Charlie* is a child who struggled with hunger. His parents worked long hours to support their family and struggled to pay for food; there were often days when Charlie would come home to bare cupboards. Studies show that going to school hungry leads to poor concentration in the classroom, among other problems. Charlie's grades fell as a result and he became increasingly withdrawn and apathetic. Half the school year was almost over, and Charlie was running out of options. Things got worse when teachers informed Charlie's parents that if his grades failed to improve, he would have to repeat the fifth grade.

"It felt like [I was] drowning," recalls Charlie.

Noticing his lack of enthusiasm and growing silence, a school counselor told Charlie's family about Alternative House's Springfield Safe Youth Project, a safe haven after school for children in the 4th through 6th grades.

At the program, Charlie enjoyed meals with his friends, had access to computers, went on field trips and got help with his homework from our caring staff and dedicated team of volunteers who include veterans, teachers and professionals. The Springfield Safe Youth Project also provides food, clothing and emergency supplies to their families, and Charlie's family was able to receive the help they needed. As Charlie started to make new friends and receive help with homework, he also began looking forward to each day. 

Over the course of the 2014 school year, with assistance from Alternative House, Charlie improved academically - as do 95% of the children at the Safe Youth Projects in Springfield, Annandale and Culmore.  His personality became brighter and he started believing in himself.

Charlie passed the fifth grade and still attends the program, where he laughs, jokes, and works hard with caring staff and volunteers to maintain his good grades.

"I want to do well in school. I care about my future," he said.

*Name changed to protect identity

Nutrition Is Our Mission!

As March marks National Nutrition Month, we are reminded of the impact of diet on the mental and physical wellbeing of children well into adulthood. The families in our programs struggle with food insecurity, meaning that they lack regular access to food. According to No Kid Hungry, a campaign dedicated to ending child hunger in the US, half of low-income families are unable to prepare healthy meals for their children because they cannot afford healthier groceries. They go on to report that "food-insecure children are 90% more likely to have their overall health reported as "fair/poor" rather than "excellent/good" than kids from food-secure homes." They are more likely to be hospitalized, develop diabetes, and experience behavioral, emotional and educational problems.

Alternative House is taking action to reduce hunger in Northern Virginia. Every week in the low-income neighborhood of Culmore in Falls Church, parents line up outside of Alternative House's Teen Center to receive donations of clothing, household items, and above all-- food, both fresh and preserved. Alternative House provides meals, collects food donations and collaborates with local organizations to provide free food to those who need it most. Last year, Alternative House served 12,121 meals to the children in our Community Based Services alone.

Alternative House staff also educates families and children so that they can make better, more informed decisions about the foods they eat. At the Residential programs, young people attend field trips to the grocery store with counselors, learn how to cook healthy meals on a budget, and learn the nutritional values of various foods. This month, the moms at the Assisting Young Mothers program learned to adopt healthy cooking and eating habits with a hands-on lesson led by experts in health and nutrition. Alternative House's Community Based Services implements kid-friendly and realistic lesson plans on proper nutrition. At the Culmore Safe Youth Project for 4th through 6th graders, children focused on smarter food choices and listed their favorite snack foods by nutritional value, comparing sodium levels and healthy alternatives to junk food. Staff finds that the young people and children in their programs are more upbeat and able to focus on homework after eating healthy snacks.

Fairfax County Public Schools reported in 2015 that eating habits affect academic scores, classroom behavior and tardiness and absences. By distributing free food and educating our community, Alternative House's Community Based Services and Residential programs alleviate food insecurity for thousands in Northern Virginia, and empower children and families to make healthier food choices.

**To learn more about donating food or groceries to the children and families at Alternative House, please click here.

Jane Vodra, a former Learning Disabilities teacher for Fairfax County PublicSchools began volunteering with Alternative House's Emergency Shelter for Teenagers in December and she is loving it! At the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers, Jane explores various topics with the teens through talking, listening and asking questions. "They are happy to respond and they are all lovely kids."

Jane recalls a lively discussion with the teenagers about their future careers. Upon learning that one teen wants to become an auto-mechanic, Jane was able to refer the young man to free programs offered by Fairfax County that would help him build a foundation of knowledge while providing hands-on experience. With an upbeat, can-do approach, Jane provides an understanding ear and just the right amount of guidance and advice to help these teens make positive choices in their lives.

As Jane has observed, "they're really good kids who want to be happy. I've seen one or two teens who were angry, but they all just want help and to be back with their families." Most (95%) of the teens at the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers are reunited with their families and leave with support networks in place.

After spending months with the teens, Jane has found that "it is important to stay optimistic when you're with them. I learned that some of them are coming from really bad situations," she says. As  a committed, caring, and dedicated supporter of our teens, we at Alternative House are proud to have her on our team, and thrilled to honor her as Volunteer of the Month.

When she is not busy helping out at the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers, Jane enjoys spending time with family-- especially the grandchildren!-- and traveling with her husband.