In an effort to limit community spread in areas that are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, free COVID-19 testing will occur on Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church at 3412 22nd Street South, Arlington, VA 22204. Tests will be conducted on a walk-up basis for the first 300 people (age two or older) who are on site - No appointment, ID, or doctor’s order needed. On site translation is available.

To learn more about the testing event, see this flyer in English and Spanish. Learn more about COVID testing in Arlington here.

Note: This is a saliva/mouth swab test. Please do not eat or drink 30 mins before your test as it could impact the sample.

This fall, Housing Arlington begins to confront the question of affordable housing in their new Missing Middle Housing Study, which is now entering its first phase. As they examine Arlington's current housing shortage, it's also helpful to look backwards at the history of housing in Arlington, especially in its intersection with race. "Race and Housing in Arlington," a new video by The Alliance for Housing Solutions, examines how changes in housing availability and affordability have led to decreases in the County's population of Black residents. Watch the video through ArlNow here.

In honor of National Coming Out Day, which was this Sunday, October 11, Arlington's Teen Network Board has shown their support with a new video featuring two members of the LGBTQIA+ community telling their own coming-out stories. Watch the video here.

If you're a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, be sure to check out our online resource page for information about helplines, legal support, health resources, faith communities, social organizations, and more.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, free virtual online workshops will be available courtesy of Project PEACE, Doorways and our regional partners each Thursday in October. Find registration information and resources on the Project PEACE webpage, on this flyer, and throughout the month on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Shine bright in your purple on Purple Thursday (October 22nd), a national day of action to raise awareness and show your support for survivors. Post yourself wearing purple and use the hashtags #PurpleOutNoVA and #PowerUpNoVa!

The Arlington Housing Choice Voucher Program is updating its 5-Year Plan, a document that guides the program’s strategic decision making and codifies the program’s goals and priorities. Program staff are asking for input from Arlington County residents. Until the end of the day today, October 14, you can read the 5 Year Plan, learn more, and submit comments here. 

Your health needs can change from year to year—so do Medicare plan costs and coverage. Now’s the time to learn about Medicare and how you can review plan choices for 2021 like Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) and Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) to find what’s best for you.  Start here by joining Arlington County’s VICAP for a virtual presentation on October 15^th or October 27^th. Click here to RSVP and learn more.

At JOB-TOBER, communicate with local employers via chat and video from your computer, tablet, or smartphone (Google Chrome and Apple Safari browsers work best). Simply upload your resume in PDF format and apply to jobs! Training videos and other instructions will be available during the registration process. The virtual career fair will take place on October 22 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Register and upload your resume here!

On October 22 at 7 p.m., join the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative (AARI) for a Zoom webinar with Ben Cort. Cort’s book “Weed Inc.” (Simon & Shuster) explores the issues that have arisen from commercial marijuana sales, including the risks of marijuana usage with a focus on youth.

Register for the event by emailing aari@arlingtonva.us. Learn more about the author and the event here!

Arlington voters have three options for casting their ballots in November’s general election: in-person on Election Day, early in-person voting, and mail-in ballot. Arlington voters who choose to vote by mail have to request their ballot—and can do so in one of six different ways. The first round of vote-by-mail ballots have been sent to people who requested them, but it’s not too late to request yours. Ballot applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. To help you understand how voting by mail works—and feel confident in submitting your ballot—we’ve broken down the facts you need to know. Learn about how voting by mail is free, easy, and private here.

The Capital Area Food Bank's VA Community Marketplace at Arlington Mill Community Center will be open to all residents in need of food assistance once again on Saturday, October 24, at 9 a.m. The food bank will distribute pre-packed bags or boxes of fresh produce. To learn more, see this flyer in English and Spanish.

For information about the Marketplace schedule or for notice of cancellation due to inclement weather, please call (202) 769-5612.

Wondering what you should do with your unused and expired medication? The Virginia Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) in collaboration with the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative (AARI), are actively reducing opioid misuse and abuse by providing medication safety education and home deactivation kits to help you properly dispose of unused and expired medications. Click here to see how we are responding to the opioid epidemic by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. To request a home deactivation kit from AARI, contact aari@arlingtonva.us or VICAP, contact MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us.