Family Services – Community Corner

Virginia Department of Social Services is replacing all magnetic stripe EBT cards with chip-enabled cards that support both tap and chip-insert transactions. The move to chip-enabled EBT cards is a major step toward protecting customer benefits and reducing fraud. Some SNAP participants may have already received the new card or will soon. Check your mail and activate the new card as soon as it is received. Learn more about chip cards and how they help protect your benefits.

💜 Domestic and Sexual Violence Services offers a free, confidential group for adults who identify as women currently experiencing or having previously experienced domestic abuse. The group promotes: 1) Safety and empowerment for self and family; 2) Understanding and healing from abuse and trauma; and 3) Supportive connection with other survivors. This English-language group is eight 90-minute weekly sessions. To enroll, call 703-324-5730 or email. Learn more about Counseling Services.

Getting rid of unwanted items that take up space in your home can feel good, even freeing. Making sure those items are being put to good use or benefiting others, rather than sitting in a landfill, also feels pretty good. If you are downsizing or clearing out a cabinet or closet, consider donating items that are usable and in good condition. The September Golden Gazette includes a list of organizations that put donated items to good use in our community.

From October 1-December 11, 2026, you’re invited to Adopt‑A‑Family and help bring holiday joy to households across Fairfax County. Volunteer and Partner Services is thrilled to partner once again with Roonga as we celebrate 20 years of our Adopt‑A‑Family Holiday Program! Last season, thanks to the incredible generosity of 882 donors, the holidays were brighter for 1,019 families and 2,096 children. This year, we’re aiming even higher. Once the Roonga site goes live on October 1, it will be updated with new families daily, so check back often.

🥰 The DFS Workforce Development team joined hundreds of other volunteers on Friday, September 18, at this year’s VolunteerFest to help pack thousands of meals for Northern Virginia adults and families experiencing hunger. We know it takes more than a job to go from surviving to thriving and our community steps up to help others. Our workforce development programs and case managers take a comprehensive approach to supporting enrolled job seekers, including referrals to supportive services as needed. Learn more about our no-cost services for job seekers and workforce development programs.

🎙️ Our very own Maggie Moreland, the supervisor of the Kinship Unit within DFS Foster Care Resource and Support, stopped by the County Conversation podcast to chat with host Jim Person. They discussed:

• What it’s like for a relative to step in and care for a child when their birthparent is unable to care for them.
• How kinship families can access county and community supports to help them with their added responsibilities.
• Different types of kinship care arrangements and how to be a good neighbor to a kinship family.

🧡 September 15-October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic and Latin communities are incredibly diverse in cultural background, experiences, and needs, and assessing the impact of domestic and sexual violence on such a wide group can be difficult. In addition, immigrant survivors of sexual and domestic violence experience greater barriers to accessing formal services, often due to a lack of resources relevant to their culture or provided in languages other than English. Many Hispanic immigrants speak languages indigenous to their country of origin and/or specific dialects of Spanish, so not all Spanish-language services meet the needs of survivors and families impacted by violence. Find out how current and historical activists have worked hard to overcome these challenges.