Empowering Enrichment

EIN: 81-1552430

Mission Statement

Our mission is to expand access to financial literacy and entrepreneurship education for underserved K-12 students to empower them to build brighter futures.

Program Summary

Empowering Enrichment offers high-impact after-school enrichment programs and summer camps that equip underserved K–12 students in Arlington Public Schools with practical life and career skills often unavailable in traditional classrooms. Our core programs focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, leadership and career exploration, helping students build confidence, critical thinking and real-world readiness.

Through engaging, age-appropriate activities, students learn key concepts such as budgeting, saving, investing and business creation, as well as transferrable soft skills like teamwork, public speaking and adaptability. Programs are customized for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

Our goal is to close opportunity gaps by ensuring that students in low-income and underserved communities gain access to the same future-shaping enrichment experiences often available only in better-resourced schools. By making these programs free to partner schools and families, Empowering Enrichment helps level the playing field and prepares students to become financially capable, entrepreneurial and empowered future leaders.

Impact Statement

Empowering Enrichment creates measurable, lasting impact by expanding access to transformative enrichment opportunities for students who are too often excluded from them. Our programs equip underserved K–12 students with practical financial literacy, entrepreneurship knowledge, and critical soft skills—such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence—that strengthen both academic and life outcomes.

By exposing students to real-world concepts like budgeting, business creation and career pathways, Empowering Enrichment helps broaden aspirations, unlock potential, and build a stronger sense of future possibility. Students gain not only knowledge, but also the self-belief and decision-making skills needed to navigate school, work, and adulthood more successfully.

Our impact extends beyond individual students: schools and community partners are able to offer high-quality enrichment without added financial strain. In this way, Empowering Enrichment helps close opportunity gaps, while empowering communities to create positive long-term change.

What ways can the public get involved?

The public can support Empowering Enrichment in several meaningful ways. Individuals and organizations can make financial contributions to help fund free programming for underserved students, sponsor a specific school or community-based initiatives, or introduce Empowering Enrichment to potential donors, corporate partners and grantmakers. 

Community members can also volunteer by helping connect Empowering Enrichment with schools, youth-serving organizations, and local leaders who can benefit from our programs. In addition, members of the public can volunteer as facilitators/instructors to be trained, mentors, or advocates who help expand access to our financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs in their communities.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Charitable donations directly support the delivery of free educational programs promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship for underserved students. Funds are used to subsidize program access for low-income schools and families, develop and adapt curriculum materials, train facilitators, provide instructional resources, and support program coordination and outreach.

Empowering Enrichment operates with a lean leadership structure designed to maximize program impact. The Executive Director and Board of Directors serve on a volunteer basis, minimizing administrative overhead to virtually zero (besides IT and banking/accounting/financial reporting expenses) so that the greatest possible share of donated funds goes directly toward student programs and services. Every dollar is stewarded carefully to create meaningful, lasting opportunities for the children and communities we serve.  

Information provided April 2026

Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA)

EIN: 84-2182585

Mission Statement

Build a resilient, community-driven urban agriculture sector that provides a fair, healthy, sustainable food system for all Arlingtonians.

Program Summary

Plot Against Hunger: The Plot Against Hunger program is the only program in Arlington County whose sole mission is to grow fresh produce for Arlington residents in need. Through this program, we support over 100 Arlington gardens and gardeners who donate fresh produce weekly to local food pantries and pantries. Our gleaning program mobilizes volunteers to collect excess farm produce to prevent food waste and fight hunger. In addition to the network of gardens and gleaning, this program includes public education and engagement. Examples include seed and seedling giveaways, Central Library Garden Talks, and a Spring Garden Kick-Off event.

Urban Garden Partnerships: FOUA creates partnerships across public, private, civic, and non-profit communities to transform and enhance urban spaces to produce food. Two notable projects arethe HUG (Highland Urban Garden) project in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood involving several civic organizations, and the Terborgh Urban Garden located in the Donaldson Run neighborhood in collaboration with Northern Virginia Conservation Trust.

Public Policy: FOUA supports public policies that support urban agriculture entrepreneurs, support farmers’ markets, encourage developers to include urban agricultural elements, and institutionalize support of public school programs and curriculum.  

Community Engagement: FOUA raises awareness of urban agriculture through educational, outreach, and social events such as October Urban Agriculture Month events and our annual Golden Radish Award. Our seed and seedling giveaways, Central Library Garden Talks, and a Spring Garden Kick Off provide all kinds of interaction and information sharing. FOUA has engaged hundreds of new and experienced gardeners to volunteer in private and community gardens, gleaning at farms, and packaging and distributing of produce to local food pantries. We receive multiple inquiries each week from school groups, private employer groups, and individuals looking to serve their neighbors in a fun, active, and meaningful way.

Impact Statement

FOUA believes that a resilient, community-driven urban agriculture sector drives improvements in public health, fights hunger and food insecurity, boosts economic health, and addresses environmental challenges, including stormwater management and heat stress. Through our programs, volunteers.

In 2024, our growers and garden teams harvested and donated more than 64,000 pounds of fresh produce (valued at $122,252) to Arlington food banks and pantries! We’re still harvesting and gleaning for 2025.

What ways can the public get involved?

The public can volunteer in our community gardens, grow produce at home for donation, glean at local farms, support our farmers markets, and urban farmers.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Your donation helps us provide the vital inputs gardens need to grow each season: seeds and seedlings, soil amendments, tools, and volunteers.

Information provided April 2026

Arlington Bridge Builders

EIN: 90-0950744

Mission Statement

Arlington Bridge Builders is an interdenominational network of churches working with each other, individuals, non-profits, businesses, and civic agencies to seek the flourishing of our community.

Program Summary

Our emphasis on Community Service focuses on five impact areas, with key programs in each: 

• 1. Poverty Alleviation: food pantry, rent and utility assistance, job training
• 2. Vulnerable Children: after-school program for at-risk students
• 3. Serving Immigrants: English conversation classes, Citizenship classes, Client services
• 4. Neighboring: Community and cultural festivals, Arlington Turkey Trot
• 5. Spiritual & Mental Health: pastoral and professional counseling 

Impact Statement

• Our food pantry provides food for over 1,000 people each week. Most of the recipients are immigrants living on the social and economic margins, but we are also seeing a significant increase in professionals facing food insecurity for the first time.  
• Our English conversation classes not only help immigrants practice English, they help connect neighbors to one another, providing the broader social relationships that immigrants need to thrive. 
• Our citizenship classes help immigrants prepare for the naturalization exam. Approximately 15 students enroll in each course, with most taking the exam. 
• Our after-school program focuses on students who are not at grade level in math or reading, and are at risk of falling behind for a lifetime. We are not only seeing increased academic proficiency in the students, but also hope and determination to succeed. 
• We coordinate the annual Arlington Turkey Trot, to bring together people from all over Arlington for a fun social event that raises over $250,000 each year, directed not to Arlington Bridge Builders but to local nonprofits serving our most vulnerable neighbors. 

What ways can the public get involved?

• Food pantry: volunteers can donate, pick up and distribute food. We also have a hospitality tent to welcome recipients and encourage conversation. 
• English conversation: volunteers can meet with 1-3 immigrants who want to practice speaking English. 
• Citizenship class: volunteers can help immigrants prepare for the naturalization exam. 
• After-school program: volunteers can help teach English or math, as well as help lead enrichment activities. 
• Arlington Turkey Trot: volunteers are needed to serve as course marshals, hand out water and snacks, help set up and take down equipment. 

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

• $50 provides a backpack and supplies for a needy child$100 provides materials for one child in our after-school program
• $250 helps our food pantry feed a family for one month
• $500 helps provide one month’s rent for a family facing eviction
• $1,000 helps employ a Client Support representative who helps serves vulnerable neighbors and connects them with other resources

Information provided April 2026

Arlington Concert Band Association

EIN: 45-5529489

Mission

Arlington Concert Band (ACB), a program of Arlington Community Learning in Arlington, Virginia, is a wind ensemble made up of more than 70 professional music educators and dedicated, talented amateur musicians. We perform regularly throughout the community and play an assortment of music including marches, show tunes, and classical arrangements. ACB’s mission focuses on:

• Bringing a mix of family friendly, professional music to the community for all to enjoy.
• Providing an outlet for members of the Arlington community to make playing music a lifelong activity

Program Summary

We perform regularly throughout the community and play an assortment of music including marches, show tunes, and classical arrangements. We provide free concerts and feature student soloists in some of our concerts.

Impact Statement

We bring a mix of family friendly, professional music to the community for all to enjoy. We provide an outlet for members of the Arlington community to make playing music a lifelong activity.

What ways can the public get involved?

We encourage all Arlingtonians to attend our free concerts and enjoy concert band music at its finest. Adult musicians can also contact the band to see if there is an opening in the band for new musicians.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Charitable funds are spent on purchasing new music, concert marketing and promotions, and concert recordings. 

Information provided March 2026

Youth To Society Sports League (Y2S Sports)

EIN: 99-3901026

Mission

Youth suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people, and mental health issues have reached epidemic levels. Our mission brings a proactive approach and introduces a ‘new concept’ to the youth sports industry, combining sports and community service to empower and equip youth with essential social and emotional life skills to create positive change for the betterment of humanity

Program Summary

Y2S Sports brings a new concept and combines sports and community service to develop positive mental health skills. Our program is run like an organized sport, with ten-week seasons in the fall, winter, and spring, with camps in the summer. Each season, coaches are trained in the curriculum to deliver weekly practices that build character and socio-emotional skills in a fun, non-competitive, ‘sports’ environment designed around one community service project.

Impact Statement

Our program is designed to reach and impact all youth, regardless of socioeconomic status. Through equipping the minds of the next generation, we bring a proactive approach to the decline in youth mental health that impacts the future of the world by raising a changed generation for society.   

What ways can the public get involved?

We offer various ways to get involved, including leadership roles for high school athletes and through our community and corporate partnerships. We are always looking for local nonprofits within our community to collaborate with to provide players with volunteer opportunities to positively impact and support local initiatives and cultivate a sense of altruism and empathy in future generations.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

Measuring Our Impact: To truly demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, we need robust software to track and measure outcomes. We can show how our program positively shapes young athletes by analyzing metrics like skill development, self-confidence, and team cohesion. This data will help us improve and share our success stories with partners, communities, and funders.

Supporting Our “Every Kid Plays” Policy: At Y2S Sports, we believe no child should be excluded from participating due to financial barriers. Your grant would directly support our efforts to provide scholarships and cover essential costs, ensuring that every child—regardless of their background—has access to a safe, inclusive, and transformative sports experience.

Supporting our community service projects. To allow kids to have more hands-on experience, we don’t want to have our players raise the funds to fund the project. We partner with other nonprofit missions to help support their cause and donate whatever is needed to fulfill the project

Information provided March 2025

Food Pantry at St. George’s

Mission Statement

The mission of our Food Pantry, Arlington’s longest running, active food pantry: to serve as a vital source of food and fellowship for Arlingtonians who are in great need. Our goals and commitment – to provide equitable access to resources and opportunities needed for EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER to be healthy, safe, and economically secure.

Program Summary

The Food Pantry at Saint George’s Episcopal Church, the oldest in Arlington, was established in 1989. Our mission is to serve as a vital source of food and fellowship for people in need in the Arlington community. By partnering with parishioners, local organizations, and individuals in the area, we help create a community solution to a community challenge.  It is a fully-volunteer, unpaid Church ministry.

We provide one bag of food items that will last a client for 2 days, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Typical items include bottled water, boxed milk, canned vegetables, canned and microwavable pasta, canned and instant soup, instant oatmeal, applesauce cups, snacks, and fresh fruit.  Basic personal care staples, baby wipes and diapers are also handed out.

Impact Statement

Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we serve approximately an average of 70 Arlingtonian’s daily.  During the first quarter of 2026, the highest number of guests we served in one day topped 108.  Visiting us each day we are open provides clients’ food to last six days.  

No one is denied food.  Clients are welcome to a wide variety of food offerings.  Baby wipes and diapers are handed out for mothers with infants.

Our number of Food Pantry clients is steadily increasing.  The number of clients served doubled from 2024 to 2025 and the start of 2026 shows a similar trend.

What ways can the public get involved?

We would be most grateful for cash donations that will allow us to replenish our weekly food supplies.  We appreciate food donations that include bottled water, canned and boxed food goods.  We welcome volunteers who can help prepare our bagged items and feed those who come to our Food Pantry.   

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

• $5.25 will provide one client two days-worth of groceries.
• $15.75 will provide one client a week’s worth of groceries.
• $63 will provide one client a month’s worth of groceries. 

Information provided March 2026

Little Beginnings Child Development Center

EIN: 52-1306992

Mission Statement

Established in 1986, Little Beginnings Child Development Center℠ is a non-profit, year-round, full-day childcare center based in Arlington, Virginia.

At Little Beginnings we believe that each child is entitled to responsive and respectful care, attuned to his or her developmental abilities, individual temperament, and interests. Through a collaborative framework, parents and teachers work together to create an inclusive, safe and nurturing environment where all children will grow and thrive.   

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

As a non-profit organization, we welcome children and families from all backgrounds. Donations assist us with providing high-quality education to low-income children at our center. 

Information provided March 2026

Bridges to Independence

EIN: 54-1368484

Mission Statement

Bridges to Independence leads individuals and families out of poverty and into stable, independent futures.

Since 1985, Bridges to Independence has empowered 16,000 homeless children and families in Arlington. What began as a small shelter has grown into a multifaceted children and family services agency.

Program Summary

Bridges provides the following programs for children and families experiencing homelessness in Arlington:

• Shelter: Bridges operates Arlington County’s largest emergency family shelter with approximately 50 beds across 15 apartment units and includes a 24-hour food pantry. The median length of stay is 90 days. 2 out of 3 shelter residents are children. 
• Youth Development: The program transforms the lives of children. Activities include arts and crafts, tutoring, cooking, music, swim lessons, STEM workshops, and field trips.  The young people improve their grades, self-esteem, job readiness, and health. Staff find students internships in the field of their choice. For the last seven consecutive years, 100% of high school seniors at Bridges are graduating on time and will continue on to college, job training, employment, or most often, a combination of these.
• Housing: Bridges provides rental assistance, housing placement support for families, and daily case management at the Rapid Rehousing program. Staff connect families to additional resources to access financial assistance, legal counseling, mental health services, and medical care. 
• Community Services Center: Bridges offers a walk-in referral and information resource in South Arlington. Residents may meet regularly with a case manager. The Center offers health screenings, school supplies for students, and community classes on topics such as parenting, tenant rights, and nutrition. 
• Workforce Development: Bridges provides seminars and counseling to transition working adults from minimum wage to a livable wage. The staff helps them find and maintain employment through partnerships with local businesses in Arlington while reducing barriers to employment, such as childcare, transportation, and professional certifications for workers to maintain employment and earn promotions.

Impact Statement

• In 2025, Bridges served 535 individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness in Arlington.
• 60% of the individuals served in our programs were children. 
• The Youth Development Program effectively reduced the school dropout rate for homeless students in Arlington. For the 9th consecutive year, 100% of high school seniors at Bridges are graduating on time and continuing on to college, job training, a career, or most often, a combination of these.
• Bridges has an 80% success rate in moving families to permanent destinations who have been experiencing homelessness.
• 7 in 10 adults eligible for employment had income at the time they exited the Rapid Rehousing Program.
• 92% of families remained permanently housed after exiting the Rapid Rehousing Program.
• 3 out of 4 families maintained or increased their household income upon exit of the Bridges Rapid Rehousing Program.
• 260+ Arlington residents accessed referrals, resources, and services at the Bridges BAJ Community Services Center.
• 0 families were removed from the shelter without a safe place to go. Staff ensure that all families move from the shelter into housing, and no family is ever thrown out and left on the streets.

What ways can the public get involved?

• Donate: Money, food, clothing, household supplies, and resources that go directly to our community. 
• Volunteer: Projects include gardening, tutoring, collecting supplies for our back-to-school donation drive or holiday toy drive, assembling Snack Sacks, and more!
• Join a committee: Join the Bridges events, communications and advocacy, or fundraising committee.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

• $50- one pair of children’s sneakers
• $100- GED or ESL course registration fee
• $250- afterschool programming for one child
• $500- one month of groceries for a family
• $1,000- financial literacy and career workshops
• $2,000- one month of rent for a family

Information provided March 2026

Arlington Historical Society

EIN: 54-0920730

Mission Statement

Our mission is to improve our community by building knowledge of our diverse history.

The Arlington Historical Society, founded in 1956, is a nonprofit educational organization incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Arlington Historical Society conducts research to preserve and disseminate knowledge relating to the history, archaeology, material culture, geography,  and socio-economic development of Arlington County, Virginia.

Program Summary

The society fulfills its mission by providing historic resources for the community, including two historic properties (the Arlington Historical Museum and the Ball-Sellers House) and its artifact collection; original historical research (such as the Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington project) and publications (including an annual scholarly magazine); the discovery, collection, preservation and exhibition of artifacts; and the presentation and dissemination of knowledge on the local history of Arlington County (through both recurring monthly events as well as individual community events), and all of this is free to the public.

Impact Statement

AHS builds community by spreading awareness and appreciation of our shared history. 

Our museums reach life-long residents, newcomers who want to learn about their new community and out of town guests who learn about Arlington’s role in just about every aspect of US history. 

Our current project, Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington involves original research of the enslaved in Arlington, including their names (where available from the historic record), their occupations and place of enslavement. This information is available on our website, and it is made accessible to the public through community events and through “stumbling stones” which are markers that will be placed throughout the community to commerate the lives of the enslaved. We are working with Arlington County Public Schools to produce the stumbling stones and the County to place the stumbling stones. The first 18 of an estimated 2750 have been produced and placed as a pilot program, and more will be regularly produced and placed.

Additionally, AHS is actively involved in community outreach and many people gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of our county’s history through our monthly events, special events at our museums and our involvement with numerous civic and other community events.

What ways can the public get involved?

• Become a member: membership starts at $35. Get monthly email, quarterly newsletter, annual Arlington Historical Magazine, and 10% discount on any AHS purchase.
• Donate artifacts of Arlington history. Help us tell Arlington’s story.
• Donate financial support for the work of AHS and preservation of our two museums.
• Volunteer with AHS in any of our wide variety of opportunities. We’ll help you find something you’ll find rewarding and fun.

How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?

AHS has very little overhead, and virtually all money raised goes directly into our program. Our significant expenditures include operating and maintaining our two historic properties, the oldest extant school building in the county and the oldest extant structure in the county, maintaining our artifact collection, holding our events and educating the public through our digital and physical content.

We have recently completed preservation work on the Arlington Historical Museum, housed in the historic 1891 Hume School. We have updated all the exhibits and transformed space previously used for storage into community space that will be used as a center for history education, presentations, co-curated exhibits that highlight our rich diversity, and for general community use. We are raising money for a part time Museum Director, part time Executive director to expand our reach in the community, as well as raising money for preserving the Ball-Sellers House. We are also raising money for the stumbling stones for the Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington program.

Information provided March 2026