Housing, Help and Hope for Older Adults |
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VA Housing – A Proud Partner
“Ready to Respond” In-Kind Drive
Resident Life
Christy's Corner
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Summer Miller: A Volunteer Story
Welcome Kenyanna Haggans
Call for Interns
2023 Annual Report
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VA Housing—A Proud Partner
with Fellowship Square in
Providing Senior Housing
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In the early 1970's, Virginia Housing financed Fellowship Square’s Lake Anne Fellowship House. It was one of the first properties financed by the organization, which was founded as the Virginia Housing Development Authority in 1972. Today, Virginia Housing continues to work to help Virginians attain quality, affordable housing, providing mortgages to first-time homebuyers and financing for rental developments and neighborhood revitalization efforts.
In the time since Virginia Housing and Fellowship Square first collaborated, Virginia Housing grants have funded staff training and service expansions, strategic planning, the annual board meeting and emergency Covid-19 relief for Fellowship Square. Virginia Housing is also a sponsor of Fellowship Square’s Winter Wonderland holiday benefit.
Affordable housing is in short supply in Northern Virginia, and providing seniors with places to live that fit their budget is as important as ever. Fellowship Square is one of the region’s few providers of independent living for low-income seniors, and Virginia Housing is thrilled to work with an organization so closely aligned with its mission. You can learn more about Virginia Housing’s programs for individuals, families, businesses and nonprofit and government partners by visiting its website.
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Your Support Keeps Our Residents Ready for Any Emergency |
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Our "Ready to Respond" in-kind donation drive
begins March 1!
Help support our residents by donating essential items like blankets, first aid kits and flashlights to your local Fellowship House or via our Amazon wish list.
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We're Excited to Share Our
2023 Annual Report!
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We're thrilled to showcase our achievements from 2023
and highlight the impact of YOUR SUPPORT!
(Watch for our Annual Report to be released later in March.)
Thank you for being a part of our journey!
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A Month of Heart-Filled Celebrations |
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Hunters Woods
Fellowship House
Hunters Woods residents celebrated the Lunar New Year with a vibrant celebration that marked the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar. It's a time of family gatherings, delicious feasts, colorful decorations and traditional customs.
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Residents performing a traditional Chinese dance during the Lunar New year festival. |
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Largo Landing
Fellowship House
Heart Month is a dedicated time to raise awareness about heart health, particularly among older adults. With age, the risk of heart disease increases, making it crucial for older individuals to prioritize cardiovascular wellness. The Largo Landing residents enjoyed healthy snacks and education related to healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced diet, and managing stress.
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Residents enjoying snacks and learning about heart health. |
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Lake Ridge
Fellowship House
February is all about the heart— a time to learn ways to prevent heart disease. Our residents at Lake Ridge learned about heart health and important ways to maintain good heart strength. They also received heart-shaped stress balls.
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(left to right) Residents Judith L, Margaret B. and Annette B. enjoying their party favors. |
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Warm Hearts, Full Bellies |
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It’s easy to forget that many people in the US, especially young children and older adults, go hungry or have a fear of going hungry as part of daily living. For many reasons, older adults have a hard time accessing convenient healthy food on a regular basis and end up lacking adequate nutrition which is crucial throughout the aging process.
In January, AARP published an alarming report revealing that millions of adults age 50 and older regularly struggle to find food, and in many cases their food insecurity exacerbates chronic health conditions.
At Fellowship Square, we provide groceries and meals to residents through numerous partnerships and in-kind donations through our Fellowship Fresh food program. We are very fortunate to have many generous organizations, businesses, Churches and others that regularly supply the food that our residents need.
We also rely on the generosity of donors who make financial contributions to support this program and our mission overall which includes our Resident Emergency Fund – having funds available that allows us to take immediate action when a resident needs help paying an unexpected bill or purchasing food for them to eat.
While housing has been and will continue to be what we do and what we are known for, filling the gap of the many services our residents need when life gets tough is a top priority. I hope you will consider how you may be able to get involved in our mission and help us support older adults like volunteering to collect, package or deliver meals and food.
Keep an eye out for our 2023 Annual Report showcasing the important work we did last year – and giving you a few ideas of how you can help. I hope you will be inspired to donate time, money or your talents to our organization.
With gratitude,
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Heart Health in Older Adults
According to the National Library of Medicine, for people older than 75, Congestive Heart Failure occurs 10 times more often than in younger adults.
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A Journey of Service:
Summer Miller’s Volunteer Experience
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With her new office flooded with documents, boxes and files left over from years of documentation, Lake Ridge Fellowship House’s newly appointed Service Coordinator, Grace Foster, needed help. The mess left her feeling cramped and created additional challenges when trying to assist residents. She reached out to Fellowship Square’s Volunteer Program Manager in hopes of finding volunteer administrative assistance, and was put in touch with Summer Miller, a Woodbridge native and Northern Virginia Community College student. Soon after, what was meant to be a one-off volunteer position would soon become a one-hundred-hour service project for Summer. This opportunity allowed her to become involved as a volunteer health presenter and impact residents in a personal way.
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SERVICE COORDINATOR INTERN |
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Welcome Kenyanna Haggans! |
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Kenyanna Haggans earned her bachelor’s degree in general psychology from Liberty University and is currently a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She will be assisting Fellowship Square as a Service Coordinator intern as part of the Field Placement Program with VCU.
Originally from North Carolina, Kenyanna gained experience serving many demographics within her community throughout her adolescence and adult years. From reading to children with special needs at the tender age of 10, to volunteering at assistive nursing facilities beginning at age 14, eventually becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant at age 19, Kenyanna understands the importance of helping those in need and is always willing to serve others by providing vital resources, guidance, and positive, empathetic reassurance.
Kenyanna currently resides in Arlington, VA with her 7-year-old son and is employed at a community service board that serves individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues. She hopes to provide a multitude of services to various demographics with the goal of improving their mental well-being and overall quality of life once she has completed her degree program.
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Participation in Thrivent Choice® &
Thrivent Action Teams makes a difference!
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Watch our communities
in action on our
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We post articles, updates on activities and events, our monthly newsletter, and pertinent information regarding our properties. |
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