Outreach and Education Services
The Outreach and Education Services programs focus on providing educational resources and programs, as well as supportive services and outreach, for individuals and families that are homeless or living in low-income government subsidize housing communities in Fairfax County.
Children participating in one of the
Community Development programs,
the Fairy Tale program
A nutritious evening meal is served to families and individuals who are homeless, living in and around four sites along Lee Highway in Fairfax, 365 days per year. Individuals who walk up can go to either Thomas Somerville (9825 Lee Highway) at 6:15PM or Storage America (11325 Lee Highway) at 6:30PM. Additionally, meals are delivered to the Breezeway Motel, the Anchorage Motel, and Candlewood Suites, which house families that are on the waitlist for local shelters. Outreach is conducted with FACETS’ Outreach worker and Registered Nurse who team to identify new persons in need of services.
The Hot Meals Program entered its 20th year in 2008 and continues to deliver hot dinners to men, women, and children who are homeless in Fairfax County. FACETS' volunteers cook and deliver meals every night of the year and have recently begun serving a Sunday morning breakfast to individuals and families that are homeless. In fiscal year 2008, more than 35,120 meals were delivered to people who are homeless in central Fairfax County.
In addition to providing nutritious food, the meals are an opportunity for FACETS volunteers to meet homeless people and refer them to a social worker. This is a volunteer-intensive effort as more than 1,000 volunteers participate from 35 faith partners.
FACETS’ Outreach Support Services meet basic needs for individuals and families who are homeless or precariously housed in Fairfax County. Through FACETS' Outreach efforts, two motel sites are visited by a FACETS’ social worker at least twice weekly for on-site social work support, and Hot Meals street outreach by FACETS’ Outreach Worker and Nurse Practitioner at least once weekly, to identify new homeless men, women and children and offer services. Additional Outreach activities are also conducted routinely with community partners.
Medical Outreach Support Services
Medical Outreach provides medical and health-related services to unsheltered individuals who are in need of help. FACETS’ medical outreach social worker finds individuals living in the woods, in their cars, and in motels and offers them medical support. Additionally, a s a contracted service through the Fairfax County Health Department, FACETS provides medical, dental, and mental health support services to individuals and a nurse practitioner visits FACETS twice a week for appointments.
Community Development provides educationally enriching programs for families and individuals who are homeless or living in low-income government subsidized housing communities. Programs include educationally enriching after-school programs for children, including Girl Power!, Boys Group, Exploring the Arts, Passport to Fun Reading Club, Homework Hotspots, College Preparation, computer classes, youth mentoring, and tutoring. Additionally, adults are offered similar programs, such as computer classes, Circle of Neighbors (community building training), and mentoring.
Program Descriptions for youth:
Group Tutoring: Youth drop by the center during program hours to receive assistance with projects, homework assignments, or studying for exams. Youth also have an opportunity to work on the computer or play educational games.
- Individual Tutoring: Youth are matched with a one-on-one tutor according to their subject area needs.
- Youth Mentoring: Mentors spend an hour or more each week with a youth for role modeling, companionship, and support.
- Enrichment Programs: Youth are given the opportunity to participate in games, arts and crafts, and other activities in a positive, supervised environment.
- Exploring the Arts: Youth are exposed to various artistic disciplines, such as guitar lessons, ballet, drama, studio art, martial arts, and creative writing.
- Girl Power!: A prevention program that focuses on empowering and encouraging females to make the most of their lives by providing positive messages, meaningful opportunities, and accurate information about key health issues.
- Special Events: Youth and adults participate in field trips, back-to-school and other community events sponsored by Fairfax-based businesses, churches, and organizations. Residents and volunteers organize the events with staff support.Program Descriptions for Adults:
- Partners in Success: FACETS matches adult mentors with adults who are looking for peer counsel, help with employment, friendship, and role models.
- Circle of Neighbors: Residents gather to participate in life skills workshops, learn decision-making skills, build community connections, and socialize. The Circle of Neighbors is a powerful support system for the participants.
- Computer Classes: Residents build computer literacy skills, from basic keyboarding to Microsoft Office applications and job search skills.
- Parent/Child Enrichment: Parents play constructively with their children, interact with other adults, and discuss child care issues, including discipline.
Special Programs - Special Programs improve the quality of life for impoverished families and include holiday assistance and parties, backpacks and school supplies, summer camps, Study Buddies, acknowledgement of birthdays, and recreational activities. In addition, tutoring is provided for children at the FACETS office Monday-Thursday throughout the school year. During the summer, FACETS provides a summer camp for children who are homeless, which runs throughout the summer and provides daily tutoring and field trips.
FACETS provides comprehensive resource development services for individuals who are homeless, precariously housed, or living in low income government subsidized housing communities in Fairfax. Through outreach, FACETS identifies individuals who are having difficulties finding employment, improving their education, or receiving benefits, such as social security. The Resource Development Counselor refers clients to appropriate government services as needed, provides counseling, computer classes, referrals for ESL training, GED classes, and addresses other resource difficulties the clients are facing.
FACETS provides emergency assistance, eviction prevention counseling, and other comprehensive services to families that are at risk of losing their home in low-income housing communities. The Crisis Intervention Advocate provides budget counseling, refers families to Coordinated Services as needed, and acts as an advocate for families facing eviction by accompanying clients to court proceedings, and speaking on their behalf. Families in need of assistance are identified through outreach efforts by the Crisis Intervention Advocate and referrals are also made by FACETS’ Community Development Advocates, who work regularly with the children and adults in the communities.
Hypothermia Prevention Response Program
For the past four winters, FACETS has partnered with local faith communities and the Fairfax County Department of Family Services to offer shelter and food to local men and women who are literally homeless. The goal of the Hypothermia Prevention Response Program (HPRP) is to prevent any hypothermia deaths during the winter months.
Last winter, with the support of faith communities and Fairfax County, and a partnership with Volunteers of America, Chesapeake, FACETS provided nutritious meals and helped to shelter more than 470 individuals. This winter, FACETS is again seeking volunteers from the faith community to Host 30-40 individuals each night at their faith community, provide Meals, and, more importantly, a warm welcome and a safe place to sleep.
This year the Hypothermia Program will be open from Wednesday, November 23, 2008 and close the evening of Sunday, March 15, 2009 (dates may be subject to change). We are still in need of faith communities to host our guests. Visit the Available Host Dates to see when your faith community can open its doors to those in need.
Visit the Hypothermia information page for more to learn how your family, faith community, and business can help.
Hypothermia Articles:
Churches Make Space for Shelter
Homemade Food is Back on the Menu
Ban on Home-cooked Food in Shelters (repealed)
We need your help. There are opportunities for you to get involved with FACETS' Supportive Housing Programs. You can work one-on-one with a family as mentor, or you can help us leverage staff time by reading and playing with children, preparing adults for their GED exam, helping with pre-employment skills and more. Host a toy or food drive at your office or collect back-to-school backpacks for homeless children. Call us with your ideas of how you'd like to help homeless children and adults in your community. We are interested in hearing from you! Get involved today by contacting FACETS volunteer office at (703) 352-3268 or send an email to us today! Training and support is offered.
For more information about our programs please contact Tycie Young or by phone at 703-352-5090.
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Copyright © 2006 FACETS
10565 Lee Highway, Suite 10 Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone (703) 352-5090 Fax (703) 352-5088 Email facets@facetscares.org
Designate FACETS:
United Way #8905, CFC #42156, FCCCC #8905, CVC #8052