Population: Children and Youth

Read Early and Daily (READ)

EIN: 82-3345797

Mission Statement

Ensuring babies and young children have new, quality, culturally relevant books of their own that are mirrors and windows into their everyday lives and communities

Program Summary

FACT: All babies are born with the same number of neurons…BILLIONS. 

FACT: Neurons are pretty much useless unless they make a connection (aka synapse).  

FACT: Connections are made through talking, singing, cuddling, and most importantly, READING books with your baby. 

Every time a book is read to a baby, a connection is made in their brain, that is, a neuron is activated (*lit up*). Isn’t that amazing?! It’s that simple.

BUT without books in the home, reading to babies and young children every day is nearly impossible. 

READ was created to address reading inequities faced by Arlington’s youngest and most economically vulnerable children. We meet expectant, uninsured families at their prenatal appointments and start them off with a baby book bag filled with five board books plus tips for reading. When the baby is born, they are automatically enrolled in our cornerstone program READ With Me and receive a texted order form for a new FREE, quality, culturally relevant book each month for their baby’s first year. In addition, they receive monthly reading texts and tips.

Impact Statement

In 2025, over 500 babies and toddlers from economically vulnerable families participated in our cornerstone program READ With Me, allowing their families to choose and receive a new, quality, age-appropriate, culturally relevant book every month. Our 2024 parent survey indicated:

One family’s story

Lucas, age 33 months, has received 38 books from READ: five prenatally and monthly books via READ With Me. READ books have supported Lucas’ early brain development and helped him build key skills. He now:

What ways can the public get involved?

Email clairemorris@readearlyanddaily.org for more information and to sign up to volunteer.

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

Our model is simple. READ gets free, quality, culturally relevant books to vulnerable babies when they need them the most. You can choose to help one baby or many babies.

When you support READ, YOU are enhancing the literacy and language experiences of economically vulnerable babies and toddlers at their most vital brain development by providing books for them to keep and for parents to read aloud. These early simple acts of reading together sets a baby on the path to future academic success and self-sufficiency. 

Information provided March 2026

Food for Neighbors

EIN: 81-3736063

Mission Statement

Food For Neighbors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to end child hunger in Northern Virginia. Focusing on the otherwise underserved older students, FFN tackles teen food insecurity by raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and partnering with local secondary schools to connect supplemental food, toiletries, and grocery store gift cards with students in need.

Program Summary

Food For Neighbors tackles teen food insecurity through two complementary programs–the Red Bag Program and the Grocery Gift Card Program. Arlington County Public Schools are currently participating in the Red Bag Program. The Program provides shelving/storage units for schools to establish in-house pantries and then mobilizes community members to fill the pantries. Five times a year, Red Bag donors use a specific grocery list to shop for toiletries and shelf-stable, single-serve foods that provide nutrition and variety, so all students may enjoy the food regardless of their access to special ingredients or large appliances.

The donors then fill their bags with their purchases and set the bags on their doorsteps. Volunteers, organized by neighborhoods, collect the donations and bring them to the closest operational area for sorting and then delivery to nearby partnering schools. At the schools, social workers, counselors, and/or parent liaisons identify students in need and connect them with the resources.

As of March 2025, Food For Neighbors is partnering with 53 schools to help approximately 8,700 students (unduplicated) annually, and many of these students receive support on a weekly basis. Six of these school are Arlington County Public Schools–Arlington Career Center, Arlington Community High School, Gunston Middle School, Kenmore Middle School, Wakefield High School, and Dorothy Hamm Middle School.

Impact Statement

School staff members have provided survey feedback and numerous, positive testimonials about the impact the added nutrition is making. Among other things, they believe the food helps many students attend school more regularly, focus on their schoolwork, and earn better grades. The staff members also appreciate that the food enables them to build relationships, where they can connect with students and identify other needs they may have. This gives students the chance to reach their full potential, which lifts up the students, their families, and the community as a whole.

What ways can the public get involved?

Our Red Bag food and toiletry donors and volunteers are the cornerstone of our Red Bag Program. 

Red Bag Food and Toiletry Donor: Visit https://www.foodforneighbors.org/red-bag-program/ to learn more about becoming a Red Bag food and toiletry donor and sign up to participate up to five times a year. You’ll receive a Red Bag with our grocery list and collection dates, a text message asking if you’re able to participate in the upcoming collection, and reminders when it’s time to shop and set your donations on your doorstep for collection. It’s that easy, and you’ll be making a big impact on students near you!

Red Bag Event Volunteer: Five times a year in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties, we engage over 900 community members to collect, sort, and deliver over 25,000 pounds of Red Bag food and toiletry donations to our partnering schools in just one morning! We organize this massive effort by operational areas. One of these operational areas is in Arlington. To express interest in volunteering, visit https://www.foodforneighbors.org/get-involved/volunteer/. Once you’ve registered, you will receive a SignUpGenius before each of our Red Bag Events, and you may sign up to participate in any you choose.

Business Support: In addition to our Red Bag donors and volunteers, we greatly appreciate the many partnering businesses that make our work possible. Businesses and other organizations interested in team-building service opportunities or formal Food For Neighbors partnership, should contact Jaye L Van Soest, Director of Development, at jaye@foodforneighbors.org. To see our partners and learn more about partnership recognition, visit our website’s partner page at https://www.foodforneighbors.org/partners/.

Other Opportunities: To see our full range of opportunities, please visit our website’s “Get Involved” page at https://www.foodforneighbors.org/get-involved/. 

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

Your generous financial gifts help us tackle teen food insecurity in our currently partnering schools and to say “yes” to new schools requesting support for their students. 

Information provided March 2026

Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation

EIN: 47-1374686

Mission Statement

The Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation serves economically vulnerable mothers and babies by increasing access to much-needed health care support, conducting research to affect systemic change, and ensuring they have the supplies needed to bring baby home. In honor of Jennifer Lawson, a loving mother of three who tragically lost her life in 2014, we aim to honor her dedication, generosity, and kind heart by fulfilling the vision that she crafted for every mother and baby in need.

Program Summary

We have 3 primary initiatives to accomplish our mission. The first is to ensure families have everything they need to bring baby home safely – from cribs to car seats. The second is to increase access to quality care by funding innovative pilots – such as tele-health – that enable these families to access care that meets their daily needs. The third is to raise awareness of the issues facing this community through thought leader events and social media promotion. 

Impact Statement

Throughout our 9-year history we have served more than 3,000 families, provided more than 350 basics materials, hosted 10 awareness campaigns, and funded more than $250,000 to support Including projects focused on infant care, tele-health, & maternal mental health. In addition to these mission related activities, we strive to be nimble in an ever-changing environment to help these families in other important ways. For example, in 2020 we launched a program to put kitchen staff back to work while delivering home cooked meals to new mothers whose family were affected by the economic shutdowns. 

What ways can the public get involved?

We have two ways of getting involved with the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation. Volunteer throughout the year by helping us collect gently used baby supplies such as car seats, strollers, and portable cribs. In addition, our signature fundraising event, the 5K and Family Fun day is always in need of volunteers. This event is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Knights of Columbus.

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

The Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation is giving economically vulnerable mothers and babies renewed hope by increasing access to much-needed health care support, conducting research to affect systemic change, and ensuring they have the supplies needed to bring baby home. Your support changes lives. 

$25 helps provide a breastfeeding starter pack
$50 helps provide a portable crib
$100 helps provide a car seat

Information provided March 2025

Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC)

EIN: 54-1026365

Mission Statement

The residents of Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) are at the heart of all we do. We build opportunity by creating quality homes with holistic resident services. We drive change through innovation, genuine partnerships, and responsible investment.

AHC envisions a world where all people share the same opportunities regardless of income, race, or other qualities; where housing is integral to a healthy, welcoming, and equitable society; and where affordable homes are available to all. 

Program Summary

AHC’s Resident Services program provides a multitude of services for children, families, adults, and senior citizens. The resident-driven program focuses on four key areas of housing stability:

Education & Youth Development: AHC’s educational programs for students K-12 encourage academic and personal growth.

Health & Wellness: AHC supports residents’ holistic well-being by promoting physical, mental, and social health.

Economic Mobility: Through onsite programming, we ensure residents have access to stable housing and key resources to help them thrive.

Community Building & Engagement: Our communities host a variety of activities to bring residents together and build strong connections among neighbors.

Impact Statement

Affordable Homes & Communities provides quality affordable housing enriched by a nationally accredited Resident Service program. In 2025, 6,750 residents were positively impacted by our education and youth development, health and wellness, economic mobility, and community engagement programs. 1,700 residents attended health-related programs, 865 residents were supported with employment services, 165 elementary students participated in the Afterschool Program, and 700 community building events were hosted. This year, AHC proudly recognizes 50 years of building quality homes with holistic resident services.

What ways can the public get involved?

Please visit our website to learn more:

·  Volunteer. Join us to tutor students, distribute groceries to a senior citizen, serve a holiday meal, and much more. Activities are available for individuals and groups.

·  Donate. Consider making a special tribute gift, ask your employer if they will match donations, or share a meaningful gift through your donor-advised fund.

·  Partner with us. We welcome the opportunity to create a meaningful community, corporate, or advocacy partnership to best match your interest in supporting AHC residents.

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

Contributions to Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) support the year-round Resident Services program. AHC provides vital social services and onsite education, economic, and wellness programs to improve the lives of AHC residents. 

Your generosity means more neighbors from low-income households will have a safe and nurturing place to access budgeting workshops, rent relief, vaccine clinics, job readiness workshops, community movie nights, tutoring, summer camp, field trips, college prep for teens, and much more. Thank you!

Information provided March 2026

Wesley Housing

EIN: 51-0155779

Mission Statement

Wesley Housing’s mission is to build up communities with quality affordable housing and resident services. 

Program Summary

Beyond building/preserving permanent housing options for persons with low- and moderate-incomes across Virginia and Washington, DC, we strive for our housing to be a foundation to thrive. We do this by offering free support services/education to every to guide residents on their paths to self-sufficiency. As such, our core lines of business are real estate development, asset management, and resident services.  

Through our Housing Stability Initiative (HSI), the basis of our award-winning resident services programming, Wesley Housing provides supportive services residents on-site in their communities, including 380 households in Arlington. The Initiative operates on the basis that housing is the foundation families need to thrive, and once stabilized, families can build up other aspects of their lives. As such, in addition to eviction prevention support, the HSI also provides workforce development opportunities, health/wellness offerings, and household assistance.

Impact Statement

For more than 50 years, Wesley Housing has provided permanent, affordable housing to generations of people experiencing financial insecurity.

Today, we own 43 communities home to 5,300 residents, including multi-family apartments and communities for older adults/individuals with disabilities/chronic disease. Five of these communities are located in Arlington County and are home to 816 residents, 87% of which are BIPOC and earn $37,458/year on average.

At the same time, we are still rapidly expanding. Our Real Estate team has 1,000+ affordable units in its development pipeline, including new construction and renovations, such as the Melwood-Wesley Inclusive Community in Arlington.

The impact we make each year is measured by the success of our residents. In 2025, 395 residents accessed linkage and referral services. Through the work of our resident services team, 66 evictions were prevented, 20 residents received new/more gainful employment, 294 residents participated in health/wellness offerings, and 1,453 residents received household assistance (i.e. food/hygiene items). This summer, we served 258 youth through Quest summer camp, and launched Odyssey for older adults, engaging 149 participants. In addition, 606 K-12 students received new backpacks and supplies through Supplies for Success, and 789 residents received holiday assistance through Holiday Help.

What ways can the public get involved?

Wesley Housing welcomes support of our major giving campaigns throughout the year including the Housing Stability Initiative (year-round), QUEST Summer Youth Enrichment Program (April/May), Back-to-School (July/Aug), and Holiday Help (Nov-Dec).

In addition, volunteers serve in many capacities including youth and adult education assistants and tutors; translators; holiday helpers (gift wrappers, sorters) and delivery drivers; food pantry assistants; youth summer camp chaperones; and more. 

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

Donations help strengthen our award-winning Housing Stability Initiative (HSI) by allowing us to adequately scale our resident services to our growing portfolio. Following a recent merger with Virginia United Methodist Development Corporation, Wesley is poised to serve even more residents across its new footprint in central and southern Virginia. Funding will help ensure each of these community members have access to the support they need to thrive.

Information provided March 2026

Capital Caring Health

EIN: 54-1920770

Mission Statement

Capital Caring Health’s mission is to provide compassionate end-of-life support for individuals with life-limiting illnesses, offering high-quality care to patients of all ages and their families, regardless of one’s ability to pay. 

Program Summary

At Capital Caring Health (CCH) we provide comprehensive hospice care, including a dedicated bereavement program to support families. 

Through our Capital Caring Kids (CCK) program, we offer specialized pediatric care that addresses the social, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of children facing serious illness. CCH and CCK provide compassionate care for the entire family, understanding the impact of long-term illness on loved ones. We provide support through the challenges of illness and help families navigate each step along the way. 

Impact Statement

In 2024, Capital Caring Health provided care to 6,545 patients and offered bereavement support to 4,752 individuals. Capital Caring Health is projected to provide $1,463,000 in charity care to cover services and supplies. 

What ways can the public get involved?


Capital Caring Health provides a variety of volunteer opportunities. For more details, please visit this link: https://www.capitalcaring.org/get-involved/become-a-volunteer/

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

At Capital Caring Health

At Capital Caring Kids 

Information provided March 2025

The Sycamore School

EIN: 47-4551914

Mission Statement

To provide a dynamic, nurturing and personalized education that inspires a passion for learning, self-discovery and connection to the community. 

Program Summary

TSS follows a mastery-based learning model that integrates academic development, social and emotional growth, and civic engagement.  We create a meaningful learning process, whereby teachers personalize instruction according to students’ interests, needs, and aptitudes. Teaching focuses on cultivating transferable skills in students that apply to various jobs or tasks across settings, such as effective communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. We don’t give grades or tests; our core learning tools include feedback and reflection.  We’re intentionally small, maintaining a 1:6 teacher to student ratio for middle school and 1:7 for high school. We can accommodate students who have a specific learning disability, anxiety, ADHD, high functioning autism, and/or social skills deficits. However, we are not a school specifically for students with learning struggles. We want to attract a cross section of students who reflect the diversity that is present in our larger population. Our target student is curious, wants to learn, and is looking for a more progressive learning environment. 

Impact Statement

TSS provides personalized, inquiry-based experiential learning, helping students make connections across content areas and to the real world. Many of our students learn differently and may require a more flexible learning environment that explicitly teaches executive functioning skills and social emotional skills alongside academic skills. Our accommodations are specific to the student and we provide both remediation and acceleration depending on the student and their unique needs. Many of our students are twice exceptional (2E), meaning that they are gifted in one area but struggle in another area. Our students cultivate the skills necessary to  be independent life-long learners, such as effective communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, time management, cognitive flexibility, perspective taking, and teamwork. In middle school, our focus is on skill development. In high school, we want our students to apply the skills they’ve learned to new situations, effectively advocate for themselves, and take ownership of their learning. Our students graduate TSS with a mastery-transcript that is similar to a digital portfolio, showcasing their areas of study, strengths, and interests. It includes the skills they have mastered and exemplar pieces of work, such as a capstone project.

What ways can the public get involved?

We partner with other nonprofits, local businesses, and professionals in our community to provide community service, a speaker series, internships, career day, and volunteer opportunities. Fridays are TSS’s community-based learning days, where our students go into the community on field trips and community service outings. Sometimes, the community comes to us. We regularly host guest speakers  and have school demonstrations and activities. Individuals can volunteer to be a guest speaker, capstone project mentor, and/or a community partner. 

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

TSS is a small independent nonprofit school that does not receive any federal or state funding. As such, our revenue comes from tuition and fundraising. We raise funds to offer need-based financial aid and reach underserved students. We are always striving to increase the diversity in our community. We try to keep our tuition affordable to attract a wide range learners. Many of our students are neurodivergent and require small classes and individualized instruction to access the curriculum. Other students have felt unsafe in larger school settings and seek an inclusive safe space to be their authentic selves. We are proud to have a large LGBTQIA+ community at our school, reflected in our students and staff. 

Information provided April 2025

Restorative Arlington

EIN: 87-3950513

Mission Statement

We create connection, belonging, and safety for all community members. We:

Program Summary

The Heart of Safety Restorative Justice Conferencing Program (HOS) is our primary programmatic offering. Through HOS, we partner with community members to respond to wrongdoing using a people-centered and trauma-responsive approach. The HOS conferencing process enables everyone affected by an incident of harm to understand what happened and why, and to collaboratively determine a path forward. Our HOS facilitators support people who have been harmed as they exercise their voice and determine how best to meet their needs for healing and repair. Likewise, facilitators support people who have been responsible for harm in taking meaningful accountability. HOS takes cases by referral from court system partners, such as the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, and community members. Court referrals to HOS are designed to serve as a diversion for youth and transition-age adults, with a focus on ending criminalization of Black, Indigenous and other people of color.

In collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including victim services providers, Restorative Arlington is honored to partner in creating the Restorative Pathways Restorative Justice Program. Over the next two years, this partnership will design a Restorative Justice Option for victims/survivors of intimate partner violence, dating violence, sexual harm, and gender-based violence. Instead of relying on legal system referrals, Restorative Pathways will be directly accessible to community members and integrated into the services provided by our partner organizations. Restorative Pathways will also accept referrals from other local organizations through a community referral process. Restorative Pathways is funded by a pilot program from the US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. 

We also offer opportunities to learn about and experience restorative justice practices that increase belonging, share experiences, and engage on difficult topics with dignity, compassion and courage. These include community building circles, basic circle training in partnership with George Mason’s Carter School, and resources and events shared in our newsletter.

Impact Statement

Our Heart of Safety Restorative Justice Conferencing Program makes justice, healing, and safety accessible for people and communities who want to choose a supportive, culturally sensitive option to address harm outside of the current court system. The restorative justice conferencing process centers the needs and voices of people who have been harmed and creates opportunities for repair and healing that the legal system simply cannot provide. The process also enables people who have been responsible for harm to understand the impact of their actions and to take responsibility for making amends in ways that honor the needs of the person(s) they harmed. We treat all participants as valued members of the community and have found that as the restorative conferencing process repairs individual relationships, its ripple effects extend to families and the community as a whole. Extensive research reflects what we have experienced: restorative justice conferencing leads to meaningful accountability, more victim satisfaction and greater reductions in recidivism than adversarial court processes.       

Evaluations of our community-building circles consistently show that participants experience a strong sense of connection, and that they feel deeply heard. Our circles have also provided safe spaces for brave conversations about issues such as racial justice.

What ways can the public get involved?

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

Your investment shows solidarity and support for our work and our community. Donations support access to justice and safety for community members who choose Restorative Justice Conferencing in lieu of traditional court prosecution, program innovation, and the systemic peace-building work required for a paradigm shift from punishment to healing. For example, $6,000 supports one Heart of Safety Restorative Justice Conferencing case.    

In alignment with our commitment to centering community voice, we only accept unrestricted donations. This ensures that we can be responsive to emerging needs of our community partners.

Information provided March 2026

NAMI Northern Virginia

EIN: 51-0241920

Mission Statement

Our mission is to serve Northern Virginia individuals, family members, and friends affected by mental health challenges through awareness, education, support, advocacy, and collaboration with community partners.

Program Summary

NAMI Northern Virginia educates, advocates, and provides support to those impacted by mental health concerns. All our programs are free to the public, and we like to get people, the public, knowledgeable about mental health so that they don’t face a crisis. We don’t focus only on the peers, those living with mental illness. We are also concerned about helping and advocating for the families and loved ones that support them.

Supporting mental health is about more than just connecting to treatment. NAMI Northern Virginia provides the services needed to support wellness in our community, from lending a listening ear to a concerned family member, to working with individuals long-term connecting to resources for legal and housing assistance. Finding support in groups provides those in need a sense of community, a place where they know they are not alone, a place to share their experiences and gain support from others who understand. 

Some of our no cost programs include:

Education

NAMI Northern Virginia’s training and education team work to give best-in-class information on de-escalation, mental health signs and symptoms, and mental wellness – in the home, the workplace, and with loved ones. Our training is trusted to provide honest and open conversations that not only educate but shift perspective around mental health support and community, breaking stigmas associated with mental illness.  These training sessions leave participants feeling empowered to invest in mental wellness and supported on their mental health journey. 

Support Groups

NAMI Northern Virginia holds support groups for people with mental health conditions, and for family members, and loved ones of people with mental health conditions . Led by trained leaders who’ve been there and faced similar experiences, participants gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others.

Classes

Our classes provide information and strategies for taking care of yourself and the person you love, while understanding that you’re not alone. Recovery is a journey, and there is hope. The group setting of NAMI’s SAMSHA evidence-based classes provide mutual support and shared positive impact—experience compassion and reinforcement from people who understand your situation. Our classes are safe, confidential spaces. Courses provide an opportunity for mutual support and growth. 

Impact Statement

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI provides free advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. NAMI Northern Virginia is a NAMI affiliate serving the over 2.4 million people of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church. NAMI’s programs can help you to better understand your or a loved one’s mental health condition. You will learn from connecting with others who have similar experiences. All of our support programs are free, confidential, and peer-led. Simply put, NAMI Northern Virginia is an organization of peers and families. They understand because they’ve been there too.

In 2023, NAMI Northern Virginia provided over 10,000 touchpoints of service to people in the Northern Virginia area. They include individuals living with mental health conditions, their family members and friends, mental health professionals, law enforcement and first responders, and our neighbors.

What ways can the public get involved?

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

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities available

Information provided March 2026