A Note from our Executive Director
As our children and young people start off the new school year, I am reminded of the challenges most students face at school - worries about finding classrooms, whether you'll like your teacher and if you will be able to hook back up with your friends. The young people at Alternative House are faced with additional challenges, such as purchasing food when school is closed on evenings and weekends, finding a quiet space in a crowded apartment to do homework, or deciding whether to drop out of school and get a full-time job to help support themselves and their families. Alternative House helps ease these burdens by providing food, tutors, rent subsidies and safe havens so that our young people can focus on academics.
 
More than 40,000 students from Fairfax County Public Schools will start school without all of the supplies they need. This year Alternative House will be able to give backpacks and school supplies to more than 800 students.  Hundreds of backpacks and school supplies were collected over the summer.  A big thank you to all of you who helped and rest assured that we will continue our efforts to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed.

  -- Judith Dittman
New Beginnings
Going back to school is no tiny feat when you are in a new country.
 
"Kayla" has been in the United States for less than a year and has attended our Springfield Safe Youth Project since February. When she first arrived at the program, her mother told our staff that 12 year-old Kayla was having difficulty making friends and adjusting to the American school system. Our counselors also noticed that Kayla was struggling in school, particularly with math and English. 

 

At the Springfield Safe Youth Project, Kayla worked closely with bilingual volunteer tutors. She put a great deal of effort into her homework and projects. Kayla also made lots of friends during the many group workshops, activities and field trips at the Springfield Safe Youth Project.
 
Over the past several months, Kayla's schoolwork has shown a lot of improvement. She even brought in a math test to show staff her first A!
 
Kayla came into the Safe Youth Project as a shy and confused girl experiencing culture shock and struggling to keep up in school. In less than six months, Kayla has transformed into a sociable, enthusiastic student. 

Volunteering at Alternative House
* On Saturday, September 5th from 10am to 2pm, our Springfield Family Resource Center will be hosting a Back to School event. We would love to have volunteers for this! (Spanish speaking a plus.) 

* We need tutors at ALL of our after-school and summer programs. Must be 18+. We need tutors at: 

-our after-school Safe Youth Projects for 4th - 6th graders, located in Springfield, Culmore (at Bailey's Crossroads) and Annandale
-our Teen Center for 7th-12th graders, located in Culmore. 

Summer hours of operation are Mon - Fri  1pm - 6pm. Hours of operation during the school year are Mon - Fri  3:30 - 6pm at the Safe Youth Projects, and Mon - Fri  2:30 - 9pm at the Teen Center.

* We need volunteers who can help teach English as a Second Language (ESL) classes 

*  Volunteers to help teach sewing classes for adults.


If you are interested in volunteering regularly or at one of our special events, please contact [email protected] or call 703-506-9191 (email preferred). 
How You Can Help
There are resources available to help teens, adults and families who are homeless.

Page 2 of this brochure from Fairfax County lists local shelters, a general hotline, and other phone numbers to help the homeless.  You can print the brochure and keep a copy handy in your wallet.

** This is especially helpful during heat waves and snow storms.

September 15th - 

*Please note: September's Open Door will be held on the third Tuesday of the month.

Unable to attend our regularly scheduled Open Door Information Sessions?
We will arrange a private tour for you and your guests.

Still can't make it? 
If you have a group of ten or more guests, Alternative House will come to you! Whether at your workplace, house of worship, civic group, book club, etc, we can bring the Open Door Information Session experience to you and your guests.

For more information about special arrangements, please contact Stephanie Barber at 
703-506-9191 or [email protected].
Volunteer Spotlight - Lauren Witherspoon
Lauren Witherspoon is a stellar volunteer intern at our Emergency Shelter for Teenagers. She answers calls on our hotline, organizes donations, talks with the teens and assists staff.   
 
Lauren feels that the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers is important because the program offers teens a safe haven when they are facing a crisis.  "So many of these kids have issues that we couldn't even dream of growing up with and some of them have the responsibilities of a 20 year-old," says Lauren.
 
Lauren recently responded to a call on Alternative House's hotline 1-800-SAY-TEEN and spoke to a young man who was not able to return to his home. He arrived at our shelter later that day. For many young people who come to our shelter, their experiences here are life-changing.  "Honestly when I see parents who don't want their kids anymore... I want to adopt them and take them home," Lauren says. "It's heartbreaking and it makes you want to put your whole heart into their lives and just love them unconditionally because they're not getting that love at home."  She vividly recalls seeing the young man from the hotline call gradually open up and begin to smile and laugh.  "When I see them able to act like kids-that is what makes [volunteering] worth it," she said.
 
Volunteering at the Emergency Shelter for Teenagers "has been one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me... I'm thankful for it," she says.  Lauren is studying Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries at Midatlantic Christian Univeristy and works part-time. She enjoys playing tennis and seeing her friends.

We gladly accept new and gently used items.
There are many ways to support Alternative House.
           Volunteer
We are always looking for a variety of volunteers.
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PO Box 694, Dunn Loring, VA 22027    703.506.9191  1.800.SAY.TEEN



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