The Connection

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia announced the winners of its 2015 Community Investment Grants. The organizations, all of which provide support in critical areas of need throughout Northern Virginia, have received grants that will further their impact on the health, education, and general well-being of neighbors, communities, and the entire region. The total sum of grants made is $377,637.

The Community Foundation convened volunteer committees that consisted of area experts, donors and Foundation board members to review the 109 applications, after an initial 190 Letters of Intent were submitted to the organization. Applications were accepted in the following areas of need: Child and Youth Development; Education; Health, Mental Health and Aging; and Poverty Relief. One larger award of $42,250 was also given through the Military Personnel & Their Families Fund to continue the Foundation’s ongoing support of service coordination and navigation assistance for veterans and their families in the region. The Community Investment Fund grant cycle is the largest of the Community Foundation’s discretionary fund cycles.

Community Foundation Board Member, Ken Huntsman, served as the 2015 Community Investment Fund Grants Committee Chair. “It is always a pleasure to work with such passionate volunteers, staff and board members to review the grant applications,” said Huntsman. “The Community Investment Grants demonstrate the diverse range of both needs and services we see throughout Northern Virginia, and we have identified an inspiring range of grant winners committed to helping meet the needs of our neediest neighbors.”

The Grant Winners from Fairfax County

*Child and Youth Development

Cornerstones/Reston Interfaith, Inc., $10,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will provide after-school homework support and academic enrichment opportunities to grades K-6 children from low-income and homeless families in the Reston and Herndon area.

Edu-Futuro (Educacion Para Nuestro Futuro), $7,975+

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will support the Emerging Leaders Program, a leadership development program that supports at-risk immigrant youth in the pursuit of a higher education.

Northern Virginia Community College Education Foundation, $9,720

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will support the participation of underserved youth in Fairfax County communities in the VEX Robotics Competition, in which they will learn critical problem-solving and computer skills, gain experience with designing and building a robot in a team environment, and be inspired to explore future STEM coursework and careers.

The Reading Connection, $10,000+

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will provide at-risk children with free, high quality books and support Reading Family Workshops for parents to increase their understanding of the critical importance of early literacy experiences and increase their confidence and ability to share books with their kids.

TrailsforYouth.Org, $5,800

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will provide continued opportunities for at-risk teens to participate in outdoor healthy physical activities while transitioning into part-time employment to gain critical and needed work experience, training and leadership skills.

*Health, Mental Health and Aging

Community Residences, Inc., $2,295

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will help provide dental care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or serious mental illnesses who cannot otherwise afford these services.

Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington, D.C., $10,000

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will help provide free glucose, Lipid Panel and hepatitis B and C screenings for low to no income individuals with limited English proficiency who have no health coverage.

New Hope Housing, Inc., $10,000

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will provide housing with ongoing support services to assist chronically homeless single adults address their mental health, substance abuse, medical and dental needs.

Postpartum Support Virginia, $5,000

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will improve access to high-quality, outcomes-based mental health care for at-risk Latina mothers in Northern Virginia.

SafeSpot Children’s Advocacy Center of Fairfax, $10,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will help provide Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to child victims and their non-offending caregivers, facilitating healing and enhancing family stabilization and growth.

Volunteer Fairfax, $5,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will support the RSVP program for individuals 55+ to meet community needs through meaningful volunteer service while building the capacity of agency partners to provide transportation, meals and companionship to older adults; increase disaster preparedness; and assist with other community needs.

*Poverty Relief

Alternative House, $10,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will help provide housing, counseling and support services to homeless young mothers 16 to 24 years old and their children in Northern Virginia.

Assistance League of Northern Virginia, $10,000

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will help provide nutritious food to poor and economically disadvantaged children in five Title 1 elementary schools who are at risk for hunger at home over the weekends.

Bethany House of Northern Virginia, Inc., $3,047

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will help provide emergency shelter and support services to women and their children who have been left homeless and destitute due to domestic violence.

College Access Fairfax, $7,850

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will help provide Financial Aid Champions for high-risk Fairfax County Public Schools high schools to help students and their parents complete the FAFSA and apply for college financial aid.

Empowered Women International, $7,850

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will help provide one-year entrepreneurship training, mentoring, financial education, micro-loans and support services for immigrant, refugee and low-income women to help participants develop business and life skills, launch micro-businesses, and increase income and community participation.

Fairfax Law Foundation, $10,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will help provide important civil legal services to poverty and low-income clients without cost in order to help those clients more effectively deal with crucial legal issues, as well as achieve self-sufficiency and financial stability.

Friends of Guest House, Inc., $10,000

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will support the continuing expansion of the Residential, Aftercare and Outreach programs, with primary goals to reduce recidivism and increase life skills to support clients and their families in the difficult re-entry process from incarceration to the community.

Linden Resources, Inc., $7,850

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will support the Vets Ready2Work program, which provides individualized employment support services to veterans with disabilities to combat poverty through the successful attainment and retention of a meaningful career that pays a livable wage within the local community.

Lorton Community Action Center, $10,000

Serving Fairfax County

Funding will support the Food and Nutrition Program, which provides emergency and ongoing food assistance to individuals, families and senior citizens who are at risk or experiencing hunger in Southeastern Fairfax County.

*Military Personnel & Their Families

Serving Together, Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, $42,250

Serving All of Northern Virginia

Funding will continue to support service coordination and navigation assistance for veterans and military personnel and families in Northern Virginia.

*Denotes grants made at the Community Foundation’s recommendation from the COATH and Haymarket Donor Advised Funds.

+Grants made possible by the generosity of Cecil Pruitt and the Pruitt 2013 Foundation.

The Community Foundation accepts donations to support its Community Investment Funds and other discretionary grant cycles. For more information about these programs and initiatives and to make a donation, visit www.cfnova.org/our-programs.

Find more information at www.cfnova.org.