FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
$5 Million Fund To Allow Northern Virginia Family Service to Expand Highest Demand Resources, Invest in Frontline Team Members
FAIRFAX, VA [May 16, 2024] – Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) today launched the NVFS Fund for Families, a $5 million dollar campaign to help the organization swiftly and sustainably address emerging needs within the Northern Virginia community. Through NVFS Fund for Families, the organization will expand its comprehensive service model to meet clients’ unique needs, invest in its frontline team members, and grow its high-demand services.
“NVFS has been at the forefront of serving our Northern Virginia community since 1924, and as we celebrate 100 years of service, we appreciate our milestones while looking forward to the future,” said Stephanie Berkowitz, President and CEO of Northern Virginia Family Service. “Our community’s needs have grown increasingly complex over the years and NVFS is committed to providing the access, support, and resources individuals and families need to realize a thriving future.”
The NVFS Fund for Families will help the organization expand access to its services to meet overwhelming and evolving demand. Four factors driving this demand are:
- The Mental Health Crisis: Nearly 30% of adults in the region are dealing with active symptoms of anxiety or depression. That’s a fourfold increase from 2019. And about 70,000 people want therapy or counseling but are unable to get it.
- The Early Childhood Education Gap: Children in Northern Virginia who are at or near poverty have the second lowest rate of preschool enrollment in the country. Only 29% of three- and four-year-olds in this income bracket are in preschool.
- The Housing Cost Burden: Almost 70% of Northern Virginians with low incomes (making less than $50,000 per year for a family of four) spend over half of their income on rent, mortgage, taxes, fees, and basic utilities.
- The Uneven Opportunity Landscape: Social and racial divides remain acute in Northern Virginia, where disparities in education, income, and housing are powerful determinants of life expectancy and disease rates.
NVFS officially commemorated its century of service to the Northern Virginia community at the 100 Years of Service Celebration earlier this month at Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria. More than 400 community members gathered to celebrate the special NVFS anniversary. Photos from the event are below.
Learn more about the NVFS Fund for Families campaign and its impact in Northern Virginia at https://www.nvfs.org/fund-for-families/.
About Northern Virginia Family Service
Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) breadth, depth and scope of services offer the resources and support to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community. We provide the essential building blocks for financial, emotional and physical well-being, serving as leaders and innovators for the Northern Virginia community. Every year, we empower more than 30,000 individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. With these essential resources, our community is better equipped for future success and engagement among all of our neighbors. https://www.nvfs.org/.
Media Contact:
Cyndi Sutton for NVFS
cyndi@jrcommunications.com
571-213-0401
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