Volume One | August 2021
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From the Director's Desk...
Dear Friends,

Here at Porto Charities, Inc. we are embarking on a new era of outreach and support for inclusive education, employment and housing in the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Building on the past successes of our organization, we are extending our efforts to a whole new generation of individuals with disabilities and their families. Check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@portocharities).

WHAT'S NEW...
First and foremost...I'm new! Coming onboard as PCI's first Executive Director is quite an honor; and I am humbled by our Board of Director's confidence in me to increase services to the Porto Community. I look forward to working with you to insure that ALL of God's children in our Diocese have the opportunity to reach their full potential through inclusive education and inclusive employment...all within the framework of an inclusive community.

As we emerge from this pandemic, Porto Charities is on the verge of expanding our resources and outreach efforts. The PCI Board of Directors and I are undertaking a self-evaluation as we look forward to growing in the not-to-distant future. This means adding new members to the Board of Directors to take on the additional tasks we are setting before us. We are also in the initial development stages of a Parents Advisory Council to work with us on the ever-changing needs of the children in our community. As a result, we have rededicated ourselves to working closely with the Diocese of Arlington, Office of Catholic Schools and local employers to ensure that more opportunities are made available for inclusion.

All the Best,
Larry Rzepka
Executive Director
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Sunday, September 26, 2021, 10:30 AM

Friday, October 8, 2021, 9:00 AM

Sunday, October 24, 2021 (Details to be Forthcoming)
Proposed Diocese of Arlington Inclusive Education Conference - Bishop O'Connell High School

Saturday, November 13, 2021, 5:30 PM
Inclusion Catalysts
Recognizing our Friends who have made a Significant Difference toward an Inclusive Community
ST. MARK Catholic School
2021 PCI Grant Recipient

Making Catholic education accessible to students of all abilities has been the goal of ST. MARK Catholic School since their inception in 2003. ST. MARK was the first elementary school in the Diocese of Arlington to welcome students with intellectual disabilities, establishing the Evangelist Program and dedicating a classroom for one-on-one and small group instruction. 

To better support this important mission, their Evangelist Program and Resource Program have combined their talents and resources as the Student Support Services team. In doing so, they are more fully equipped to serve the students entrusted to their care, to address a wider range of learning abilities, and to be able to say “Welcome to ST. MARK” to all families wishing a Catholic education for their children.  
Michael Eisenberg
PCI Board of Directors

Michael Eisenberg has served as Secretary for Porto Charities' Board of Directors for the past ten years and has been actively involved in the nonprofit world serving either as a board member or an active volunteer.  

Before he retired, Mike was a professional investment manager for a national private bank and managed investment portfolios for many nonprofit organizations including several in the Capital region. Mike is very active with numerous programs to support individuals with special needs in our area. 

His daughter, Elizabeth, has special needs and graduated from Diocesan middle and high schools. She received a college degree from the George Mason University LIFE Program and is now employed as a classroom assistant at one of our parishes.
Meet Our Team of Volunteers!

Guadalupe Williamson, Webmaster
Guadalupe is the genius behind our new web design. Her experience in digital communications and nonprofit work are leading PCI boldly into the future. Her dedication to our mission is what drives her.
 


Carmen Chiappetta, Outreach Coordinator
Carmen brings her passion for inclusive education and bringing people together to work at PCI everyday. She looks forward to meeting the families we serve at our future events.
 


Anna and Emily, Social Media Interns
Anna and Emily are high school students with big hearts for inclusion and social media savvy. They are working every day to bring fresh social media content to our platforms. 
Congratulations!
President Leo Alonso and Executive Director Larry Rzepka celebrate a 2021 grant award with the Basilica School of St. Mary community in Alexandria.
2021 Grant Award Winners!
Even though 2020 was a very hard year for nonprofits throughout the country, Porto Charities was pleased that we were still able to provide grants of over $75,000 to ten Catholic Schools and the Diocese of Arlington in 2021. The recipients are:

●       Diocese of Arlington
●       Basilica School of St. Mary, Alexandria
●       Bishop Ireton HS, Alexandria
●       Bishop Denis J. O'Connell HS, Arlington
●       Holy Spirit School, Annandale
●       St. Anthony of Padua, Falls Church
●       St. John Paul the Great, Potomac Shores
●       St. Mark Evangelist School, Vienna
●       St. Theresa School, Ashburn
●       St. Thomas More School, Arlington
●       St. Veronica School, Chantilly
Did You Know?
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Porto Charities, Inc. every time you shop at no cost to you. You’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Porto Charities, Inc.

AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones.
Thank You for Supporting Porto Charities, Inc.!
Porto Charities Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable and educational organization (Tax ID #30-0544129).
 Contributions to Porto Charities are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.