• A Letter of Thanks from a SERVE Client 
• 5 Ways to Help the Hungry: Hunger Awareness Month
  
• NVFS Spotlighted Alongside New Standards for Stronger Head Start Programs 
• Doing the Math: For Many in the D.C. Area on Minimum Wage, the Ends Never Meet 
• Become a Community Sustainer 
• 6 Critical Items Needed in Northern Virginia 

• NVFS Home Page
• About NVFS

“A client was so sweet as to handwrite a letter thanking Sandra and me for our case management efforts during her time of need. We feel very humbled to share this warm letter with you,” says Sacha, housing counselor at SERVE in Manassas. You can read the letter in its entirety here.

Dear [Sacha] and Sandra,

I’ve sincerely enjoyed the time you’ve spent during the past couple of weeks. Given your busy schedule, I know it’s not always easy, or convenient, to personally come to my home and work with me on various strategies to assist me in my time of need, yet you’ve gave so generously your time, knowledge, patience and expertise to assist and speak on my behalf…

I would like you both to know the time you’ve invested, and continue to help with is not overlooked in the least, to my future is immeasurable. I am truly grateful for your support to overcome obstacles that I alone could not have done…
With that being said, again, can’t thank you enough for all your assistance to achieve my goals.

Warmest regards!
Valerie =)

More than 33,000 people in Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park must seriously consider, at every meal, whether they can afford to eat that day. NVFS provides food assistance for more than 600 families in Prince William County each month – and we need your help! Here are five immediate ways to help your hungry neighbors:

1. “Canstruct”! Want to help the hungry, get creative, and even win prizes? All it takes is collecting canned and boxed goods and then “canstructing” your items to win for Most Creative, Most Popular and/or Tallest structure. How to enter the contest >>

2. Join Us at Empty Bowls! Help NVFS eradicate hunger and fill the Empty Bowls of food-insecure people in Prince William County. Join us at Manassas Church of the Brethren on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 5:30 p.m. for an evening of soup, bread and dessert from local restaurants, as well as performances by the Greater Manassas Children’s Choir, as we help fight local hunger. Read more >>

3. Volunteer as a Food Assistance Client Intake Specialist. You’ll greet clients, update their information and help them complete forms. Volunteers also monitor the food assistance line and return calls to schedule appointments. Hours are on weekdays and flexible. Must be at least 18 years old, bilingual in Spanish and English, and possess good customer service skills. Training is provided! Contact Navara Cannon: 571.748.2536 or ncannon@nvfs.org.

4. Volunteer as a Food Recovery Driver. Every day food goes to waste while families in our community go hungry. You can help! Food Recovery Drivers are needed weekday mornings to pick up food from Manassas grocery stores/restaurants and deliver it to NVFS’s Hunger Resource Center. Volunteers must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. Drivers must be at least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license; teens can ride with drivers to assist. Training is provided! Contact Navara Cannon: 571.748.2536 or ncannon@nvfs.org.

5. Donate food or funds to the Hunger Resource Center. You can find a list of suggested items here, or donate online here. Monetary donations can be used to purchase food for a flat rate of $0.19 per pound, a $50 donation can buy more than 250 pounds of food!

We’re so excited to have NVFS and its Georgetown South early childhood facility featured in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ video showcasing new Head Start standards to further improve and strengthen the Head Start program. Check it out to learn more about the importance of this program and how it’s supporting families in our community.

“When you are living in a community where it appears most people can meet their basic needs, people have cars and food and take vacations, it’s easy to forget about the fact that there are lots of people in our community who don’t have those opportunities. They literally are making choices across their basic needs.” NVFS President and CEO Stephanie Berkowitz shares observations with The Washington Post on what clients living on minimum wage experience.

Community Sustainers make a monthly investment in the Northern Virginia community, providing more than 34,000 individuals and families with services that move them from critical to stable to thriving. As a Community Sustainer, you are always making a difference. Learn more about how you can help more of your vulnerable neighbors become stable and self-sufficient every month.

Did you know that laundry detergent is a top need among vulnerable local families? See more about these 6 much-needed items, as well as ongoing needs, in your community.