Assistance League Northern Virginia

Energized by the friendship, successes, and dedication of our members, our chapter looks forward to another record-setting year.

Talented member, Dorine DiConti, created table runners and also made coffee mugs with our logo for board members & cookies for all guests. Energized by the successes & dedication of our members, we look forward to another great year.

We gathered for lunch at Piero’s Corner, Herndon, to review our successes & plan for next year. We swore in the new board members & thanked those leaving. Gina Glenn was honored for her service as president for 3 years, with a donation to buy new books for our Literacy Program.

You can help kids enjoy a book at bedtime. Use this link: tiny.alnv.org/HugsItems or scan the QR code on the flyer. Select Assistance League of Northern Virginia as the shipping address. We are grateful for the wonderful community support of our monthly wish lists!

We’ve helped children local children in need for 2 decades. For our 20thanniversary celebration, the June wish list seeks books for the Hugs Bedtime pillows we give kindergarten kids. The packets have a beanie baby, toothbrush & paste, & a book to promote a good bedtime routine.

Lynn has been a dedicated volunteer since joining in 2014, serving on the board as Recording Secretary, Vice President for Philanthropy, & VP for PR. She attends most ALNV events & takes photos for the write-ups. Thru her articles & photos, we’ve gained wider recognition.

Cindy helped start ALNV as a guild in 1999 & served as the 1st chapter president in 2004. It’s fitting to acknowledge her 25 years of service. She chaired our Strategic Planning efforts & leads our annual sale of White House Ornaments. Cindy has truly earned the award!

Our chapter recently honored two members with National Assistance League awards that are named after the organization's founders. Cindy Burgess received the Anne Banning Leadership Award, and Lynn Barron received the Ada Edwards Laughlin Award.

Hugs Pillows are given to kindergarten students to help them develop a good bedtime routine. Kids should learn good dental care early since many families can’t afford regular dentist visits. Use this link tiny.alnv.org/HugsItems or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Buy an item from our June Wish List so kids don’t have to share a toothbrush with their sibling! Kids in low-income families lack the essentials for good oral hygiene since their families can’t afford them. Our Wish List seeks toothbrushes & books for our Bedtime Hugs packs.

The Keynote Speaker noted that our provision of food, clothes, shoes, books, & hygiene items give kids the needed support for their dignity & comfort so they can achieve their full potential. Click to watch the video, produced by Bob Kovacs: youtu.be/Cmd-pob-05o

Our Literary Luncheon & Fundraiser was helped by contributions from 2 sponsors, NOVEC & Northwest Federal Credit Union and by 32 businesses that donated items for our silent auction. We don’t receive federal, state, or local funding; we rely on friends, supporters, & grants.

We also gave 1200 books to Pre-K, Head Start & Special Ed students that were purchased with funds from Social4Good. We recognize the importance of good reading skills for students’ success & hope the books will help them develop a love of reading & inspire their creativity.

We provided 4602 new books for our Literacy for Kids program. Some went to schools' Little Libraries & some to their youngest kids. We packed 3402 books for 8 Little Libraries at Title I schools in Fairfax & Prince William Counties & Alexandria, with sets for June, July, & Aug.

Videographer Bob Kovacs provided a time-lapse video of a food packing. He condensed into a 1-minute clip the 2-hour packing process! Tho the music helps quicken the pace, we’re not that fast. Use this link to view: youtube.com/watch?v=YmDjC7…

We also delivered 307 clothing items, including shorts & T-shirts, leggings, underwear, socks, & sweatshirts, some were donated by friends & supporters who purchased them from our monthly wish lists. We are very grateful for the community support & our generous donors.

Lunch was served to thank all who helped pack the 15,480 bags this year. Dominion Energy ordered pizzas with a variety of sauces and toppings & and our Weekend Food team provided drinks and desserts.

Our final food-packing this year was fun and impactful. Sixty volunteers packed 1,720 bags of food & delivered them to 6 schools, along with grocery gift cards. We were joined by volunteers from Dominion Energy, & friends from Didlake, RBH Global Wealth, & Antean Technology.