During the June 13 Remembrance Cabaret for Westfield High grad/Virginia Tech victim Reema Samaha, New York Life presented a $10,000 grant to Angel Fund. The nonprofit supports Actively Caring 4 People, a positive-reinforcement program in local schools. Hoping to prevent suicide, depression, anxiety and substance abuse, AC4P’s goal is to foster an environment where young people feel respected, self-confident and tolerant towards others.
David Love, of Centreville’s Sully Station community, works for New York Life and initiated the grant because he knew and cared about Reema and her family and saw the impact her death had on the local community. And he and his wife, Debbie, strongly believe in and support Angel Fund’s mission of educating and advocating for youth mental health and student safety on college campuses.
Angel Fund President Lu Ann McNabb received the check, along with Shane McCarty. He’s currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech after obtaining his undergraduate and master’s degrees there and co-founding AC4P. He’s now starting a new nonprofit, the Cor Foundation, which will absorb AC4P’s work in Fairfax County schools under that umbrella. He and his team from Virginia Tech coach students at Woodson and Centreville high schools, and the grant will enable them to implement their program.