population-scope: Arlington

Avant Bard Theatre (Washington Shakespeare Company)

EIN: 54-1568294

Mission Statement

Founded in 1990 as Washington Shakespeare Company of Arlington County, Avant Bard is a performing arts organization dedicated to producing classic works (both time-tested and contemporary), emphasizing a provocative, bold approach in an intimate setting. Avant Bard is dedicated to showcasing the best emerging talent in the region mentored by seasoned, professional theatre artists and providing meaningful exposure to theatre and related arts through cutting-edge outreach and education programs that promote diversity and community dialogue. Avant Bard is dedicated to accessibility, ensuring that low-and middle- income patrons are always included in the performing arts.

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

Donations to Avant Bard Theatre primarily support the vibrant ecosystem of artists and creatives who bring our productions to life. Your generosity directly impacts our ability to pay actors, designers, and production staff, ensuring that they are compensated fairly for their exceptional work. Additionally, your contributions help fund the creation and construction of sets, the design of costumes, and the development of sound and light designs that enrich the audience’s experience.  Your donations play a crucial role in sustaining and enhancing the artistic quality of our productions.

Information provided March 2025

Arlington Artists Alliance (Alliance Gallery)

EIN: 54-2043690

Mission Statement

Our mission is to champion a vibrant visual arts community by providing exhibition space, professional development, and creative experiences for Arlington’s community. Our vision is to inspire Arlington visual artists to reach their full potential and to enhance Arlington’s quality of life with visual arts, culture and placemaking. Our core values are creativity, inclusivity, camaraderie, and collaboration.

Program Summary

Our organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. We have strong evidence of past grit and determination, fostering a strong artistic community and delivering quality artistic events throughout Arlington.

Our diverse group of over 200 local artists provide the core of our program.  We provide an inclusive community to share ideas, mentorship and growth opportunities to the benefit of our artists and the community.  We create and exhibit approximately 8 exhibitions at our new Alliance Gallery per year.  At least two exhibitions are created to promote underserved communities.  The remainder of the exhibitions are juried by acclaimed artists with both DMV and member artists invited to participate.  In addition we hold 3 weekend long art sale events for the community, collaborate with local businesses and government offices to display our artwork.  And to give back to our community we partner with local non profit groups such as True Ground to support mental health and Home is Where the Art Is to donate local original art to those in need. 

To highlight a few:

Arlington Career Center Exhibition

For the forth year in a row, the Alliance will support local students through a collaborative partnership that engages teenagers in all aspects of exhibition production – from exhibition concept, art creation, framing, promoting and curating the exhibition.

Spring and Winter Artful Weekends at Fort C.F. Smith Park

It’s A Steal

Earth Day on Langston Boulevard

ONGOING:

Through feedback from our partners and program participants, we have learned that our organization provides the artistic knowledge and curatorial expertise that can enhance our partner’s offerings. We meet evident and sustained community needs, attested by our growth in membership, testimonials from community partners, and long-term partnerships with businesses throughout the county. 

Christina Ascani – Arlington Career Center teacher/partner –  “Over and over, students highlight the gallery show as one of the best parts of their school career and as a teacher, it’s always so beautiful to see students work together and celebrate their talents as a community. We are so thankful to the Arlington Artists Alliance for their support and dedication to showcasing students and their creativity.”

Impact Statement

Our artists, partners and community members attest to the significant impact we create for them and our community, the Alliance designs and implements over 110 events annually, providing 1115 artist opportunities and providing exhibitions, displays, and interactive art to over 17,000 Arlingtonians and visitors.

Some of our on-going partnerships include:

As a small business incubator for artists providing opportunities to sell; we drive foot traffic to unique artistic spaces, attracting residents and tourists alike. We provide and sustain a culture of arts in Arlington.

We are proud that we were able to pivot from the loss of our Gallery Underground and studios in 2024 and found and built a new boutique gallery – the Alliance Gallery. We have increased community engagement with record-breaking show attendance, created new programs with partners, established new community exhibitions, increased artist sales, increased funding, and diversified and increased membership and staff. 

What ways can the public get involved?

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

Unfortunately due to the redevelopment of the Crystal City Underground and the subsequent loss of our free space there we now need to pay rent for the first time in our 25 year history.  

Charitable dollars are spent on supporting our staff, paying rent and utilities, expanding exhibition and teaching opportunities to our artists, supporting our student shows (student artists receive 70% of the sales amount, and we donate the remaining proceeds from this show back to the school’s art department).  For example $67 provides the services and supplies needed for 1 student to participate in the Career Center Student Show.  We had 70 students participate last year.

Information provided March 2025

Arlington Free Clinic

EIN: 54-1671883

Mission Statement

Arlington Free Clinic advances health equity by providing comprehensive, whole-person healthcare to our neighbors who would otherwise lack access.

Program Summary

Established in 1994, AFC continues to be Arlington’s only provider of comprehensive healthcare services for adults living with a low income and without health insurance. All AFC patients live in Arlington and have incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Every year, with the help of over 300 volunteers and 45 full/part-time staff, AFC provides access to comprehensive, patient-centered services to approximately 1,600 of our community’s most vulnerable residents. 

AFC’s model is one in which physicians, counselors, pharmacists, dentists, and physical therapists work side-by-side, creating a unique and integrated system of care. Collaborative practice is highly regarded as effective and as a model, is core to how we provide care at AFC. We are also one of the only organizations in Arlington providing direct healthcare services while simultaneously advancing systems-level change. With our paired priorities, we better serve our patients by having a clear understanding of the systemic barriers they face in achieving good health and can bring stronger systems-level solutions to the table as members of county task forces.

Impact Statement

In FY25, AFC provided 9,829 visits to 1,639 unduplicated patients, including: 

We provided 806 meetings with our Community Resource Navigator, who helps patients with needs “beyond the exam room”, including supplemental food, housing assistance, and employment opportunities. We administered 1,889 vaccines (flu, pneumonia, etc.), and filled 27,111 prescriptions (30-day equivalency) through our onsite, licensed pharmacy. All of this care was facilitated through our staff members and 326 volunteers who provided over 13,000 hours of service.

What ways can the public get involved?

Volunteers provide hundreds of hours of service each year in varied medical and non-medical roles, such as interpreters, physicians, counselors, physical therapists, telehealth facilitators, patient eligibility/discharge specialists, fundraisers, and board members.  

Currently, we have a high need for the following roles:  

Volunteers must commit to 1-2 shifts a month. Some appointments can be done via telehealth, and training is provided. For more information about volunteering, please contact AFC’s Volunteer Department at volunteer@arlingtonfreeclinic.org or visit our website: https://www.arlingtonfreeclinic.org/get-involved/volunteer/.    

We also welcome donations of items from our Amazon wish list, which can be found at this link here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1V9U5D30S9GEB?ref_=wl_share 

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

We receive no federal funding, but rely on private donations, foundation grants and the dedication and commitment of hundreds of volunteer doctors, nurses, and other medical/non-medical supporters since we opened our doors in 1994. Every contribution supports our day-to-day operations and makes a tangible difference in the lives of our patients. Specific examples of impact include: 

A photo of a woman administering a blood pressure measurement for a patient.

Information provided March 2026

Clothesline for Arlington Kids

EIN: 81-5100482

Mission Statement

To provide free clothing for school-aged children from low-income families in a dignified setting—through community donations, partner support, and purchased essentials—so they can feel comfortable and confident to learn, grow, and participate fully in school and community life.

Program Summary

The Clothesline collects clothes in new or excellent condition from the community and distributes them to low-income school-aged children  – free of charge.  We operate in a space that is welcoming to our clients and provides a dignified shopping experience.  Families can select clothing twice per year, picking out a full wardrobe for each qualifying child.  The basic wardrobe includes 5 pairs of new underwear and socks (given once per school year), 5 shirts, and 4 pants or shorts.  Additionally, we usually are able to provide shoes, dresses, bras, winter coats, swimsuits, PJs, hat/gloves, and accessories, depending on availability and season.  Our objective is for kids and teens to go to school feeling dignified and comfortable in their clothes so they can concentrate on their education.

Impact Statement

In 2024, thanks to the generosity of the Arlington community, we were able to deliver nearly 55,000 items of clothing to 1,545 low-income school kids in Arlington.  These wardrobes of clothing included nearly 2,200 pairs of shoes as well as 2,000 coats and light jackets.  These kids and families received a full season’s worth of clothing – saving them significant money for their tight budgets.  We were also pleased to move to our new location in 2024, providing a new bright space for families and volunteers.

What ways can the public get involved?

You can support The Clothesline in 4 ways:

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

Your financial donations are essential to making sure every child who walks through our doors finds what they need — in their size, their style, and with the dignity they deserve. Your support allows us to fill the gaps in our inventory so no child leaves without the basics they came for, including items we must buy new (like socks and underwear) and those we rarely receive in good condition (such as shoes and bras).

Your generosity also keeps our welcoming, dignified store open — a space that’s easy for families to reach by public transportation and staffed by caring professionals who interact directly with families and guide our volunteers, making every visit personal and respectful.

A photo of Ellen Moy holding out a basket of clothing including running shoes, hats and socks inside the Clothesline "store".

Information provided March 2026

Dream Project

EIN: 45-1869894

Mission Statement

The mission of the Dream Project is to empower students whose immigration status creates barriers to education by working with them to access and succeed in college through scholarships, mentoring, and scholar, alumni, and family support. 

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

Information provided March 2025

Arlington Philharmonic

EIN: 75-3215581

Mission Statement

The mission of the Arlington Philharmonic is to make classical music accessible to every Arlington citizen, to promote the value of classical music in our civic life, and to build strong, creative partnerships with schools, local government, businesses and other organizations.

We affirm that racial equity – an understanding and acknowledgement of historical and ongoing racial inequities and a commitment to actions challenging those inequities – is a core tenet of our beliefs as an organization and will be embedded in our structure, operations, and artistic endeavors.

Program Summary

The Arlington Philharmonic (AP) is the only professional symphony orchestra in Arlington, performing at least three classical concerts annually. AP musicians also perform small ensemble performances. The AP is unique among regional professional orchestras because it does not charge admission, with the exception of fundraising events. The AP also sponsors a fee-based Crescendo Chamber Music Program for middle and high school string players and, new in FY2025, wind players. The AP strives to reach out to the many and diverse population groups in the region including Spanish and Mongolian community organizations, as well as to all age groups. As an artistic anchor in the Arlington community, the AP meets a specific need in Arlington County by reaching a large number of residents who may not otherwise be exposed to classical music.

Impact Statement

The AP impacts the community primarily through community enhancement, partnerships, and youth education. The AP’s partnership with the Arlington Central Library, comprising free small ensemble performances open to the public, and its partnership with Encore Learning have raised awareness of the AP’s existence and opportunities to experience orchestral performances free of charge. In the current 2025-26 season, the AP is undertaking a “Communities of Arlington Chamber Music Festival,” a strategic creative placemaking initiative featuring diverse programming in six different Arlington locations celebrating Arlington’s multicultural identity and strengthening cultural assets of historically marginalized communities. One of the AP’s principal impacts is on the youth of Arlington through youth education and opportunities for young people. The AP’s Board President, a retired APS orchestra director and music teacher, continues to actively promotes the AP and its opportunities for young musicians throughout the APS music programs. The AP’s December 2025 holiday concert, including young Arlington Public School string players performing with the professionals at Ballston Quarter, was a great success that attracted a sizeable audience, including shoppers, and received rave reviews from the Ballston Quarter management team. They have already asked us to repeat the concert in December 2026.

What ways can the public get involved?

The AP is always in need of volunteers at concerts to help greet and, if necessary, assist in seating audience members. Please contact us at info@arlingtonphilharmonic.org if you are interested.

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

The cost of a full orchestra concert comes to $20,000, most of which is funded by individual donations and in part by government funding. All donations to the AP go directly to operating costs, including paying our musicians, Music Director, and support staff; venue and equipment rental; administrative costs including liability insurance; and programming and marketing. 

Information provided March 2026

Friends of the Arlington County Public Library (FOAL)

EIN: 54-1384245

Mission Statement

The Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) is a volunteer organization established to support our public library system in Arlington, Virginia. Our mission is to enable a strong, vibrant, engaged community using our libraries as a place to read, learn, work, create, congregate, and share ideas.

Program Summary

Friends of the Arlington Public Library provides funding for 100% of the programming available in the Arlington County Public libraries.

Our largest program is the Summer Reading Program, which draws approximately 8,000 participants.  The 2024 Arlington Reads program of author events had 3,595 attendees and this year’s theme was “Celebrate James Baldwin’s Centennial”, which included “Let Us Descend” author Jesmyn Ward.

We also fund story times, book clubs, crafts and the Central Library maker space.

Impact Statement

Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) provides 100% of the cost of all library programs at the eight libraries in Arlington County.  In 2024, we provided $410,000 in support of Arlington’s amazing libraries.

Overall in 2024, the library hosted 3,813 free programs and event welcoming more than 122,000 people – all supported by FOAL.

Arlington’s public library system is an incredible resource for increasing literacy and strengthening our community.  FOAL strives to enhance its capabilities by providing support for collections, events and programs.

What ways can the public get involved?

The public can volunteer at our biannual book sales, donate books and other materials, become a member of FOAL or donate monetarily to FOAL.

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

Charitable dollars go to support Arlington Public Libraries collections and programs.

Information provided March 2025

Aspire Afterschool Learning

EIN: 54-1705642

Mission Statement

Aspire’s mission is to expand learning opportunities that help historically underserved students fulfill their potential through afterschool and summer learning programs that support and connect families, schools, and communities. Aspire envisions an Arlington where all children have the support they need from family, school, and community so they can succeed as learners and thrive as healthy and happy individuals. We are the only daily academic afterschool program in Arlington that is offered at no cost to 3rd-8th grade students and their families.

Program Summary

We transform summertime and afterschool into a comprehensive, holistic launchpad preparing students to succeed academically, thrive personally, and build the skills needed for future academic and career success. Our holistic programming includes:

1) Daily Afterschool Program for 150 Arlington students: Aspire provides the ONLY daily, accessible academic afterschool programming for 3rd-8th graders in Arlington that is offered at no cost to families. As one parent shared, “I looked into lots of other programs and they wanted $10 more an hour than I make.” We operate at three locations in South Arlington (Arlington Mill Community Center, Drew Elementary School, and Randolph Elementary School) from 3-6 pm every school day. Programming includes: reading activities; social-emotional lessons; enrichment in STEM, the arts, health, and more; 1:1 homework support/tutoring; and a hot meal. We incorporate experiential and project-based learning activities that are tailored to students’ interests and cultural backgrounds, which can spark curiosity and a love of learning, and we build a supportive environment that prioritizes students’ well-being and mental health. Our programming aligns with the school curriculum and reinforces what students are learning in school while also providing instruction, programming, and personalized support that students do not receive in school. 

2) Six-Week Summer Program for 120+ Arlington students: Our full-day summer learning camp reduces the impacts of the summer learning loss, which makes it difficult for students to catch up to their more affluent peers. The camp operates 7 hours/day for 6 weeks. Activities build upon our afterschool programming and school curriculum, and emphasize problem-solving, collaboration, and social-emotional development. We incorporate hands-on learning projects, educational field trips, and unstructured play. 

3) 1:1 and Group Support for 200+ Parents/Caregivers: Our bilingual Parent Engagement Coordinator (the parent of an Aspire alum) connects families to resources for housing instability, food insecurity, and other challenges and hosts workshops to help parents support their child’s education. She also hosts workshops to help parents support their child’s educational development with topics like building healthy relationships, reading report cards, keeping kids safe online, and more. Through holiday parties, science fairs, and other events, families connect with each other and students show off what they are learning. 

Through longstanding partnerships with schools, affordable housing providers, and nonprofit organizations, we identify participants, recruit volunteers, connect families to resources, and advance shared missions.

Impact Statement

Aspire has a long history of impact in the Arlington community. In 1994, we were founded as Greenbrier Learning Center, a grassroots effort to provide afterschool learning programs for elementary school students. Today, Aspire serves 150 3rd-8th graders who face systemic barriers to educational opportunity – 100% are students of color, 94% come from low-income households, 70% speak a language other than English at home, and 91% entered our program in the fall of 2025 at least one grade level behind in reading (66% are 2+ levels behind).

Recent accomplishments include:

What ways can the public get involved?

Aspire welcomes volunteers who can work directly with our students and help them grow. We have 1:1 weekly volunteer opportunities for volunteers who want to make a high impact and support a student with math, reading, or homework throughout the year.

We also host reading nights for groups to read aloud with our students and see first-hand the impact of your support. Aspire typically holds at least one reading, STEM, or art volunteer night every month. These opportunities are ideal for people who may not be able to commit to weekly volunteering but still want to make an impact. Other opportunities are developed around the schedule of volunteers. During the school year, volunteering can occur between 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM M-F. Learn more at https://www.aspireafterschool.org/volunteer/.

We also have a food pantry for families You can support the pantry by donating the in-demand goods listed on our website at https://www.aspireafterschool.org/food-pantry/.

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

Donations help us to close the educational opportunity gap in South Arlington by providing critical learning support to historically underserved students at no cost to their families.

Specifically, your donation can provide the following for Aspire students:

Information provided March 2026

Piano & More

EIN: 38-4077902

Mission Statement

Piano & More’s mission is to provide our community with a fun and contemporary approach to education, opportunity, and events concerning the musical arts no matter the background.

Program Summary

Piano & More has been providing in-home private music lessons (piano, guitar, voice) to students in Arlington and Northern Virginia since 2016 using a contemporary and student centered teaching approach that keeps learning fun. By applying community activities and partnering with local businesses and organizations, Piano & More offers a variety of student events such as open mics and musical field trips at local venues.

We are on a mission to make more happy musicians and happy performers. We believe playing an instrument should be a fun experience and accessible to all, no matter the background. We believe everyone has a musician in them because everyone has a favorite artist, genre, or song that brings them to their “happy place”. We believe playing an instrument has the power to strengthen the mind and be a healthy emotional outlet. We stand for keeping the learning experience fun and also providing fun social memories for our students. This way they DO keep using music as an emotional outlet- even throughout adulthood.

Our community outreach program is called Play It Forward, where we offer free private piano lessons and keyboards to children from low-income households. ​We partner with local schools and churches that nominate passionate students to the program. ​Together, we can provide access to piano education and inspire the next generation of musicians. Help us harmonize their future!

Impact Statement

Piano & More has trained over 50 teachers and taught hundreds of students via private in-home lessons in the Northern Virginia. We also wanted to make piano accessible to those who couldn’t afford piano lessons, hence the Play It Forward program was born. 

Most public schools do not provide piano education, so how do children from low income communities learn to play? Piano is not only a skill of the arts, but also one of math and psychology. It develops the heart and mind in more ways than one. It takes character, confidence, discipline and imagination to be a pianist.

We are utilizing our established partnerships with local public schools, churches and other organizations to further expand our the Play It Forward program. Since 2018, we’ve been able to invest over $40,000 into students nominated for the program. We’ve documented tremendous progress and pride in their development from outside sources such as their homeroom teachers and family members. We have had students stay in our program for over 5 years, now playing advanced classical pieces! So many of these students are the first pianists in their families and wouldn’t have become pianists if it were not for the program.

What ways can the public get involved?

1) Donate A Digital Keyboard: donate a gently used digital keyboard towards the Play It Forward program. We accept semi-weighted or fully-weighted keyboards that are in good working condition (all keys must play). Call or email Student Services for keyboard donations.

2) Sponsor A Piano Student through the Play It Forward: directly sponsor a student’s private lessons and keyboard for $200 a month. There’s no better way to impact a student than via private lessons! We will send you progress reports and student updates along the way. Learn more about the program via our website: https://www.pianoandmore.org/donate.html

3) Business, Corporate and Individual Sponsorships: we offer business and corporate sponsorships with multiple recognition packages. Please visit our website to review packages: https://www.pianoandmore.org/sponsor.html

4) Donate: donate one time or anytime to keep music alive and FUN in Northern Virginia! 
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/54dc7235-9f0b-42cb-a140-2f07ddce9ffb

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

$200/month for 1 year or $2400 will provide one student with:

An adult stands next to a child, who is proudly holding a keyboard to take home.

Information provided March 2026