Cheers to Our Volunteers: August 2018

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Helping Kids Start the School Year Strong
Capital One volunteers at NVFS' Back-to-School Drive
Capital One volunteers at NVFS’ Back-to-School Drive

Thanks to supporters like you, NVFS was able to supply 1,800+ kids and teens with new backpacks full of supplies. Donors provided more than $78,000 in cash and supplies, and 300 volunteers provided critical on-the-ground support to sort, prep and pack each backpack we were able to supply. Among those supporters were:

These corporate groups and civic groups helped us collect donations, sort and count them, stuff backpacks with necessary school supplies, and distribute them to our case managers. We could not have done it all without their support!

Able Moving & Storage also provided critical support by dispatching a truck and drivers to help transport nearly 800 backpacks from our main Back-to-School site in Chantilly to our Prince William County distribution site in Manassas. They also made another trip to Chantilly to assist with breakdown, and delivered tables, chairs and surplus school supplies to our SERVE Campus in Manassas.

Hair to Serve, comprising barbers and stylists in the Greater Prince William area, also helped get kids ready to go back to school with a visit to the SERVE Family Shelter, during which they provided back-to-school haircuts to shelter guests. Thank you to Jenna Cooper and Chelsea Flinn of PR Partners in Warrenton, Samantha Hyman of Center Street Glam in Old Town Manassas, and Quinton Delaney at Prestige Barber Shop in Manassas Park for helping to ensure children at our shelter started school with confidence.

Bringing Fun, Fantasy and Festivities to Children Across Our Programs

Thank you to Megan Wholey for being a fantastic classroom volunteer at Head Start! She’s so patient, enthusiastic, and has built great relationships with the students and teachers.

Thank you to storyteller Mister John from the Potomac Community Library for sharing entertaining, interactive stories with the children at the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center. Mister John also engaged the children and music and motion activities. Everyone had such a fun time!

Thank you to Mike Henry for organizing yet another fantastic Music Bridge DMV concert, and to musicians The Braeded Chord (Doris MacDonald and Sharon Dennis) and Tim Trant for their performances, at the SERVE Family Shelter. Mike’s wife, Mimi Henry, brought a friendship bracelet activity for extra fun for the children.

Thank you to Hilary Maciak, who, upon discovering children at the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center were celebrating birthdays in August, brought in birthday bags for the children to celebrate. She even brought balloons for a complete festive experience!

Welcoming New Faces to NVFS

Welcome to our newest job coach, Jayne Hart! Jayne will be meeting with shelter guests to assist with job searches, applications and other employment related assistance.

Welcome to our newest shelter support volunteer, Tristan Cheramie! Tristan has already been an immense help learning to assist at the front desk and jumping in on other projects like packing backpacks and organizing donations.