In October, NCS and the Office for Children teamed up with the Community Emergency Response Team to distribute tissues, toilet paper, disinfectant spray, paper towels and other cleaning products to child care providers. 

The distribution took place October 13-15 at Lincolnia Senior Center in Alexandria. Volunteers distributed 37 pallets of supplies.

Hadyn Kihm, NCS Volunteer Coordinator, noted that the project required the teamwork of many groups within NCS, including OFC, Facilities and the Region 2 staff.

CERT’s involvement was also key to the project’s success. CERT is a partnership between the Federal and Fairfax County Governments and is managed by the Fire and Rescue Department. The program engages citizens in making their community safer, more prepared, and more resilient when incidents occur.

Hadyn said, “Having worked with CERT on multiple food distribution drives, I could see how their logistical expertise would be useful in planning this drive. We knew it was going to be a big job, but it was bigger even than we knew!”

CERT project leader James Sobecke designed the supply kits and offered expertise on how to distribute them. Based on his recommendations, NCS Region 2 Operations Manager Norma Lopez mobilized nearly a dozen Region 2 staff members to help assemble the supply kits, along with additional volunteers.

Of the CERT team, Hadyn said, “James and his team arrived early, worked late, and brought their tools and skills to bear on what was a new type of distribution for all of us.”

Elizabeth White, Park/Recreation Assistant at Lincolnia Senior Center, added, “James has a full handle on what is going on here – what a gem!”