Oakton, Va., Jan. 9, 2006– Thousands of local families enjoyed a joyous holiday season in 2005 through Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) Holiday Initiatives Drives. The drives were a huge success because of generous donations from the community that amounted to approximately $100,000 in gifts, groceries, gift cards and monetary contributions.
“Through our multitude of services to the community, NVFS provides assistance to more than 24,000 families and individuals throughout the year. Many times, they turn to us for help with critical needs. But we also are pleased to be able to give families something extra to help make their holidays a little happier,” said NVFS President and CEO Mary Agee.
“We are grateful to all of our donors who made the 2005 Holiday Initiatives possible. The agency is especially thankful to Equity Office for use of office space for toys, and to Green Hedges Elementary School, Walter L. Phillips, Inc., SRA International and Booz Allen Hamilton for their tremendous generosity,” Agee added.
The Holiday Initiatives consist of:
· Thanksgiving basket and December Grocery drives: Hundreds of grocery gift cards and baskets filled with non-perishable goods were donated and distributed to families who did not have the resources to have holiday meals.
· Adopt-a-Family: More than 800 people (about 250 families) were adopted by local companies and people in the community who provided the children and parents with clothing, shoes and other holiday gifts.
· Toy Drive: About 4,000 toys were donated, helping to put a smile on the faces of children whose parents often can’t afford that little extra something. The drive serves children from birth through age 18.