COMMON GROUND SPECIAL EDITION !!!!! PLEASE SHARE!

Fairfax County, Virginia sent this bulletin at 06/30/2025 02:57 PM EDT

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NEIGHBORHOOD and COMMUNITY SERVICES

Interfaith Coordination

Common Ground

A Newsletter for the Interfaith Community

Special Edition June 2025

FCIA EVENT SAVE THE DATE!!

Tuesday July 15th, 2025

7:00pm-8:30pm

This meeting will be held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (2709 Hunter Mill Rd, Oakton, VA 22124)

Please send any requests for language interpretation services to Lyndzey Elliott @ lyndzey.elliott@fairfaxcounty.gov by 7/8/25.

SAVE THE DATE!

The 4th Annual Interfaith Resiliency Conference will be hosted on Thursday, September 18th from 8:30 AM -12:30 PM at Fairfax Church.

This conference will feature a presentation from a Director of Security who will share insights and best practices for strengthening safety and emergency preparedness at Houses of Worship.

Attendees will also take part in a short, hands-on emergency preparedness exercise designed specifically for Faith Communities. This interactive activity will walk participants through a realistic scenario, helping them think through how their House of Faith would respond to a crisis.

Please register here: 4th Annual Resiliency Conference Registration

We hope to see you there!

Safety and Security

The 2026 Combating Hate Crimes Grant Program

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Combating Hate Crimes Grant Program. Local jurisdictions have until the end of July to apply for this funding opportunity aimed at preventing and addressing hate crimes in their communities.

Who can apply and what does the program support? This grant program supports local governments that have partnered with eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, particularly those that have been targeted or are at risk of being targeted by hate crimes. Funding is intended to help reduce bias-motivated incidents based on race, religion, color, gender, disability, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Why does this matter? The goal of the initiative is to enhance public safety and resilience by empowering at-risk institutions through financial support. Full guidelines and application materials are available on the DCJS website, and early application is encouraged. Learn more here: 2026 Combating Hate Crimes Grant Program Funding Opportunity | Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services

TAM Symposium 2025

The Fairfax County Police Department’s TAM Unit will host its second annual two-day Threat Assessment and Management Symposium for individuals associated with threat teams. This year’s theme is Navigating Emerging Threats: Anticipate, Adapt, and Act for a Safer Tomorrow. The date is August 18-19^th, 2025 from 8am – 4pm at Capital One Hall.

Please register here: Threat Assessment and Management Symposium 2025

Community Resources

Volunteer Solutions

Please save the date, Sunday, October 5^th, 2025, for the annual Venture into Volunteering fair coordinated by Volunteer Solutions, at the Springfield Town Center from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., in partnership with The Beacon’s 50+ Expo.

Venture into Volunteering is Northern Virginia’s premier volunteer recruitment fair. If your organization is interested in participating and having a table at this event, please email Jeannine.Purdy@FairfaxCounty.gov and she will add you to the list of possible vendors. She will be emailing registration information to interested parties in July. Please note, there is a fee or in-kind donation to reserve a table.

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Help Support Older Adults – Volunteers Needed

Volunteer Solutions (Dept. of Family Services) is looking for volunteer Grocery Shoppers and Social Visitors to assist older adults in the eastern and southern regions of Fairfax County. Your time and compassion can make a big difference in someone’s life.

To learn more or sign up, visit: bit.ly/DFS-VS

Please share this in newsletters or online and follow Fairfax County Volunteer Solutions on Facebook.

Walk, Bike & Roll to Worship Week – Save the Date! 🚲🦽

Walk, Bike and Roll to Worship Week

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) invites congregations across the County to participate in Walk, Bike & Roll to Worship Week on September 13-21, 2025. This event is free to join and can be celebrated on any day during the week that best suits your congregation's schedule.

To register, please complete the registration form at Bike & Walk to Worship Week 2025 | Transportation, or submit it via email to ryan.johnson3@fairfaxcounty.gov by August 15th, 2025.

EV Readiness Strategy

Fairfax County is focused on promoting the adoption of electric vehicles to meet its emission reduction goals as outlined in the Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) and the county’s Operational Energy Strategy. To meet these goals, the county is creating an Electric Vehicle Readiness Strategy. The strategy will focus on increasing the availability and use of EVs in vulnerable and historically disadvantaged communities to ensure equitable access to EVs and electric vehicle supply equipment. A draft plan will be posted for public comment in August 2025. The final report will be completed and submitted to the Board of Supervisors in September 2025. You can find more information here. Fairfax County Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Strategy – Public Input

Community Bulletin Board

The following public announcements are for interfaith meetings and activities sponsored by organizations within the community and are not specifically endorsed or sponsored by Fairfax County. These announcements are provided as a public service in the interest of expanding interfaith dialogue and goodwill. If you have an announcement you would like to share, please contact NCSinterfaith@fairfaxcounty.gov

Lord of Life Citizenship Test Preparation

Citizenship Test Preparation is a seven-week class for permanent residents who are eligible for U.S. citizenship. Students learn about U.S. history, government, geography, rights and responsibilities, and ways to participate in democracy as U.S. citizens. Lord of Life's Citizenship Test Preparation class registers up to 24 students per semester.

Citizenship classes will start in October this year and more information will be provided closer to the date.

Tyson's Interfaith Coffeehouse

If you are interested in submitting something for the newsletter, please review our guidelines:

Submissions should be sent to NCSInterfaith@fairfaxcounty.gov
Submissions should be timely and occurring in the upcoming month. For ongoing needs or services, we reserve the right to hold for future issues.
All submissions should have no more than a 3-line description of the event and include a link for more information or to register.
The event must be open to the entire community.
Proselytizing events/activities will not be posted.
Events must be apolitical. Legislative lobbying efforts will not be posted.
Fundraisers or events soliciting financial contributions will not be posted.
Events must be geared to promoting understanding, goodwill, community service or fulfilling a defined need in helping strengthen Fairfax County residents and communities.

If you have any questions, please email NCSInterfaith@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Fairfax County Government, Virginia

12000 Government Center Pkwy Fairfax, VA 22035
Website | 703-324-7329

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