Children work on crafts to benefit the needy on MLK Day
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| Volunteers fill the JCC gym for the MLK National Day of Service. |
More than 500 people took part in “Give Together: A Family
Volunteer Day” at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Fairfax Jan. 21 to
commemorate Martin Luther King Day. That event, also held in Herndon and
Lorton, was organized by Volunteer Fairfax.
Volunteer Day” at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Fairfax Jan. 21 to
commemorate Martin Luther King Day. That event, also held in Herndon and
Lorton, was organized by Volunteer Fairfax.
Children, teens, and adults at the JCC made tote bags and assembled
hygiene kits for the homeless and created cards for children in hospitals through
the Sunshine Mail Foundation. “Kids love to get the cards. The messages are uplifting
so they know people care about them,” said Rachael Neenan of the foundation.
hygiene kits for the homeless and created cards for children in hospitals through
the Sunshine Mail Foundation. “Kids love to get the cards. The messages are uplifting
so they know people care about them,” said Rachael Neenan of the foundation.
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| Isaac Stern (left), a student at Lanier Middle School, and Charlie Dziedzic, a student at Kilmer Middle School work on the Beads of Hope project. |
Other volunteers made colorful bracelets and wrote thoughtful
notes for hospitalized children through the Beads of Hope Project; selected
poems to paste in cards they decorated for U.S. troops through an organization called A Million Thanks; and made scarves for the homeless to be distributed by Facets,
a Fairfax-based nonprofit aimed at helping the needy.
notes for hospitalized children through the Beads of Hope Project; selected
poems to paste in cards they decorated for U.S. troops through an organization called A Million Thanks; and made scarves for the homeless to be distributed by Facets,
a Fairfax-based nonprofit aimed at helping the needy.
There were 1,500 homeless people in Fairfax County last
year, and the fastest growing group is homeless children, says Melissa Edwards,
Facet’s volunteer manager.
year, and the fastest growing group is homeless children, says Melissa Edwards,
Facet’s volunteer manager.
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| Sisters Thara and Mithra Venkatesan of Herndon. |
At the end of the program at the JCC, children had a chance to
reflect on their experiences and made “heart people” with statements about what
they accomplished or learned.
reflect on their experiences and made “heart people” with statements about what
they accomplished or learned.
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| Some of the cards for the troops made by children. |
