Culmore families come together for Unity in the Community
Free toys for kids, resources for adults, and free food for everyone: that’s the concept of the Unity in the Community event in Culmore.
George Mason University’s Place-Based Initiative and the Mason Police District sponsored the event, which took place on Aug. 10 just a few hours after an ICE raid in Culmore.
Even though the PBI’s health and wellness hub at the Culmore Church has been operating for several months, this event served as a grand opening to introduce residents to the services it provides, said Katie Wilson, director of community engagement at George Mason University’s College of Public Health.
Related story: Health & Wellness Hub offers services under one roof
MPO Stacy Sassano and her colleagues at the Mason Police Station handed out toys to children, while the Sheriff’s Office created ID cards for kids, which could be helpful if the children get lost or involved in an emergency.
Bubbles, a 5-year-old K9 explosives-detection black lab, greeted the guests. She can detect up to 19,000 odors, said her handler, FCPD bomb technician G. Ramirez. If she finds something suspicious, she lets Ramirez know by sitting down.
The SevaTruck provided free food, the police department handed out ice cream treats, and the Asian American Community Center gave out food and school supplies, with help from volunteers from the Vietnamese Student Association at GMU.
Several agencies and nonprofits hosted tables at the event, including these groups that offer services at the Culmore Church as part of the PBI program:
- The Mason and Partners Clinic provides free primary and preventive care on Thursday mornings.
- The English Empowerment Center will offer free English classes for beginning-level adults on Monday and Wednesday mornings, beginning Sept. 21.
- The Women’s Center provides art therapy to teens and adults twice a week.
- The Chris Atwood Foundation, which helps people recover from drug abuse, brings its mobile harm reduction van to the church on Thursday mornings.