Facets has made great strides since 1988, but the vision "is a long way from being realized."
In 2011, Lisa Kennedy lost her job. Along with it, Kennedy, a single mother, lost a way to make ends meet. Soon, she couldn't pay the rent. But she tried: For the next year, Kennedy was in a state of flux, hopping from job to job but often finding herself without a paycheck. What Kennedy needed was help on a path to more steady employment — and she got it through Bridging Affordability, a Fairfax County service that helps the area's most in-need residents establish better self-sufficiency, safe housing and a more stable life. Today, Kennedy and her daughter live in a two-bedroom apartment. She has a regular part-time job and is also pursuing a business degree. “The goal, of course, is to be self sufficient, and this program is helping me …
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Fairfax County human services officials say more funds are needed for housing and other programs.
Fairfax County officials have said the impacts of sequestration are largely unknown, but for some of the county's low-income residents that's no longer true: Last week, the cuts forced the county to stop issuing Section 8 vouchers for affordable housing to families in need. Officials say that up to 150 families in the county might not be getting housing vouchers that will help them pay their rent. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides funding to the county for the program, but the budget sequester has put that in jeopardy. The county stopped issuing vouchers earlier this month and while some residents were able to get help at the last minute, others might not be so fortunate. These cuts directly impact organizations…
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Last week's count of Fairfax County homeless searched the woods to find those who live in encampments. The information will be used to track them - and hopefully get them into homes.
Fairfax County officials and volunteers counted 462 homeless living outdoors during the recently completed Registry Week. Last week, More than 200 volunteers scoured the woods and other hidden areas of the county where homeless people live in order to count, photograph, and get names and histories. Reston Interfaith CEO Kerrie Wilson said she saw great honesty from those living outdoors. "I was struck by the differences in talking with someone in their 'home' – in their space versus when we are in shelter and other settings where we must set the rules," she said at a Registry Week media event on Monday. "Survey teams and clients were respectful of one another. There was a sense of pride from those homeless interviewed when they showed …
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2:05 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
If there was a raise in the minimum wage, what would that raise need to be to effectively eliminate this type of homelessness? I would think it would need to be substantial, and would lead to a net reduction in total number of lower income jobs, potentially leading to more homelessness. more ›
Multi-faith forum to bring out nonprofit, faith, social justice groups.
A variety of Reston-area social justice voices will be heard at a multi-faith community forum - "Building Justice Beyond Charity" Thursday at 7 p.m. at United Christian Parish of Reston. The forum will be a chance to discuss new strategies for advocacy and building power with and on behalf of the poor and marginalized, organizers say. The panel, moderated by Reston Interfaith CEO Kerrie Wilson, will feature Amanda Andere, Reston resident and Executive Director of FACETS; Marco Grimaldo, the new Executive Director of Virginia Interfaith Center; John Horesji, Coordinator of SALT (Social Action Linking Together) and Kathleen O’Toole, Senior Organizer for VOICE (Virginians Organizing Civic Engagement). Tables to register voters and to show …
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You can vote for the Fairfax-based nonprofit organization to win a Toyota vehicle on Toyota's facebook page.
Toyota announced today that FACETS Cares, Inc. was selected as a finalist in "100 Cars for Good", a national philanthropic program in which the automaker is giving away 100 vehicles to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days. Winners will be selected each day by the public through voting on Facebook, beginning on Monday, May 14. This is the second consecutive year for Toyota’s "100 Cars for Good," which is the first Toyota initiative to enlist the public’s help in determining how the company’s charitable contributions are awarded. The 500 finalists, selected from an extremely competitive pool, were certified by an independent panel of experts in philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. The finalists include nonprofits serving a…
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Cutting state funds to pay for transportation is going to make life for low-income residents even tougher.
The recession may be over, but the reality for too many families we serve is they have to make tough choices: do I buy groceries or pay rent? Do I care for sick child or go to work? Do I buy gas or school supplies? These are questions that the Virginia General Assembly must take into consideration as they reconcile the budget. Now is not the time to cut funds from programs that are helping neighbors in need who are struggling become self-sufficient. That was the message that I, along with a group of 50 other leaders from Nonprofit Virginia, delivered to the General Assembly in Richmond recently. Unfortunately, if the Virginia Legislature cuts funds that support our core services and diverts sales taxes to fund transportation, the …
1:05 pm on Monday, February 27, 2012
OMG, Keith, if you believe that the wealthy 1% is going to ever deal "fairly" with their own neighbors (who are other 1%'ers by the way but I assume you meant the other 99%), you are sadly mistaken. You don't usually get to be a 1%'er by being "fair." That's the big joke. Re: the "illegal alien EMEMIES", my grandparents were not native Americans so I too am an illegal alien EMEMY. Thank heaven … more ›
Reston resident balances running FACETS and seat on Reston Association Board of Directors.
Amanda Andere has answered her community's call to service. Andere, 31, is the executive director of FACETS, a nonprofit aimed at aiding families in need and ending homelessness, as well as serving as the apartment owners' representative on the Reston Association Board of Directors. That means days that start at sunrise and sometimes end at midnight. Andere says she is up for the challenge because she is giving back to her community. Andere is a 1998 graduate of Herndon High School. She earned a B.A. in political science at James Madison University, and a Masters of Public Administration on nonprofit management at George Mason University, where she also teaches in the university's non-profit management program. Prior to joining FACETS …
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2:31 pm on Thursday, December 29, 2011
Karen - Great article about our great community asset, Amanda, and excellent insight into affordable housing in our community. Thanks, and a positive new year to all. Maggie Parker, Comstock Partners more ›
Stuart Rakoff
2:07 pm on Friday, April 26, 2013
As a Board Member and Officer of Reston Interfaith, I was so pleased to be at the Facets event yesterday and recognize the outstanding work they do to address the critical issues of homelessness and poverty in our community. We at Reston Interfaith are privileged to work in partnership with Facets to make Fairfax all it can be. more ›