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DEPARTMENT of FAMILY SERVICES |
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 Welcome to the Department of Family Services' Community Corner. Our weekly newsletter, updated each Wednesday, provides information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your family and friends.
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Need Your Input! Survey about Services for Older Adults, Adults with Disabilities and Family Caregivers
Fairfax County Department of Family Services is seeking community input to help increase awareness of services for older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers. The survey results will help us find ways to improve how residents of Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church find resources, programs, and information. Please participate in this short survey and share the link with your family, friends, and neighbors too. Take the survey.
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Looking for a job? Find out if WIOA is right for you
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) offers workforce development services to eligible job seekers. Find out if you are eligible! Learn about upcoming information sessions.
Services include:
- Career coaching focused on in-demand jobs.
- Assistance with resume writing, interview preparation, and job searches.
- Job skills training and credentials.
- Paid work experience opportunities.
- Work uniforms, tools, and other supportive services.
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Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence —Modern-Day Dating
New Unscripted episode alert: Dating in 2024 looks a lot different than it did even a decade ago, especially with cancel culture run amuck and patience an outdated virtue. And covid amped up our anxiety around trust and toxic relationships. Just how do you meet people now—in the wild or on dating apps? What are the pros and cons of each method? Some things haven’t gone out of fashion, though, like relationship green flags and red flags and the best way to resolve conflict. On this episode of Unscripted, host Kendra Lee sits down with Kelly Jackson, Quality Assurance clinical supervisor; Andrea Nunes-Gardner, Crisis Response Services program manager; Jennifer Perkins, ADAPT supervisor; and Tanisha Cox, volunteer manager; all with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, to mix it up about modern-day dating.
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Celebrating a Fantastic Year of Partnership with Tickets for Kids
Thank you to Tickets for Kids, for the first year of what we hope will be a longstanding partnership in bettering the lives of the children in our community! Tickets for Kids has provided 130 tickets to enable children in our BeFriend -A-Child Mentoring Program to broaden their horizons through culturally enriching events. Check out some of the remarkable experiences the children enjoyed this past year!
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Honoring and Celebrating Volunteerism
The month of April is Global Volunteer Month, which came about after National Volunteer Week was established by presidential proclamation fifty years ago. This year, National Volunteer Week is celebrated April 21-27. Volunteers in Fairfax County are essential to creating a rich fabric of engagement, and we honor and recognize all the ways they serve our community. Read about one outstanding volunteer, Julie Brown, in the April issue of the Golden Gazette.
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Dads Parenting Groups Help Reunify Families
It’s true! Involved supportive fathers make a difference in their children’s lives. There is a direct link between positive father involvement and child well-being. Too bad that there is not a roadmap for how to be a great father! Hear one dad’s powerful story of the way the Department of Family Services’ Father Engagement Unit helped him to enhance his parenting skills, connect with other fathers, and ultimately have a healthy custodial relationship with his children. Learn more through this video, or sign up for classes that begin May 6.
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The Lessons from Gains, Gaps, & Goals: The Status of Women and Girls in Fairfax County
Did you know: In Fairfax County, 6.32% of women ages 18 and older live in poverty versus only 4.6% of men. This is just a small part of the findings from the “Gaps, Gains, & Goals: The Status of Women and Girls in Fairfax County” study. Karla Bruce, chief equity officer of Fairfax County’s One Fairfax policy, talks about what we learned from this research and how it will guide the county in the future on this edition of the County Conversation Podcast with host Jim Person.
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Apr. 15-May 15 – Donation Drive to Restock the VPS Baby Supply Closet
Join the Department of Family Services Volunteer and Partner Services program during Child Abuse Prevention Month as we collect new, unused baby supplies such as high chairs, strollers, car seats, cabinet safety latches, door knob safety covers, crib sheets, baby gates, etc. If you are interested in helping to make sure that local families have some basic necessities for their children, please email Samantha Carrico, call 571-536-8192, or sign up online to coordinate a donation drop off. We appreciate your generous donations and support to help families thrive!
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Thursday, Apr. 18 – Blinding Love Video Premiere
Join Domestic and Sexual Violence Services’ Teen Advocates at the premiere of Blinding Love, on Thursday, April 18, from 6-8 p.m. at Bailey’s Community Center in Falls Church. This short film features Fairfax County teens committed to preventing dating violence in their communities. Join us for a night of glamour and awareness on such an important topic. Refreshments and fun activities are included. For more details, contact Debra Miller or Nora Nieto.
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Friday, Apr. 19 – Scam Jam
Join AARP Virginia and the Fairfax County Silver Shield Task Force for the 7th Annual Scam Jam on Friday, April 19 from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. Con artists don’t care how hard you’ve worked for your money. They steal billions of dollars from hard-working Americans every year. With advances in artificial intelligence (AI), scams can be hard to identify. Criminals make it hard to spot fraud by using AI to mimic voices, alter photos, and avoid spelling and grammar mistakes. Learn more about AI and hear a fraud victim, representatives from the American Bankers Association, cyber security experts at the FBI, and more. You’ll learn the red flags to spot scams and protect yourself and your family, as well as how to report fraud. A shred truck will be on-site from 12-3 p.m. so you can shred your sensitive documents securely. Limit of two banker size boxes per car please. All participants must register. For more details or register.
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Multiple Dates, Starting May 1 – Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Volunteer Orientation
Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is looking for a few good volunteers! Sign up to learn about DSVS, the services the division provides and the population it serves. Discover how volunteers can contribute to the DSVS mission and the application process. Orientation is free but registration is required. Multiple dates, starting Wednesday, May 1, 2024, are available. Choose the one that works best for you.
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 Access Fairfax is a twice monthly newsletter sharing news, resources, and events for people with disabilities in Fairfax County.
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 Our weekly Career Resources Newsletter includes information on job leads, upcoming webinars and employment events.
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 Our monthly Foster Family Newsletter shares resources and experiences relevant to foster and adoptive parents, children in care, and the resource workers who support them.
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 The quarterly newsletter The Update covers helpful information and topics for persons receiving long-term care services and their caregivers.
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 Our Volunteer Post Newsletter provides a glimpse into the many ways to get involved in making a difference and supporting families in our community.
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 Please follow us on Facebook at Fairfax County Department of Family Services for news, events, tips, stories and training opportunities. We support families and county residents of all ages and stages of life. Join our community and engage with us through social media!
Join Us! Learn about career and volunteer opportunities in the Department of Family Services.
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The Department of Family Services (DFS) envisions a community where everyone lives their success story and thrives. DFS strengthens the well-being of our diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services.
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