News and Information
January 13, 2021
What began as a service project at one NCS Senior Center last year has evolved into a full-scale campaign with several centers, nonprofits, a youth volunteer group, and a business participating. The project began in 2019-20, when Pimmitt Hills Senior Center Assistant Director Kathy Fries saw a need and began collecting hats, gloves/mittens, and scarves to get adults and children through the winter.
Pimmitt members crocheted and knitted at the center and at home and donated new items to Cornerstones to distribute to the community. In 2020-21 even more centers are participating, including the Herndon Senior Center and Sandi’s Knitnicks, the Kingstowne Center for Older Adults, Service Source, Lewinsville Senior Center, and Mott Community Center.
Also participating are the National Charity League (Virginia Bluebell Chapter), Fairfax County Health Department, and a local business, Pruitt Title LLC. ServiceSource is further supporting this effort by facilitating a virtual class on loom knitting hats (see information below).
Herndon Senior Center Director Ruth Junkin said, “Kathy has drummed up enthusiasm and helped all to focus on helping others, which lifts spirits tremendously. Her coordination and advertising of the project has made a substantial increase in the number of children and adults who can be helped this year. I am so pleased Herndon Senior Center members are participating with such pleasure and gusto.”
As of this printing, 185 new hats, gloves/mittens and scarves have been collected in the month of January. For February, NCS is adding HomeStretch and Shelter House, which both serve homeless families, as recipients for this project.
How to Get Involved
Anyone is welcome to donate new purchased or handmade items! Simply leave items in the box in center entry areas no later than these dates:
Wednesday, Feb. 3
Kingstowne Center for Older Adults: 6488 Landsdowne Center, Alexandria, VA, 22315
Mott Community Center: 12111 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030
Lewinsville Senior Center: 1613 Great Falls Street, McLean, VA 22101
Friday, Feb. 5
Herndon Senior Center: 873 Grace St, Herndon, VA 20170
The public is also welcome to join the virtual Zoom class on loom knitting hats:
Friday, Jan. 29, 2:30 pm
Location: bit.ly/VCAASocialSpace
Meeting ID 901 875 2818; Password 8727
December 15, 2020
Kristin Roman, Director of Senior Services with ServiceSource, Inc., accepts the 2020 Martha Glennan Disability Inclusion and Equality Award during a virtual reception held via Zoom.
On Monday, December 14, a virtual reception was held to honor the 2020 recipients of the Martha Glennan Disability Inclusion and Equality Award. Awarded by the Fairfax Area – Disability Services Board, the award recognizes people, businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and other organizations that excel in demonstrating a commitment to promoting equal rights and community inclusion for people with disabilities in the Fairfax area and how people with disabilities have significantly benefitted from their efforts.
This year, ServiceSource, Inc. received the award, largely for their partnership with NCS to create and support the Virtual Center for Active Adults (VCAA). Since its launch, the VCAA has gained national recognition for successfully combatting social isolation by offering a variety of virtual programs to connect and engage older adults and adults with disabilities.
ServiceSource, Inc. was also recognized for their outreach efforts through wellness calls to senior center participants. Callers monitor the welfare of participants and address their needs by connecting them to resources such as grocery delivery, financial assistance for housing, and safe transportation options.
Congratulations to ServiceSource, Inc. for this well-deserved award!
December 9, 2020
Since May, the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ Virtual Center for Active Adults, in partnership with ServiceSource, has offered a wide range of classes and programs for older adults every week via Zoom. The VCAA’s classes have traditionally been offered only during the day, but an exciting new partnership with the community-based organization Quarantine Music Busters (QMB) has made it possible for the VCAA to now host a Friday evening concert series. Older adults are invited to enjoy this ongoing series by logging onto the VCAA’s Social SPACE Zoom platform every Friday at 7 p.m. Each week, a rotation of musicians from the QMB will perform a 45-minute concert and take questions from the audience.
Quarantine Music Busters is a student-founded organization dedicated to providing free entertainment and solace through music via virtual or in-person concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The QMB is made up of 29 musicians, ranging from high school freshmen to high school graduates. The group performs on a variety of instruments such as piano, trumpet, cello and voice; primarily in the genres of classical, jazz and show tunes.
Interested in watching the weekly concerts? You are welcome to log onto the VCAA’s Social SPACE Zoom platform. To learn more about the weekly performances, please visit the Virtual Center for Active Adults.
