Program areas at NVFS
Anti-hunger:nvfs' hunger resource center (hrc) engaged a comprehensive network of resources to provide several million meals in fy22 to help individuals and families address immediate and long-term needs related to food insecurity, basic needs essentials, and health education. The hrc prioritizes effective strategies that address the complex issues that perpetuate food insecurity. Nutrition education is provided through partnerships with local health clinics/providers. Additionally, over 100,000 meals at nvfs' serve Family shelter are supported annually by the hrc, which provides three (3) daily meals to nvfs' homeless shelter guests. The hrc is located on the nvfs serve campus in manassas and is the largest food distribution center in greater prince william.
Intervention and prevention:multicultural center for trauma recovery - the multicultural center identifies the most common barriers to wellbeing that immigrants face in american society and provides a trauma-informed, culturally relevant response (through case management, mental health, and/or immigration legal services) tailored to each client's unique needs and capacity. The multicultural center helps clients to meet their basic needs, improve their mental health and Family relationships, transition out of unhealthy situations (such as domestic violence), and attain durable immigration status so they can become independent, contributing members of their new community. In fy22, 372 of 1,680 separate legal cases received decisions, 95% of which were approved; 391 clients received mental health services, 87% of whom showed stable or improved mental health functioning after participating in services for more than three months; and 149 clients received case management services, with 82% of households who received long-term case management services showing stability or improvement in their community integration and economic independence.youth initiatives - nvfs's youth initiatives programs provide therapeutic case management, trauma-informed mental health, and group-based services that reduce Family and community violence in specific high-need neighborhoods by intervening with at-risk youth and families experiencing multiple, complex needs stemming from Family reunification and/or immigration. Services are offered to youth and their families in english or spanish and are provided in the home, school, or community. Programming includes the intervention, prevention, and education (ipe) program; Family reunification program; violence prevention and intervention program (vpip), and youth substance abuse support resource navigation services. In fy22, intensive case management services were provided to 1,492 youth and their parents to promote healthy relationships. As a result, 90% of youth with known gang involvement demonstrated a reduction or elimination of gang participation, 95% of participants in the gang prevention program improved their school performance (including improvement in behavior, attendance, and/or gpa), and 92.5% of participants in Family reunification increased school engagement.
Child placement:nvfs' therapeutic foster care program recruits, trains, and supports resource families to provide therapeutic care for foster care children and youth (ages birth through 18) who have significant behavioral, emotional, developmental, cognitive, and medical needs. Resource families participate in an intensive, evidence-based pre-service training and nvfs' therapeutic foster care program staff provide resource families with ongoing in-service training opportunities and the practical and emotional supports/resources they need to meet the significant parenting challenges they face day in and day out. In fy22, foster care was provided to 22 children. Of these children, six (6) were reunified with their families, six (6) were adopted, three (3) are pending adoption and an additional seven (7) are currently in process.
Covid-19 response: since the start of the covid-19 crisis, nvfs has adapted as needed to ensure services continue uninterrupted. In fy22, nvfs was able to provide over $243,000 in immediate direct assistance. Additionally, due to nvfs' capacity and experience in responding to past crises, several additional covid-19-specific special programs operated in fy22. Nvfs partnered with the state and local governments (fairfax county, loudoun county, prince william county, and city of alexandria) to help provide rent and mortgage relief, address food insecurity, prevent the spread of covid-19 within congregate housing facilities, and provide other safety-net resources to the community.
Workforce development:training futures - training futures teaches marketable job skills using a "transformational learning" methodology that addresses the emotional state of trainees as they enter the program and systematically builds up their sense of identity and what is possible in their lives. Training futures delivers in-demand job skills training through an intensive, cohort model in which trainees experience a workplace culture; develop foundational digital skills; participate in an internship/capstone project; engage in individualized coaching; and receive customized job search, retention, and alumni support. In fy22, 22 trainees participated in two (2) training cohorts; 84% graduated from the program and 62% secured training related employment. Individuals who graduated from the program experienced a post-training wage gain of 40%. Vehicles for change - thirteen (13) cars were distributed to families with low-income in fy22, ensuring they had reliable transportation to travel to their jobs, attend school, make doctors' appointments, and transport their children to childcare.career navigation - career navigation is an individualized, person-to-person approach that supports clients to increase their economic stability. Career navigators work with clients to identify goals and create an action plan to achieve career success. Career navigators support clients through career exploration and planning; interest assessments; goal-setting; identifying and pursuing credentials and certifications, when necessary; starting small businesses; identifying challenges and existing community resources to overcome those challenges; preparing tools and assisting in the job application process by helping to tailor resumes, practice interview skills, update linkedin profiles, etc. ; and much more. Career navigators meet clients in locations convenient to them sometimes meeting during evening and weekend hours. Teamup - employers partner with nvfs navigators to teamup and offer on-site workforce development services during work hours for at-risk employees who earn less than a living wage. Navigators work with each employee to identify challenges and create a customized plan that includes setting goals (such as earning a degree, developing new skills, saving money, etc.) And linking employees to resources including housing, childcare, transportation, financial planning, and healthcare.
Ventures:thrift shop - nvfs operates a thrift shop in falls church, which provides opportunities for individual, corporate, and community volunteerism while generating financial support for nvfs programs through the sale of donated goods.