Hartwood Foundation Annual

Meeting & Awards Dinner

On April 9th, the Hartwood held its' annual meeting and awards dinner at Maggiano's in Tysons Corner. As we wish we could have had all of our residents and staff attend this function, we were fortunate enough to have 75 residents, employees and board members together for a fun night. Everyone enjoyed a fine assortment of Italian fare and desserts.

This year we were excited to thank the McVean family (pictured above) for their consistent support of all things Hartwood Foundation. The annual Hartwood Open golf tournament was started to honor Larry Stout, a Hartwood resident. Loretta, Chrissy, Tommy and Patrick McVean have been amazing stewards of the tournament, and we thank them for their support!

On the board front, we are proud to announce that the following board members were unanimously re-elected to three-year terms: Christian Brown, Kathy Lombard and Kevin McCarthy. WE thank you for your continued service on the board of directors!

We were extremely proud to reward a select few employees for their longevity (see photos below) and their exemplary work with our residents. Along with tenure awards, we were happy to reward:

Manager of the Year; Lavonda Davis

Professional of the Year; Tila Jones

Employee of the Year; Carol Cox, Henrico Direct Support Professional

(see photos below)

Pictured below with Sean McGinnis, Executive Director and Apuzo Ibe, Human Resources Manager.

Lastly, we would like to recognize our Rising Stars within Hartwood. These are newer employees who are showing the drive and resolve towards greatness that we appreciate in all of our staff.

Rising Stars for 2023 are:

Victor Nesbitt, Belleview Programs Shift Supervisor

Christiana Darko, Direct Support Professional in Fairfax Team 3

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Your amazing work is greatly appreciated and

our residents are eternally grateful!

30 years of Service -

Kim Dunzo

30 Years of Service -

Ramzie Juxon-Smith

30 Years of Service -

Linda Lovelace

15 Years of Service -

Antoine Elliott

15 Years of Service -

Apuzo Ibe

15 Years of Service - Eldred Ahlakor

Manager of the Year

Lavonda Davis

Professional of the Year

Tila Jones

PICTURE FORTHCOMING

Employee of the Year

Carol Cox

Volunteers build a patio cover at a group home on Long Pine Drive in North Springfield.

Church volunteers fix up two group homes

Nine men with developmental disabilities living in two group homes in the North Springfield area got a nice surprise when they returned from outings Saturday evening.

While they were gone, volunteers from several Annandale churches spent the day fixing up their homes.

The annual event is carried out by a partnership of the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) and the Arlington-Fairfax-Falls Church affiliate of Rebuilding Together. ACCA sponsors two homes a year.

Sixteen people from John Calvin Presbyterian Church, Ravensworth Baptist Church, and Providence Presbyterian Church worked on a home on Long Pine Drive.

The kitchen and living room get a new coat of paint.

They painted the interior, built a roof for the backyard patio, and built planter boxes. Volunteers from Queen of Apostles Catholic Church brought lunch for the workers.

Another volunteer team – from Annandale United Methodist Church and St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church – fixed up a group home on Southampton Drive in Kings Park.

The church members painted and extended the carport, lined the driveway with gravel, painted the fence, and power-washed and stained the deck. Lincolnia United Methodist Church supplied lunch.

Volunteers fix up the exterior of this house in Kings Park.

The two homes are among the 17 group homes for developmentally and intellectually disabled adults operated by the Hartwood Foundation. Some of the occupants also have physical disabilities. Fifteen of the homes are in Fairfax County; the other two are in Henrico County outside Richmond.

The average age of occupants is mid-50s, says Hartwood Executive Director Sean McGinnis. Each home is overseen by a staff member 24/7.

ACCA donates funds to Rebuilding Together, which is used for paint, lumber, and other supplies, says Laurie Lewis of John Calvin Presbyterian Church. The Hartwood Foundation works with ACCA to determine what needs to be done and what the volunteers can handle.

This article was featured in Annandale Today on April 29, 2024.

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