e-Pathfinder | September 2021
September is Hunger Action Month, when we shine a light on hunger and need in our community. According to Feeding America, more than 74,000 Fairfax County residents experience food insecurity. Thanks to our amazing supporters and partners, Britepaths is able to take action against hunger in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia each day of the year.

While the foundation of our Food Bridge program is providing short-term and emergency food support to local families in crisis, over the years, we have expanded our food outreach to include Our Daily Veggies farmers market vouchers and Food4Thought weekend food packs for students in select Fairfax County Public Schools. Recently, we began helping community members who receive SNAP (formerly food stamps) to use their EBT benefits to purchase fresh produce at the Annandale Farmers Market. Through our work with the Fairfax Food Council, we are helping promote sustainability and access to healthy food for all in Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia region.

Last month, we reopened our Food Pantry after closing it for more than a year due to the pandemic. Ms. M (above) was the first client to come to the office to pick up food when we reopened. It's been so great to see our families in person again!

Immediate Needs: We have some urgent pantry needs. Click Here to learn more. We are also in great need of volunteers at the Annandale Farmers Market Click Here.

Read More about our work to fight hunger in our community.
Job Opportunities
Britepaths has 2 job opportunities. Please share with anyone you know who might be interested.

  • Office Administrator in Fairfax
  • Workforce Development Manager in Alexandria

Click Here for Details and Job Descriptions
Join Us on October 24!
We are so grateful to our community, and are looking forward to safely connecting in person outdoors after such a long and difficult time apart. Join us at Grateful for an autumn afternoon at the beautiful woodland Wolf Trap Terrace Pavilion. Sunday, October 24, 4-6p. Proceeds benefit the families we serve.


The Pavilion is covered and screened so we will be able to celebrate safely, rain or shine. We’ll enjoy beer, wine and delicious appetizers, live music by Batida Diferente, and some words of inspiration. We hope you'll join us and invite your friends!
A Big Thank You to our lead sponsor, ServiceNow! And thank you to our Printing Underwriter Printing Ideas. Contact Shannon Bryant if your organization can help our families by sponsoring.
2020 Impact Report
Few could have foreseen the challenges our community and the world at large would face beginning in March 2020. For Britepaths, the big story of last year was how deeply our community cared and how quickly they moved to help when the scope of the crisis became clear. We received overwhelming support from individuals, faith communities, businesses, organizations, and the community at large. Thank You!

Learn More about our Financials
Remember Our Families for the Holidays
We are gearing up once again to give holiday help and hope to local families who are struggling. Britepaths' Holiday Program will provide gift cards to families who are referred to us through our partner FCPS schools so they can purchase Thanksgiving and December Holiday meals and gifts for their children. Please keep our families in mind when you're thinking about your holiday giving. Donation information coming soon on our Holiday page.

A special thank you to the Peterson Family Foundation for sponsoring our Program! Contact Shannon Bryant if your organization would like to be a sponsor.
Virginia Little League-Giant Food Gift Cards
Britepaths is so grateful to Vienna Little League (VLL) and Giant Food in Oakton for teaming up to help feed our families! Giant selected VLL for an MVP award, which included a prize for one of their outstanding players and his team, and a donation of $5,000 in Giant gift cards to a charity of their choice. We are honored that they chose our Food Bridge program to receive these gift cards to distribute to our families so they can shop for healthy foods for their children while they work through a crisis.

Special Thanks
Wolf Run Foundation
A big thank you to Wolf Run Foundation for providing a $5,000 grant to our Collect for Kids Back to School Program to support our efforts to give school supply kits to 4,250 local students in need at our FCPS partner schools.
Party for a Cause with The Greek and The Freak
On September 11, our Board President May Shallal and her husband Scott Shannon hosted Party for a Cause at their home, with live music by The Greek and The Freak. They raised more than $3,000 to help our families. We are grateful to May and Scott, musicians Steve Houk and Suzanne Tsacoumis, and all who donated. Click Here to read more and view the concert.
Fall Events
Fairfax Funky Flea -- SATURDAY
Britepaths is excited to be part of the new Fairfax Funky Flea market at Fairfax City Hall (10455 Armstrong St., Fairfax) on the last Saturday of the month, April through October, in partnership with the City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department. We will be offering concessions at the markets THIS Saturday, September 25, and on October 30, 8a-2p. Proceeds from concession sales go to help our families. Click Here to learn more.
Fairfax Turkey Trot
Britepaths is grateful to the organizers of the Fairfax Turkey Trot in Mantua for once again choosing us as the beneficiary of this fun 4-miler on Thanksgiving morning. After going virtual last year, the race will be in person again this year. The run is on Thursday, November 25 at 9 a.m. at Mantua Tennis & Swim Club. We hope you'll join us and invite your friends. Click Here to Register.
Can You Help?
Volunteer SNAP/EBT Assistant at Annandale Farmers Market
Britepaths is seeking volunteers to assist eligible community members to use their EBT benefits to purchase fresh produce at Fairfax County's Annandale Farmers Markets on Thursday mornings through Nov. 4. Click Here for details. Contact Christina Garris.

Click Here to view more Volunteer opportunities.
Urgent Pantry Needs
Our Food Pantry is low on a number of items. Click Here to see most needed food and supplies, and information on donating.
Resources: Please Share
Virtual Financial Literacy and Workforce Development Coaching and Classes
Britepaths and the Financial Empowerment Center at South County continue to offer a variety of free services and classes via the internet. Services include free and confidential Financial Coaching, Workforce/Job Readiness Consulting, Small Business Consulting and Tax Preparation Consulting. Please share our Virtual Services page with anyone you know who might benefit. Join our LinkedIn Group to receive updates on offerings and services.

NEW and Coming Soon at FECSoCo:
  • NEW Food Entrepreneur Consultatations: Virtual, by appointment only. Schedule a consultation on Monday or Wednesday evenings. Available in English and Spanish. Flyers: English; Spanish
  • NEW Credit Report Review Clinics, 10/20, 11/17, 12/15. Flyer: Click Here
  • Coming Soon: Avenues to Career Training IT: Stay tuned!
Rent Relief/Eviction Prevention Resources
If you know someone who is struggling to pay their rent or mortgage due to the pandemic, please pass on these resources.

Click Here for Article: Falling Behind on Your Bills? Help Is Available!
Click Here for Fairfax County resources and information
Click Here for Virginia Rent Relief Program Flyer (pdf)
Click Here for guidance about the CDC's National Eviction Moratorium
Click Here for Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance's Eviction Prevention and Housing Stability Toolkit
Free Financial Coaching via NOVA Housing Expo
The Northern Virginia Housing Expo is going on virtually throughout 2021, and Britepaths and the Financial Empowerment Center at South County are honored to have been invited to offer free virtual Financial Coaching sessions as part of the Expo.

The Expo offers a variety of resources for Northern Virginia residents seeking to rent or buy a home. Their web site offers virtual exhibits and free monthly workshops, in addition to a link to register for our Financial Coaching sessions. Learn More
Fairfax County Area Services
Fairfax County staff are working hard across multiple agencies to assist County residents (including residents of the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and towns of Clifton, Herndon and Vienna) who are experiencing difficulties during COVID-19. Below are some resources to utilize and share with anyone you know who may need help. Fairfax County residents may call 703.222.0880 for information and referrals to services. Virginia residents outside Fairfax County may dial 211 to be connected with services in their community.
Britepaths
Our Mission is to provide our neighbors in need with short-term safety-net services and empower them to work toward long-term self-sufficiency.