Making a Difference:
One Family at a Time
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SOCK IT TO ME: WEEK 16
The impact of your donations – an update
We launched
Sock it to Me
in late October to help an additional 33 families struggling to avoid homelessness in Fairfax County. Our goal: 500 people donating the equivalent of $25 a month for one year - an annual pledge of $300. Thank you to the many people who have responded to this. We are still a long way off if we’re going to reach our goal by November 2019 but we can do it!
The Impact
A former client just contacted us to report on how things are going in her life since leaving Family PASS’s program. When she entered the program, she was homeless and a domestic abuse survivor with one son. During her two years with Family PASS, she pursued both an associate’s degree and an industry certification through Northern Virginia Community College’s Adult Career Pathways and participated in a county program focused on employment opportunities. She also received special financial management tutoring. Today, she is thriving and her son, who benefited from after-school tutoring donated by one amazing Family PASS donor, is a superstar.
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She writes:
I was thinking about you and the Family PASS team. We are doing well. I'm still at (company name) with the same income. I enjoy everyone (and) for this reason I have stayed this long. But the most exciting news at my job is that, out of over 3500 employees, I won the Humanitarian Award!! This was such an honor to be chosen for being so dedicated, committed and caring toward my coworkers, clients and family. I even received a bonus too!! This was huge! I still can't believe it.
My son is still in Boy Scouts and loves it. He is about to rank up to Star Scout which means next is Life Scout and the final rank Eagle Scout! I am very proud of him. He still loves anything STEM and especially science -- physics, black holes, robotics and astronomy. We even applied for the scholarship at the Space Camp in Alabama. He didn't make it but he did go to Astro Camp last summer. The counselor said he was the smartest out of all his campers.
Overall, we love where we live. It's like night and day. It's very peaceful and safe.
We really appreciated all you have done and I have seen the rewards and the impact it has had on us today. I'm also a Boy Scout counselor now for merit badges: Salesmanship and Entrepreneurship.
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How you can help:
We ask you to please go to our website,
WWW.FAMILYPASSFAIRFAX.ORG/SOCKS
and join the campaign – or fill up your old socks with any loose change hanging around the house and bring them on into Family PASS. You donation can pay for class registration, textbooks, food, gas to get to work -- it can help us help a family pull together and succeed. Thank you.
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2019 STARTED OUT WITH A JOLT!
As our clients faced the possibility of a prolonged government shutdown in January, Family PASS estimated that the loss of Federal
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
support could mean we would need to find an extra $5000 a month. Given our already tight budget for clients’ basic needs
that $5000 would push us way beyond our resources.
Our very own rapid response team came to the rescue.
Volunteers from
The Vale Club
and
PASS(Public Affairs Support Services)
responded quickly to our urgent call for help by doing an incredible job of stocking the pantry we maintain for our clients at St. Mark Catholic Church. These much-needed donations include household items such diapers, paper products, cleaning products -- the expensive part of shopping for a family.
SNAP benefits vary depending on family size and income. A family of four with monthly income of $1400 ($12 an hour x 30 hour week) would receive about $500 a month for groceries. This requires some very talented budgeting, especially if you have a baby in diapers. Thankfully, even though the shutdown ended, the full pantry allows our clients to spend less on paper and cleaning products and more on fresh fruits and vegetables for their families.
Thank You! To the Vale Club and PASS for your continuing support of our families, and to St. Mark Catholic Church for letting us use their facilities for our pantry.
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UPCOMING
On
May 15th
, Bard's Alley, Vienna, will hold a book discussion on
Evicted
,
by Matthew Desmond.
Evicted
is a Pultizer Prize-winning book about
poverty and profit in the American city. It tells the frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking story of eight Milwaukee families living on the edge or poverty, trying to raise their families with the little funds they have left after paying for
their rundown apartments.
Bard's Alley
110 Church Street, Vienna
6:30-7 Meet and Greet
7 - 8 Book Discussion
Family PASS staff will be on hand at the event to help answer some questions about the families they serve in Fairfax County. Bard's Alley will host and lead
the event. Books and reservations for the event should be made by contacting
Bard's Alley
.
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Get 10% off the purchase price of
Evicted
at Bard's Alley when you mention that you are a Family PASS supporter! To order your book go to the Bard's Alley
website
or call 571-459-2653
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Thank you
to
Sock It To Me
donors: Jeff Allison, Jim & Jane Gurin Asker, Janet Auerbach, Gabriella Belli, Joanne Burke, James Caputo, Joe & Barb Celio, Martin & Maureen Cohen, Mary Crossin, Laurel Glassman, Daniel Gropper, Robert & Helen Heald, Dawn Hicks, Mark & Margaret Hyer, Rebecca Jackson, Jeffery & Shannon Jamison, Pat Kearns, Denee Kirk, Andrew & Eva Sereghy, Stephen & Caroline Long, James & Kathleen Loving, Jon & Catherine Matchette, Susan McKenzie, Daniel & Christine Moore, Jill & David Paul, James & Andrea Collette Pecot III, Joel & Nancy Singer Platt, Timothy & Ann Ramish, Joseph & Jane Sharnoff, Patricia Sparrell, Arthur & Kathryn Tribbie, John Tunstall, Joanna Walker, Steve Winkler, Marily Zett, John & Betsy Zolper, and Charles & Marcia Zuhoski.
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Thank you
to donors: Andrew Lipps, Marilyn Zett, Judith Weiand, Joel Platt, Julie Griscom, Ed Baranoski & Jill Crissman, Janine Doran, Mike Waddell, Mark Repak, Rotary Club of Vienna, Paul & Germaine Williams, Charles Allen, Joseph & Lori Wood, St. John's Episcopal Church, and the Sienicki Family Trust.
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Family PASS
2740 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 123
Vienna, VA 22181
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