On December 21, we distributed grocery store gift cards to 22 families who live in the City of Fairfax to help them weather the pandemic. Ms. P expressed her gratitude. She and her husband have both experienced job setbacks since March. We are grateful to the City of Fairfax Government for granting us CARES Act funds to offer food assistance and digital access support to City families who are struggling during this difficult time.
All of us at Britepaths are so grateful for the outpouring of support that we received in 2020 so that we could assist so many families like Ms. P's. Because of your generosity and the support of our Grantors, we were able to provide $771,917 in Financial Assistance to help 1,377 people in 423 households stay in their homes and keep the lights on. And $618,104 in Food Assistance to keep food on the table for 2,453 people in 694 households. Click Here to see more photos, thank you notes and videos from our grateful families.
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Thank You for Helping Our Families for the Holidays! |
A big thank you to everyone who donated funds and gift cards and sponsored our Holiday Program in 2020. In this most difficult year, we were grateful to be able to help our families put aside their struggles for a few days and enjoy a festive meal and gifts for their children. Because of your support, more than 500 Fairfax County area families in need were able to enjoy some holiday cheer.
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The families, faculty and staff of Pinecrest School donated gift cards to help our families.
Click Here to see thank yous and photos from the season.
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The Fairfax Turkey Trot in Mantua went virtual for Thanksgiving 2020, and was very different from previous years, but the giving spirit of the participants stayed strong! We are so grateful to everyone who ran, trotted and sponsored this fun annual event. They donated more than $7,000 in proceeds to provide help and hope to our families at a time when the need is so great.
A special thank you to sponsors Moms of Mantua, Sarah Harrington of Long & Foster Real Estate, and Caboose Brewing Company. This is the fifth year the Fairfax Turkey Trot has chosen Britepaths' families as their beneficiaries, and we are so grateful for their ongoing support.
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Democratic Women of Clifton and Northern Virginia |
These funds will allow us to send grocery store gift cards to our families to fulfill BOTH our January 10 *and* 24 food deliveries!
They have been holding this drive for us for more than a decade. We're so grateful for their ongoing support.
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DWCNVA's Jane Barker (left) delivered the donations to our Programs Director Christina Garris on Jan. 5, and it was so great to see her.
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Celebrate MLK's Legacy With the Budget Bean Game |
As we celebrated the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on Monday, we also wanted to honor the work he did for economic justice.
In the video, Britepaths and the Financial Empowerment Center at South County walks you through a budgeting activity called the Budgeting Bean Game, which you and your family and friends can complete on your own. It's best for ages 12 and up.
This activity teaches budgeting tools and tips, and also highlights the financial struggles that many of our Northern Virginia neighbors face, especially during the pandemic. Click Here for Game Materials and Resources. And Please Share!
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The video features long-time Financial Literacy volunteer Rhonda Brown, accompanied by our Financial Coach and Trainer Martha Borowski, leading FECSoCo Director Maria Jose Cantoni and our volunteers Ryan and Matthias through the activity. |
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The struggles we saw in 2020 surprised and tested us all. But it was the tremendous response from Britepaths' community of supporters that really moved us. To all of you who stepped up to help our neighbors survive a turbulent year, thank you. We truly could not have done it without you.
Though we can start to see light at the end of the tunnel, we know the struggle will continue for some time for many of our clients. We'll need a strong and sustained effort to keep families moving forward – from survival to self-sufficiency – through this year and beyond.
By choosing to support Britepaths monthly, you increase our capacity to both respond to needs as they arise, and better plan for support in advance. Please visit our donation page today to start your monthly investment.
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Foundation for Financial Planning |
Britepaths and the Financial Empowerment Center at South County are honored to have once again been awarded an operating grant from the Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) to help fund our one-on-one Financial Literacy initiatives for 2021, and a grant through their new Communities of Color program in partnership with BNY Mellon’s Pershing, to help connect more families of color with Certified Financial Planners during this time of economic uncertainty. FFP has supported our Financial Counseling and Mentoring efforts since 2013, and many of our outstanding volunteers are Certified Financial Planners who learn about us through FFP. We're so grateful for this vital support to help more community members better understand and improve their finances.
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Britepaths and the Financial Empowerment Center at South County are grateful to Macro Systems, LLC owner Howard Cunningham and his helpful staff members, who have been providing us with pro bono IT support for many years. We highly recommend their services!
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Britepaths is grateful to the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation for providing a $3,500 grant to our Food Bridge Program to help us provide food to local families in need. This is the second year we have received this generous award, and we are grateful for their support.
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Thank you to My McLean Dentist for providing a very generous donation to Britepaths in honor of one of their patients. We're grateful for their support, and also the recommendation!
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Just before the holidays, we had a visit from our friends at the Fair Oaks office of MBH Settlement Group. We're so grateful that they chose us to receive a generous donation to help our families. Thank you!
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Virtual Financial Literacy and Workforce Development Coaching and Classes |
Services include free and confidential Financial Coaching, Workforce/Job Readiness Consulting, Small Business Consulting and Tax Preparation Consulting.
Among our classes and workshops are:
- Financial Empowerment & Career Building Workshops
- Healthy Eating Workshop Series in English and Spanish
- Small Business Workshop Series
- Tax Debt Relief Clinic
- Free Legal Assistance with Fairfax Law Foundation
- Computer Course for Beginners
- Food Entrepreneur Workshop Series in English and Spanish
- Student Loan Guidance
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Free Financial Coaching via NOVA Housing Expo |
The Expo offers a variety of resources for Northern Virginia residents seeking to rent or buy a home. Their web site hosts virtual exhibitors and monthly workshops, in addition to a link to register for our Financial Counseling sessions. Read More
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Fairfax County staff are working hard across multiple agencies to assist County residents 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.
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Britepaths
Our Mission is to provide our Fairfax County area neighbors in need with short-term safety-net services and empower them to work toward long-term self-sufficiency.
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