Type of Work: Immediate Needs

Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail

EIN: 83-4129792

Mission Statement

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail supports the National Park Service in keeping the trail safe and welcoming for all users through education, trail maintenance, and community events.

Program Summary

The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18-mile long shared use path that travels along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia between Rosslyn and George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon. The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail (FoMVT) was formed in 2018 and supports the National Park Service in keeping the trail safe and welcoming for all users through education, trail maintenance, and community events.

The Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail hold regular volunteering activities for the public. All are welcome to attend, no experience necessary, and kid-friendly.

Impact Statement

FoMVT believes that the Mount Vernon Trail and the George Washington Memorial Parkway should be enjoyed by everyone and that everyone should be given the opportunity to be a steward of the park. Volunteers have ranged in age from 2 to 85 years old. Weekly volunteer events do not have a participant cap and have been as large as 160 participants. Since 2018, the FoMVT have hosted over 300 volunteer events with over 7,000 volunteers giving back to the trail.

What ways can the public get involved?

We host volunteer events every Saturday on the trail. You can see a list of upcoming events on our website at https://mountvernontrail.org/events/

We also host resource appreciation events such as an annual Tulip Walk/Bike Ride, Bat and Firefly Walk, Beaver Moon Walk, and various art classes. 

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

The largest overhead cost of the organization is paying for the storage of tools and equipment. We also use donations to purchase new tools, signs, fencing, maintenance of trail fixing equipment, and cold patch to fill potholes. 

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

Shirlington Employment and Education Center (SEEC)

EIN: 54-2036192

Mission Statement

SEEC’s mission is to raise the standard of low-wage, immigrant day laborers in Arlington County so that Day Laborers and other immigrant workers can participate in dignified work, in safe working conditions, and earn fair wages. We provide an opportunity for Day Laborer to find safe work at a fair wage and to obtain skills that improve their employability and we work to improve the overall conditions of day Laborers in Arlington. 

Program Summary

SEEC provides services to Day Laborers – workers who provide a critical temporary labor force for local construction, food, janitorial, moving support and landscaping businesses, without whom these businesses could not survive. Arlington’s Day Laborers are majority Latino (over 95%) recently immigrated men, over 95%, who are unable to obtain or maintain permanent part-or full-time employment.

The majority of SEEC’s clients are from Zip Codes 22204 and 22206; over 70% are from 22204. As recent lone immigrants, most have little or no familial support in the area and lack English language skills, which presents a barrier to employment. These Laborers are extremely low- to no income workers who present with immediate critical needs for jobs, food, housing, emergency funds, and medical care. In FY 2024, 80% fit the criteria for homelessness; 90%

reported food insecurity; and approximately one third required referral to the Arlington Free Clinic ( AFC). In a society that often fears single Latinos and men of color congregating in public places and who resemble – or are – homeless and unemployed, historically marginalized, Day Laborers face a significant amount of institutional, systemic, and individual discrimination, are often isolated, and require protection from the illegal labor practices and exploitation encountered on job sites.

Impact Statement

SEEC provided vital services to the immigrant community that included:

What ways can the public get involved?

We invite volunteers who can tutor English to our clients.

We need volunteers to provide transportation to take day laborers to local jobs.

We invite volunteers to provide bag lunches for the day labores.

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

Over 95% of the charitable donations go to pay for training and support for the day laborers. This includes paying for temporary rent, bus transportation, for the cell phones that are essential to communicating with employers, prescription drugs and meals for those who can’t find work and are going hungry.

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

Meals on Wheels of Arlington

EIN: 52-1344727

Mission Statement

At Meals on Wheels Arlington, our mission is to nourish and empower homebound individuals in Arlington by providing wholesome, prepared meals with compassion and care. We believe that everyone deserves access to nutritious food and the comfort of connection. Through our dedicated volunteers and community partnerships, we strive to enhance the well-being and dignity of those we serve, fostering a sense of belonging and support for all. Together, we are creating a healthier, more inclusive community where no one faces hunger alone.

Program Summary

Potential clients are referred to the Arlington County Agency on Aging for eligibility intake. For accepted clients, meals are prepared by a commercial caterer and delivered to our staging area at First Presbyterian Church on Vermont Avenue in the Ballston neighborhood. Volunteer drivers pick up the meals and deliver them to homebound residents in North and South Arlington. Most clients receive 10 meals delivered once a week, along with beverages. A small group who cannot accommodate a bulk delivery receive two meals, five days a week, plus beverages. We currently serve about 180 clients each week. First Presbyterian Church allows us to use their facility for staging and storage, but we do not have a permanent physical address.

Impact Statement

In 2024, volunteers from our 139 person roster devoted 7000 hours delivering 93,000 meals to 290 individual client. Meals are delivered either weekly or daily, depending on need. Meals on Wheels Arlington addresses food insecurity for Arlington residents who are over 60 and unable to manage food preparation on their own.  Meals on Wheels Arlington also serves Arlington residents under age 60, who, because of their age cannot be funded through the Arlington Agency on Aging.  MOW uses its own funds to support these individuals.  These are Arlington residents who are homebound and unable to provide food for themselves. These are Arlington residents who are homebound and unable to provide food for themselves who would otherwise fall through the cracks of Arlington’s excellent programs.


An added benefit to our program is that because MOW drivers have regular contact with our clients, they can be our eyes on the ground.  In the event they see something that would affect a client’s health or safety, MOW will communicate these concerns to Arlington County, for follow up by a social worker.

What ways can the public get involved?

Of course, members of the public are welcome to donate to our organization with funds as well as volunteering.   Members of the public can help us out by volunteering to drive meals to our clients or load the driver’s vehicles.  

Volunteer drivers are the engines that move us!  In a month, we deliver over 7,700 meals through approximately 35 routes averaging 5-8 clients per route.  The majority of our delivery activity occurs on Wednesdays.  We do not deliver evenings or weekends. We ask our drivers to be available at least once a month.  The time commitment to drive a route is about 2.5 hours and requires use of the driver’s own vehicle.

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

As a volunteer-driven organization with an overhead rate of less than 1%, donations directly fund mission-related needs. Most of our donation dollars are directed toward funding meals for homebound clients who do not meet Arlington County’s age requirement of 60 and who cannot afford to pay for meals on their own. $62 funds meals for a week for a homebound Arlington resident.  Donations allow us to add clients to our roles.

Though we are affiliated with Meals on Wheels America, we receive no funding from the national organization.  Meals on Wheels Arlington is fully locally funded and managed.

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