The Connection

At that point in the George Washington Parkway Ten Miler where you aren’t sure you are going to make it to the end, Kim Kenney and Mary Bohan were amazed to see Thrive Executive Director Gerry Shannon cheering them on from the sidelines, shouting out their names with encouragement. They believe that gesture tells the story of how Thrive supports the people they help. Thrive Arlington is there to help people succeed, to encourage them, and get them over that bump in the road.

There was a “club atmosphere” at the Thrive benefit gala on Nov. 18, and it wasn’t just because it took place at the Army Navy Country Club. One hundred and forty guests were greeting each other as old friends. There was a sense of belonging to the Thrive community, of knowing each other through an association with Thrive, and of mutual appreciation for what everyone in the room was there to do: raise money to help people in need and … have fun doing it.

Ann Rudd was there: she has been on the Thrive board of directors many years, and started the Furniture Fund. She was astounded at the turnout and generosity. “It wasn’t always like this,” she said. “It was hard to raise money for Thrive when it first got started: people weren’t as generous.” Del. Rip Sullivan and J. Walter Tejada were at the event. State Sen. Barbara Favola came. Mary Hynes was there. Volunteers, many of them young professionals, were there to carry on the Thrive tradition of community and … fun.

John Smucker, who has been involved in Thrive since the early days, was there.

Smucker is as enthusiastic about Arlington Thrive as he was 40 years ago. He worked for the county then, and it was in his office where key discussions were held to find a way to raise money to help social workers better assist residents who needed emergency financial help. Smucker says Thrive (then AMEN) succeeded largely because of the generosity of Arlingtonians, but Gerry Shannon gets the credit for taking Thrive to a new level. In the beginning, the average grant was small — about $54 in 1976. Now, the assistance grants range from $10 to $1,800 depending on the need.

This year, as Arlington Thrive celebrates its 40th anniversary, instead of having to tell callers that money is short this week, and working out of Charlie Klein’s coin shop, Thrive has an assured place among the aid organizations in Arlington. But what is equally important is the way this organization feels like a next-door neighbor, and how it has brought people together.

Kim Kenney and Mary Bohan met while doing the Thrive ten miler: the trainer for the Army Navy Country Club talked them into doing the “Resolve to Run” fundraiser race. Running was not something they were “into,” but after the first run, they now run as a group every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and “feel their group of runners has meant so much more to them than just exercise: it’s a community.”

Arlingtonian Doug Smarte was one of the Arlington County Social Services case workers who regularly relied on AMEN, later Thrive, to prevent eviction, to avoid heat and water cutoffs, or to pay for medication, dentures, and surgical appliances. These remain Thrive’s key assistance categories today. Thrive’s official history notes that In its first year, AMEN provided approximately $10,000 in assistance; by1981, AMEN was disbursing about $41,000. AMEN’s assistance grew dramatically over the years, reaching $77,000 after 10 years, $279,000 after 20, and $403,000 at the 30-year mark. Last year Thrive provided $732,000 for 1,472 Arlington households; $60,623 total security deposit loans, transportation and miscellaneous assistance were provided, 326 total Arlington households were spared from eviction and remained secure in their homes; $98,146 total utility assistance was provided. These were same day, single event items which kept families in their apartments, or allowed older people to turn on the heat.

Thrive’s reliance on a core of dedicated volunteers has made the organization cost-effective, so that the vast majority of funds raised go directly to financial assistance. Almost 3.000 total volunteer hours were donated. Because of his experience with Thrive when he was an Arlington County case manager and supervisor, Smarte started volunteering with Thrive six months ago. He says it’s a great way to volunteer because you have a 24-hour shift, you can carry your phone around with you when you are on duty, and when you connect the social worker with Thrive, you’ve essentially solved someone’s problem just by doing that, because Thrive always delivers in the same day. “I never forgot Thrive,” Smarte said. “It’s the only organization of its kind, and that is why my wife and I are giving money to Thrive, in addition to volunteering.”

For the Thrive benefit, a number of local businesses and “good neighbors” donated to the effort: dentists, banks, law firms, car dealers, and many, many Arlington residents.

For the reverse auction, Dr. Mitchell Davis, M.D. offered a $25,000 match if Thrive could raise $12,500 during the reverse auction. As the reverse auction picked up speed, and $7,000 was pledged, an anonymous donor offered an additional $7,500 dollar-for-dollar match in honor of Gerry Shannon’s retirement. Several people shook their heads in acknowledgement of the generosity of Arlington residents. “That’s Arlington,” said Susan McFadden, a patent examiner and volunteer for Thrive, “This is a testament to the generosity of Arlington neighbors.” Over $140,000 was raised — $56,000 raised from the floor during the reverse auction, including the donors who gave $32,500 in matching gifts.

For more information about Thrive Arlington, or to give Thrive a donation before the end of the year, see www.arlingtonthrive.org.