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A Mother's Love
Ann and her husband arrived in the United States with their two high school-aged sons in 2009. They came to start a new life in America and they found an apartment in Burke, VA. Unexpectedly, Ann's husband decided to leave the family and be on his own. Ann was left devastated but had to find strength to financially support and care for her family.
Although a well-educated woman with an engineering degree from her country, Ann had not worked for a long time. She had no income, money, family or friends to help her through this crisis. So she called 211 - the Fairfax County Coordinated Service Planning hotline number. She qualified for rapid re-housing services and was referred to Reston Interfaith.
Reston Interfaith helped Ann find housing and employment. We also worked with Ann to develop a budget. From that base, she was able to find a part-time job working at Wegmans' Deli and she found a weekend job working for a church in Washington, D.C. doing data entry. Additionally, she took on extra jobs outside of the home to supplement her income including one preparing meals for a doctor. It is clear that Ann does whatever she needs to do to help her family.
Ann told her case manager, "I am so grateful for all of Reston Interfaith's assistance and for the housing funds that have supported my family. This help has allowed me to move on to the next stage of my life." Reston Interfaith is proud to support such a motivated and resourceful person. Ann is well on her way to self-sufficiency. | |
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Applause Applause | |
To Booz Allen Hamilton employees, for preparing a wonderful meal for the guests at Embry Rucker Community Shelter, cleaning up the shelter, and organizing the Winter Coat Closet.
To FasTran bus service for coordinating the Stuff the Bus food drive. Over 1,700 pounds of food was collected and they are planning another food drive on Feb. 12. More information is listed below.
To Morgan Karimi, Sima Kowkabi and friends, for gathering donations to purchase a snow blower for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
To Our Lady of Good Counsel and Mike Egan, for their generous donation of wish list items and gift cards to Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
To the Ryland Family and friends, for providing a New Year's Eve party for the clients at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
To SOS International employees, who contributed a few dollars each so they could have the privilege of dressing casual at work. They collected funds and generously purchased gift cards for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
To Tonquese Commander, who heard that a client at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter needed one tire to get their car back on the road. He wanted to help, so he took his musical talents to the streets and played for tips. Those tips amounted to an $80 donation, which paid for the tire.
To Wee Play, Kathy Brennan, and Amy Tubbs, for hosting a special book reading event on Martin Luther King Day benefiting Reston Interfaith and a special thanks to Wee Play for providing classes at Embry Rucker Community Shelter. |
| EnergyShare | |
Reston Interfaith is helping to administer the EnergyShare program provided by Dominion Power. EnergyShare is a fuel assistance program for anyone who faces financial hardships from unemployment or family crisis. The program provides assistance through payments directly to vendors for both the heating and cooling seasons. For heating, the program helps pay for any type of home heating - wood, oil, natural or propane gas, kerosene, or electricity.
Applications for heating assistance are now being accepted through May 31 (or earlier if funds run out) at our ESSP office. Reston Interfaith is serving clients in the Herndon and Reston zip codes. |
| Our Volunteers Have Huge Hearts | |
 In March of 2010, Gillian Sescoe, a Reston Interfaith volunteer, began teaching a Citizenship Class at the Cedar Ridge Apartment Community Center. This class is designed to help Reston Interfaith's clients pass the federal government's naturalization test so they can earn their American citizenship. Gillian has a heart for helping others obtain their citizenship because she too passed her naturalization test many years ago.
Each week, Gillian brings her extensive background in leadership development, advocacy, and public service to Cedar Ridge. She inspires and educates her students. Gillian's special ability to encourage our clients is put to use as she reviews the basic concepts of American government, history, and civics with a group of 10-14 women. She connects with her students by learning their customs. For instance, since her students mostly speak Arabic, the class opens with a salaam ("hello").
Gillian says the most challenging part of teaching the Citizenship Class is explaining complicated civic concepts (e.g. free market capitalism) to students with a limited grasp of the English language, but she overcomes this with a combination of patience and creativity. Proudly, seven of her students have already passed the naturalization test. Gillian works to instill confidence in her students and leads them to achieve their goal of becoming a citizen of the United States of America.
Join us by volunteering and experience the joys of giving back. Click here to learn more.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
| DATE | ACTIVITY | TIMES | TYPE | | Year round | Bagged Meal Caterers | varies | one-time | | Year round | Front Desk Assistants | weekday daytimes and evenings | ongoing | | Year round | Meal Servers | varies | ongoing | | Year round | Fresh Food Transporters | varies | ongoing | | School year | Financial Literacy Mentor | Monday evenings | ongoing | | School year | Tutors | varies | ongoing | | School year | Study Buddies | Wednesdays 3:30-5:30pm | ongoing | | Saturday Feb. 12 | Food Drive Assistants | 9:30am-12pm, 11:30am-1pm, 12:30pm-3pm, 2:30-4:30pm | one-time | | Monday Feb. 14 |
Valentine's Party Hosts
at Cedar Ridge | 2pm-3:30pm | one-time | | Monday Feb. 14 |
Valentine's Party Hosts
at Stonegate | 3:30-5pm | one-time |
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Capitol Steps - Feb. 13
Just Weeks Away | |
Are you in need of an evening filled with laughs or a different way to celebrate Valentine's Day? The 28th Annual Capitol Steps Benefit Performance returns on Sunday, February 13, 2011. The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Reston. The silent auction opens at 6:15pm and the show begins at 7pm.
Support your community and enjoy an evening filled with live entertainment, decadent desserts, and wonderful wines. Bid on one-of-a-kind items in silent and live auctions. Click here for more information on reservations and available sponsorship opportunities. |
| Donate and Show Someone You Care | |
Instead of your standard Valentine's card or short lived box of chocolates, make a donation that lasts in honor of someone you care about. Reston Interfaith will send you a Valentine's card that you can personalize. Giving to Reston Interfaith can help provide food to a family in need, temporary shelter for a single mother and her children, or job placement counseling to an unemployed adult. Please help our neighbors in need to survive and thrive.
To make a donation and receive a card, please email: [email protected] |
| FriendRaiser | |
A food drive organized by FasTran benefiting Reston Interfaith will be held Saturday, February 12 at the Bloom in the Brookfield Shopping Center, 3059 Centreville Rd., Herndon, VA, 9:30am - 4:30pm. Help stock our food panty - drop off non-perishable food items. |
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| Reston Interfaith - 11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 210, Reston, VA 20190
571-323-9555
Click here to donate to Reston Interfaith |
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