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We're Making Progress!
The 2016 results are in: Fairfax County reduced its homeless count by 145 individuals!
As promised in last month's newsletter, the results are finally in from the January 2016 Point in Time count of the homeless in Fairfax County. The count is down by 145 individuals or 12% from last year's count. Homeless families totaled 179, down 16% from last year's count and 42% since the count began in 2008. However, families and their children still represent more than half of all homeless in the county.
This year's federally-mandated Point-in-Time count was conducted on January 28, 2016 in coordination with the Metro DC region and the Commonwealth of Virginia with help from volunteers and staff at many of Fairfax County's nonprofit collaborators in the Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness. The count aids local and national government agencies and nonprofits in mapping out strategies to reduce the count and addressing the underlying issues that result in homelessness.
Family PASS has helped over 100 families achieve self-sufficiency since its founding in 2006.
Thank you to all our supporters for helping us help those in need. You are making a difference.
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Family PASS News:
Board Elects Michael Waddell as a Director
The Family PASS Board of Directors welcomes Mr. Michael Waddell, Partner and Co-Founder of IntegrityOne Partners. A seasoned consultant, family man, and disciplined triathlete, Michael is committed to his Fairfax community and to helping Family PASS reach its goals.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from George Mason University and has successfully completed the Harvard Business School Owner/President Management Program as well as Harvard Business School's Leading Professional Service Firms.
IntegrityOne is a professional services firm that delivers superior business and IT solutions to clients in key industries. Michael also focused the organization on providing dedicated, well-rounded consulting professionals with challenging work along with a work environment that would support them in successfully pursuing their own professional, family, and community goals. Under Michael's leadership, IntegrityOne has won numerous
awards
for its corporate citizenship, talent development and leadership.
Promotions
Sou-Yeon Han, a key Family PASS case manager since 2009, has been named Senior Case Manager. Her new responsibilities include providing management and guidance to new case managers as Family PASS's work expands. Sou's extensive contacts in the County and her proven success in moving her clients into permanent affordable housing and self-sufficiency will continue to serve Family PASS well as it works towards its goal of increasing its capacity to 90 client-families a year by the year 2020.
Sou-Yeon received her Masters of Social work from Columbia University, School of Social Work,
New York and her B.A. in Psychology and Religious Studies with Distinction from the University of Virginia where she was a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars
.
Congratulations, Sou - we're fortunate to have you!
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Client Spotlight
Every month we highlight one Family PASS client/family. This month our focus is Maria*.
Maria moved to Fairfax after graduating from university to pursue job options and continue her education to realize her ambition of becoming a college professor. Then life took a wrong turn. Her father passed away suddenly, leaving her solely responsible for her college loans, placing her in tremendous debt. Then she unwittingly became involved in an abusive relationship which she fled, seven months pregnant. When you have debt, your credit goes south and landlords reject your lease application. You become homeless.
With the help of Fairfax County's Office for Women & Domestic and Sexual Violence, Maria was placed in one of the County's protective temporary shelters. But Maria was determined to not have her child born in a shelter. "You look at yourself--your situation - never did I dream I would be homeless - this is not who I am. How did I get here?" she asked us when we first interviewed her.
As part of the Family PASS-Shelter House rapid re-housing collaboration, Family PASS took over her case. Within a week, Family PASS's senior case manager found a home for Maria - and just in time. Four days after moving in, Maria gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Family PASS volunteers and donors are providing household goods and transportation so Maria can get to the store and doctors while she recovers. She has already returned to teaching and is anxious to resume her career track. When she is ready, Family PASS will arrange for transportation through
Vehicles for Change, set up a plan to help her strengthen her credit history and get her back on her career path.
*Family PASS does not use actual names or photos of clients to protect their privacy.
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Family Pass programs are made possible by generous donations from our community, with additional support from Fairfax County's Consolidated Community Funding Pool, which provides funds for human services and affordable housing, and the Begun Foundation, a private foundation focused on prevention of generational and domestic violence.
This month, Family PASS would also like to recognize the following supporters for their generosity:
The Caplan Family Foundation, Church of the Good Shepherd, Booz Allen Hamilton Community Partners, Charles Allen,Vic and Patricia Kimm, Ed Baranoski, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Church of the Good Shepherd, Fatima Ahmad, Germaine Williams, Eleanor McCann, Lilly KC, Annette Porter, Suezette and Allan Steinhardt.
And new corporate supporter:
Additional shout-outs to:
- Our Daily Bread for financial mentoring for our clients
- LinkUP, a Fairfax County service for job searches
- St. Mark Catholic Church for ESL and citizenship classes fro our clients
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Upcoming Events
Get Ready to Say it With Flowers in June!
Karin's Florists dedicates June to Family PASS with a special bouquet.
Karin Gives Back
is a program of Karin's Florists that supports local organizations in appreciation for 56 years of successful business in Vienna. Karin's designers will create an arrangement designated for Family PASS. When you order this arrangement during the month of June, Karin's will give 10% of all proceeds to Family PASS.
There are plenty of opportunities to celebrate in June - graduations, weddings, showers, Father's Day, Flag Day - so please join us in thanking Karin's for thinking of Family PASS.
We will send a photo of the arrangement and a link to Karin's in our May newsletter.
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Remember, Family PASS's
Friends in Deed volunteer group is looking for people who would like to help out with our clients' occasional special needs. If you are interested in learning more, our FAQ is located
here. To sign up, send an email to
[email protected].
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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