Dranesville Supervisor John Foust hosted a gathering of community leaders and residents to launch the McLean Village Exchange Wednesday, Oct. 23.
The McLean Village Exchange is the second program initiated under the umbrella group known as McLean Community: A Village for All Ages (MCVA).
The impetus for MCVA was a community forum sponsored by Supervisor Foust in October 2011. There was overwhelming support voiced at the forum for action to be taken to assist seniors and people with disabilities to remain in and enjoy the community. MCVA was established as the community-based, volunteer-managed work group to implement programs for these constituencies.
This past May, MCVA volunteers along with Fairfax County staff and Supervisor Foust’s office launched the McLean Senior Source. The McLean Senior Source is a free information center, operating under the aegis of the Governing Board of the McLean Community Center, that provides information and helps connect older residents and adults with disabilities (as well as their families, neighbors and other caregivers) to existing Fairfax County, faith-based and non-profit resources and services.
The McLean Village Exchange is open to representatives of McLean organizations, homeowner associations and faith-based groups that either directly serve or have a constituency of older adults and adults with disabilities. Members will identify the unmet needs of these constituencies and make recommendations for how these needs may be met.
"McLean is an aging community; 30 percent of McLean’s 63,000 residents are 55 years of age or over. We must address the needs of this population and make McLean a community known for neighbors helping neighbors," said Supervisor Foust.
Along with Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust, current MCVA Chair Renuka Chander, past MCVA Chair Judy Seiff and Lewinsville Retirement Residence Administrator Courtney Nuzzo spoke at the launch.
For more information about the McLean Village Exchange or McLean Senior Source, contact Renuka Chander at RenukaChanderMCVA@gmail.com or Jenny Phipps in Supervisor Foust’s office at 703-471-5075, TTY 711 or by email at Jenny.Phipps@fairfaxcounty.gov.