Type of Work: Immediate Needs

Aaliyah in Action

EIN: 86-3555453

Mission Statement

Aaliyah in Action provides women, birthing people and families with tangible bereavement support, in the form of self-care packages and support books, after experiencing a perinatal, neonatal or infant loss.

Program Summary

Aaliyah in Action provides bereavement self-care packages, and support books, to families after experiencing perinatal or neonatal loss.  The care packages contain seven thoughtfully curated items, our “Self-Care Choice Board” which has small acts one can do each day and a bereavement guide providing low to no cost support groups or 1:1 support options. These items and books have been chosen to help support birthing people and their families in those first days of grief and loss: fuzzy socks, aromatherapy candle, recovery tea, lip balm, facial sheet mask and lavender shower steamers and Seeds of Hope to plant.  

Each package also includes a book, or books, to help support after loss.  Aaliyah in Action has a choice of two books for the birthing person, a book more appropriate for miscarriage or a book more appropriate for stillbirth or infant death.  Optional books, depending on the recipient’s needs, are a support book for non-birthing partners and/or a children’s book for living siblings.

In an effort to reach families who have experienced perinatal, neonatal or infant loss as soon as possible, Aaliyah in Action partners with hospitals who have our packages on hand to distribute when needed. Families can also request a package for themselves or a loved one, at no cost, to be sent as a support.

Impact Statement

Since launching in July 2021, Aaliyah in Action has provided over 1,300 self-care packages to families and has partnered with over 50 hospitals who have inventory of the packages to provide when needed. Feedback from hospital staff and package recipients prove that Aaliyah in Action is serving a neglected space and we look forward to continued growth and development to support more families.

What ways can the public get involved?

We’d love to have volunteers join us in making Aaliyah in Action packages in our warehouse space! We’re also looking for volunteers to help with social media and fundraising efforts. 

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

Equity is a core value of Aaliyah in Action – we will provide our support to any family who needs it, at any point in their grief journey. Less than 10% of our hospitals cover the cost of their packages. Hospitals maintain that, while our support is sought out and greatly needed, it is something they are unable to budget for. We will never deny a hospital partnership because that would be denying families this valuable support. Our donors mean the world to us because we are only able to grow our hospital network, and continually provide when called upon, because of them! 

$60 covers the cost of one Aaliyah in Action Self-Care Package + support books

$600 covers the cost of one hospital drop (10 packages + support books)

A collection of photos of the bereavement self-care packages, which include tea, face masks, lip balm and more.

Information provided March 2026

Just Neighbors

EIN: 54-1820633

Mission Statement

To provide high-quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, asylees and refugees in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia; and, to build community among clients, staff, volunteers and the larger society through education, advocacy, and volunteerism.

Program Summary

Just Neighbors offers expert immigration legal services to at-risk immigrants, refugees, and asylees in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Our work helps families obtain proper legal status and work authorization, allowing them to achieve their goals and dreams in their new country. We also provide legal counsel to unaccompanied youth and children who have recently been resettled in our area. Just Neighbors has provided immigration legal services to over 20,000 immigrants and refugees of all faiths and nationalities in the DMV for nearly 30 years. Through direct services, collaborative strategies and education, Just Neighbors empowers immigrants to build their capacity and resources to become stable and independent.

Impact Statement

In 2025, Just Neighbors assisted 1,720 residents across Virginia, Maryland, and DC with 2,390 immigration cases. Of those cases, 75% resulted in clients gaining legal status or citizenship. We also provided 942 individuals with legal information. Among former clients whose cases closed last year, 77% reported they were able to obtain or maintain employment after receiving our services, and 96% said our support improved their ability to be self‑sufficient. Additionally, 92% said they were better able to participate in their communities after receiving assistance

What ways can the public get involved?

Just Neighbors welcomes volunteers to support the many different activities and events we hold throughout the year. We have one-time volunteer opportunities for attorneys and non-attorneys to help at our monthly legal clinics or occasional outreach and fundraising events. We also welcome volunteers who have language skills, especially Spanish, to help with intakes and translations at our office in Annandale. Do you have a special talent or skill that you think would help the mission? Contact us!

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

Donations directly support the legal services that help families build long‑term stability. These services allow individuals to work legally, support their families, access health care, qualify for in‑state tuition at Virginia schools, and fully participate in their communities. This creates economic stability and mobility not only for each person served, but for entire families across generations.

Information provided March 2026

703 Warriors

EIN: 93-4761605

Mission Statement

703 Warriors removes financial barriers to youth sports by providing free competitive soccer, fitness, and mentorship programs for Arlington youth ages 7-12. Through sport and community mentorship, we help underserved kids build confidence, resilience, healthy habits, and leadership skills to break cycles and help them WIN at life.

Program Summary

703 Warriors is a volunteer-powered nonprofit that provides completely free youth programming. In a region where competitive youth soccer can cost families thousands of dollars each year, we ensure that every child has the opportunity to play, grow, and belong.

We currently run four core programs each week:

  1. Street Soccer: Open-play soccer that builds community and confidence
  2. Competitive Soccer: High-level training and tournament opportunities
  3. “Braden Deahl” Youth Development Program: Life skills, mentorship, and leadership development
  4. “Aaron Redd” Community Fitness: Strength, agility, and health education

Impact Statement

We are on track to serve over 1,000 youth, providing consistent access to soccer, mentorship, and positive role models!

What ways can the public get involved?

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

703 Warriors operates as a volunteer-powered organization with extremely low overhead. As little as $100 sponsors a kids’ participation for 10-months of weekly programming.

Your support helps fund:

Demand for our programs continues to grow and we have already had to turn away families due to our limited capacity. Donations help us expand programming, reach more children, and ensure that no child is excluded from the opportunity to play and grow.

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

AMG Fitness Foundation

EIN: 87-2574962

Mission Statement

AMG Fitness Foundation (AMG) elevates fitness resources for people with physical disabilities, through virtual at-home workouts and adaptive in-person fitness classes, and advocates for greater representation and inclusion in the fitness industry.

Program Summary

Unlike other fitness programming that is designed for most able-bodied people and offers some seated workouts, AMG is organized into three programs (Adapt, Move, and Gain) that are scaled for varying abilities, ensuring that every participant can find workouts that work for them. Utilizing Alyssa’s unique background as a Paralympic swimmer, 5+ years’ professional experience as an adaptive fitness trainer and personal trainer, and lived experience as a person with a disability, AMG’s program design is based on the level playing field implemented in the Paralympic system and industry best practices.

Impact Statement

AMG aims to help create a world where people with disabilities have access to an abundance of safe, effective, and affordable resources that support their mental and physical health and see themselves represented vibrantly in their communities and in the fitness industry.

What ways can the public get involved?

The public can get involved by participating in AMG’s virtual and in-person adaptive fitness programming, volunteering, donating, and spreading the word about our important work!

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

As a nonprofit organization, AMG relies on donations and strategic partnerships to support the development and implementation of our adaptive fitness programming. Charitable contributions help to ensure we can keep offering our programming free of charge to the community!

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

Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Inc

EIN: 51-0155758

Mission Statement

Books change lives! Reading Is Fundamental of Northern Virginia works to improve children’s lives by providing books to encourage an early and sustained love of reading, to augment reading opportunities and skills through book access and the development of home book libraries (a key metric of reading success), and to help address the alarming and growing U.S. literacy crisis.

Program Summary

RIF NOVA is an all-volunteer nonprofit that provides books for underserved children at 30+ schools and sites in the City of Alexandria and in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties. The organization has served the Northern Virginia community since 1972, during which time it has provided hundreds of thousands of books to area children who have few – to even no – books in their homes.

Books for Keeps Program: Each year, RIF NOVA raises funds to purchase new books-of-their-own-choosing for 23,000+ children at several child centers and Title 1 schools. Each child served is able to choose at least one book to take home annually; important because children who choose their own books are three times more likely to be frequent readers. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The only behavior measure that correlates significantly with reading scores is the number of books in the home.” The RIF NOVA Books for Keeps Program begins to address this critical need.

Donated Books Program: During the pandemic when schools, school libraries, and public libraries were closed, RIF NOVA began a Donated Books Program to provide additional reading materials to children throughout our community, often delivered in conjunction with school food distributions. As of March 2026, the program has collected over 60,000 new and almost-new books for redistribution – not only to established RIF NOVA schools and sites but also to additional community partners and schools seeking reading materials for children and families.

Authors in Our Schools Program — This multi-year program brings authors and illustrators to RIF NOVA-supported schools to present about their books. Authors/illustrators engage students in the entire book process — from thinking of the idea to completing the finished product — and encourage them to take part in interactive programming throughout the presentations. Each student participant is able to take home an original autographed book, adding to the excitement of the event.

Special Programming: In concert with local business partners, RIF NOVA has been able to offer special programming to augment the number of books available for the children we serve. Additional initiatives are being sought with area partners to provide books and active literacy programming to the children RIF NOVA serves. So far, special programs have included:

Impact Statement

A March 2023 Topic Paper from Scholastic Research & Validation noted that the likelihood of being on track in literacy and numeracy “almost doubled if at least one book was available in a student’s home.” RIF NOVA’s programs ensure that children in the schools we serve get at least one book every year from Pre-K to 6th grade and, thus, the opportunity over the course of their school years to build a home library – also critical for school success. On this, the Scholastic Topic Paper noted: “Children in homes with more extensive home libraries read more, have higher-level reading skills, and attain more years of education overall than those with access to fewer books, even after controlling for parental education level.” The paper continued: “Increasing children’s access to books correlates to ‘dramatically positive effects’ on reading growth and achievement.”

The Scholastic research validates our efforts. The work of Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia – to provide at least one book annually to each child we serve and build, over the course of time, a home book library – is helping children to read – and succeed – in school and well beyond.

What ways can the public get involved?

Members of the public can help RIF NOVA to do its work in three major ways: Giving funding, giving time, and giving books. 

Giving funding: Our most pressing need each year is to raise funds to purchase new books for 23,000+ underserved children at mainly Title 1 schools in Northern Virginia. Members of the public can help with this need by giving donations themselves, helping to identify and connect with potential donors (individuals, foundations, businesses, etc.), providing hands-on help with fundraising activities such as a biannual 5K, and helping to communicate the dire need for books for children in the NOVA community. We are particularly seeking business partners for funding and to develop and co-sponsor literacy-related programming that engages children in reading.

Giving time: Among those needed are volunteers with backgrounds or skills in fundraising, event planning, social media expansion, program development, grant writing, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement. Time contributions can range from helping with a specific project to joining our board for a more sustained commitment. Anyone with these skills or interests is encouraged to contact RIF NOVA at our email address: info@rifnova.org. We are particularly seeking committed volunteers to join our board. 

Giving books: RIF NOVA augments its new book purchases by soliciting new and very gently (like new) used books from the community through book drives organized by individuals, businesses, and organizations. Volunteers are also needed to organize new/gently used book drives, to sort books for quality, and to help transport and distribute books at schools and community events.

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

Every $4.00 donation purchases one book for one child. The cost to provide one book each for 23,000+ children means an annual need to raise over $90,000. Additional funding supports expanding special programming, including STEAM It Up! and Authors in Our Schools. Contributions to the Authors program can be used to bring local authors to schools for on-site visits, along with books signed by the author for each student participant. Additional funding is also used to increase the number of books given to each child annually or to increase the number of schools participating in RIF NOVA programming. The all-volunteer board that raises funds and administers book distribution programming is not paid. Mandatory expenses (such as insurance, tax preparation, etc.) are kept to an absolute minimum and totaled six percent of expenses in Fiscal Year 2024, our most recent tax filing.

Information provided March 2026

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)

EIN: 54-1473207

Mission Statement

We are an independent, community-based non-profit food pantry that provides dignified access to nutritious supplemental groceries to all our neighbors in need.

Program Summary

AFAC provides free groceries to Arlington residents in need at our warehouse on S Nelson St, at 20 other distribution sites around the county, and through a home delivery for home-bound individuals and families. We provide a choice of items including eggs, milk and other dairy products, fish, chicken, hot dogs, ground beef, fresh fruit & vegetables, cereals, beans, pasta, breads, pastries and a number of other items to choose from.

Impact Statement

In FY 2024, 183,558 trips to AFAC were made for groceries. All of our families are below 30% average median income – 30% more families than the prior year.  Our families are 53% Hispanic, 12% Black, 10% Caucasian and the remainder are a number of other minority groups.

What ways can the public get involved?

Individuals and families can help AFAC by volunteering in our warehouse, to assist in distributing food to our families, by collecting food for donation – over 1.5 million pounds of food is needed every year in addition to the 3.5 million pounds of food AFAC purchases every year.  Finally, AFAC receives no federal or state funds and must rely on financial donations from individuals to fulfill our mission.

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

All donated funds are allocated directly to AFAC’s food purchase budget to purchase groceries that will be distributed to individuals and families. AFAC purchases 60% of the groceries we distribute, at wholesale cost, from local and national distributors. In FY24, AFAC had a food purchase budget of $1,500,000. 40% of the groceries AFAC distributes are donated through partnerships with local grocery chains, gleaning networks, farmers markets, community food drives, schools, corporate/walk-in donations, etc. All donated food is checked thoroughly, sorted, and then distributed to AFAC’s families. AFAC distributes over 80,000 pounds of food each week to over 4,100 families in need.

AFAC's bright yellow truck is photographed in front of the AFAC Shirlington distribution site on a sunny day.

Information provided March 2026

The Marjorie Hughes Fund

EIN: 54-1610490

Mission Statement

The Marjorie F. Hughes Fund for Children promotes the health and well-being of Arlington Public School students through the thoughtful collaboration with public health nurses, APS staff, and community organizations. The fund provides financial resources to support the health care needs of uninsured and underinsured students.

We envision a community of Arlington Public Schools students in which their health outcomes are not impacted by their income level and insurance status.

Program Summary

The Marjorie F. Hughes Fund for Children is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1992 to honor the work of public health physician Marjorie F. Hughes. Dr. Hughes dedicated her career to working with public school students in Arlington, Virginia, and to addressing the health needs of underserved children.

The Marjorie Hughes Fund is made up of Public Health School Nurses, School Health Aides, Arlington Public Schools (APS) staff, and community stakeholders including pediatric office staff, dental providers, family shelter coordinators, and mental health providers. We work together to help uninsured and underinsured students obtain needed medications and vaccines, cover doctor visit fees, pay for dental treatments, and receive other necessary medical care.

The Marjorie Hughes Fund assists Arlington Public Schools children with medical expenses as well as partnering with local organizations such as Doorways and VHC Pediatrics to provide additional medical and mental health assistance to children in need.

Impact Statement

The Marjorie Hughes Fund offers up to $300 per student per year for medical expenses, and up to $500 per student per year for dental expenses, to students who qualify as low income and uninsured or underinsured. Thus far in the 2023-24 school year, The Marjorie Hughes Fund has provided almost $10,000 to more than 120 uninsured or underinsured students to obtain school entry physical exams, vaccines, urgent care visits, dental care, necessary vaccines, wheelchairs and medical equipment, etc. These students are now able to be in school, healthy and learning.

What ways can the public get involved?

Please donate to help Arlington County Public Schools students in need! Spread the word to friends, neighbors, and families about the good work that we do. We also welcome community volunteers in areas such as fundraising, social media, and non-profit management.

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

The Marjorie Hughes Fund is an all-volunteer organization with minimal overhead.

$79 provides an eye exam and two pairs of glasses

$99 pays for a required school entry physical exam

Any amount can help to keep a student in school, healthy and learning!

Photo of Female Doctor Meeting With Small Male Patient In Exam Room

Information provided April 2025