modernized platform is your one-stop place for creating and submitting permit and other applications, paying fees, receiving electronic notifications and more.
PLUS replaces older systems and combines all land development-related transactions under one digital “roof.” Prior to PLUS, residents and developers had to learn multiple platforms and register for a separate account with each one, but now a single PLUS account allows them to conduct business across multiple county departments. If you’re planning to make any adjustments to your home, PLUS is the way to go!
If you wish to use the new PLUS system, you must register for a free account at this web page: tinyurl.com/n2wccb7v. If you have questions about home improvement projects requiring permits, please contact 703-222-0801 or ldsbuildingpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov.
For more information on PLUS, please visit the following webpages:
Hiring a Contractor
If you are planning to make changes to your home, please note the following:
(by Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs)
Whether you are walking, biking, or driving, keep in mind that safety is a two-way street and is everyone’s job. Every year, the number of pedestrian and bicycle related fatalities and injuries continues to rise at an unacceptable rate. Between 2017-2020 there were on average 6,745 crashes in Fairfax County and 154 of those crashes involved a pedestrian. There are actions we can all take to help move those numbers in the opposite direction while also keeping ourselves safe.
How Drivers Can Help
Always stop for pedestrians in the street. Virginia law requires drivers to stop (not just yield) to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks until the pedestrian has cleared the lane. This includes all lanes and both directions at clearly marked crosswalks; regular pedestrian crossing (such as residential intersections) even if unmarked; or any intersection where the maximum speed limit is not more than 35 miles per hour.
Stay Safe While Walking
To cross a road safely:
Stay Safe While Biking on the Street
When riding on a street, you have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. Ride with traffic and obey traffic rules, signals and stop signs; stay as close to the right edge of the road as possible. On very narrow roads, it is safer to ride in the middle of the lane.
Finally, always be ready to yield. Although drivers must share the road, they may not always follow the law. To protect yourself, go slowly enough to stop or give the right of way at a moment’s notice to avoid a collision.
(by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services)
Starting January 1, 2023, a new ordinance regulating running bamboo will go into effect in Fairfax County. Property owners who have running bamboo growing on their property must not allow it to spread from their property to any public right-of-way or adjoining property. Once a bamboo owner receives a Notice of Violation, failure to contain the bamboo may result in a civil penalty of $50/day, up to a maximum of $2,000 in a 12-month period. The ordinance does not prohibit planting or having running bamboo on your property.
Running bamboo is an invasive plant that can be destructive to native plants and trees. Its roots can be contained using a barrier made of certain kinds of high-density plastic or metal. It can also be managed through regular mowing and herbicide application. To learn more about how to remove or contain running bamboo, visit FairfaxCounty.gov/topics/running-bamboo. Fairfax County Master Gardeners are also a great resource. Visit their website at fairfaxgardening.org.
To file a complaint about uncontained running bamboo spreading to an adjacent property or right-of-way, please contact the Department of Code Compliance at 703-324-1300, TTY 711, or file a complaint online at FairfaxCounty.gov/code.
Build a Bamboo Mason Bee House
Although bamboo can be a nuisance growing in your yard, it can be useful for garden stakes and creating a border for flowerbeds. It is also a versatile material for crafts. One simple craft that utilizes excess bamboo and supports pollinators is a mason bee house. Mason bees are prolific pollinators who construct their nests in naturally occurring gaps, including hollow stems or holes in wood.
To make a mason bee house, you’ll need:
Directions:
(by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services)
The holiday season is here and many of us will be spending time with our children and grandchildren, providing the perfect opportunity to tell some good, old-fashioned dad jokes! These jokes are guaranteed to get laughs from the little ones, eye rolls from the teens, and face palms from the adults.
What time did the man go to the dentist?
Tooth hurt-y.
Why don’t seagulls fly over the bay?
Because then they’d be bagels.
What do you call a cow with no legs?
Ground beef!
What's Forrest Gump's password?
1forrest1
What do you call an illegally parked frog?
Toad.
What do you call a row of bunnies moving backwards?
A receding hare line!
Why can you never trust an atom?
Because they make everything up.
What condition does a noodle have when it doesn’t feel like it's good enough?
Impasta syndrome.
How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?
Ten tickles.
What happened to the exorcist's car?
It got repossessed.
How do you make a Kleenex dance?
Put a little boogie in it!
What did the horse say after it tripped?
Help! I've fallen and I can't giddy up.
What do Alexander the Great and Winnie the Pooh have in common?
The same middle name.
Why did the coffee call the police?
It got mugged.
Why shouldn't you play board games in the savanna?
There are too many cheetahs.
How can you tell if a snake is a baby?
It has a rattle.
After an unsuccessful harvest, why did the farmer decide to try a career in music?
Because he had a ton of sick beets.
What do you call a bundle of hay in a church?
Christian Bale.
What is a guitar player's favorite Italian food?
Strum-boli.
What do you call a wizard who's really bad at football?
Fumbledore.
What’s an astronaut’s favorite part of the computer?
The space bar.
How come the Hulk doesn't lose his pants when he transforms?
The experiment altered his jeans.
What’s the best thing about living in Switzerland?
I don’t know, but the flag is a big plus.
Why should you never brush your teeth with your left hand?
Because a toothbrush works better.
What did the buffalo say to his son when he dropped him off at school?
Bison.
The Shepherd Centers are a nonprofit organization sponsored by local area congregations, community groups, and individuals to serve adults 50 years and older. The centers offer free transportation for medical appointments and companion trips (e.g. grocery shopping) for adults 50 and older who live in the center’s service area and are ambulatory. You must apply for this transportation service. Once accepted into the service, a request for a ride must be made five days in advance.
Individual centers also offer additional programs and services. Visit the website or call the center in your area for more information. Interested in volunteering at a Shepherd Center? Contact a center to learn more:
A medical appointment or trip to the pharmacy is a challenge if you no longer drive. Consider becoming a volunteer with one of these organizations:
Senior Planet by AARP Free Technology Classes
Wellness Center for Older Adults
4027B Olley Lane, Fairfax
Thursday, December 1, 9:15-10:30 a.m.
Understanding Ride Sharing Apps
Learn about ride sharing apps, including the two most popular – Uber and Lyft, and the pros and cons of both. RSVP at events.aarp.org/SPridesharing or call 1-877-926-8300.
Tuesday, December 6, 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Shopping on Amazon
Learn how to search for products, compare prices, and evaluate product reviews. You’ll also learn about shipping options, and the app for your smartphone and/or tablet. RSVP at events.aarp.org/ SPamazon or call 1-877-926-8300.
Holiday Open House
Saturday, December 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton
703-242-4020, TTY 711
Come one, come all to the Holiday Open House, a celebration presented by Oakton Library and The Friends of Oakton Library. This event will feature on-going activities, including music and entertainment. Light refreshments provided.
Concert: US Navy Band Brass Quintet
Sunday, December 4, 3-4 p.m.
Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Ln, Alexandria; 703-765-3645, TTY 711
The US Navy Band has many different musical ensembles and Sherwood is proud to present their Brass Quintet performing holiday music along with other classical favorites. Come early to ensure a seat as this concert will fill up fast!
Lifetime Learning Institute of Northern Virginia ( LLI/NOVA ) Registration Begins December 5 at 9 a.m.
LLI/NOVA invites you to be part of its exciting spring term 2023 (January 3-April 29) and to participate in our other activities, including monthly forums, day trips, unlimited classes, special interest groups and social activities. LLI/NOVA is located at the Northern Virginia Community College, 8333 Little River Tpke, Annandale. To learn more about programs, go to LLI/NOVA.org.
Fireside Café
Monday, December 19, 6:30-8 p.m.
Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke, 703-249-1520, TTY 711
Holiday Open House with the Robinson Orchestra and hot cocoa. Please note that dates, prices, and times are correct at publishing. However, please confirm information by calling or checking using the phone numbers or websites provided.
Access the print version of this month's newsletter.*
Check out the past newsletters.
*Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. To request reasonable accommodations or to receive this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-7948 or TTY 711.