Britepaths

Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) - Funds from Fairfax County were distributed to Britepaths to disburse direct assistance payments to clients affected by the pandemic. Allowable assistance included rent and rent arrears, utilities/home energy and utilities/home energy arrears, and other expenses related housing. In fiscal year 2023, Britepaths disbursed 139 grants to 121 unique households.

Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) - Britepaths manages the FEC in partnership with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services and the United Way of the National Capital Area. The FEC provides financial coaching and related services both at the FEC and through our community partners.Clients work with a coach, who helps them create a step-by-step plan to achieve personal financial goals. The FEC also has personal finance classes and workshops on a variety of topics, pro bono legal assistance, asistance with taxes, and small business development services. The FEC served 2,575 clients in fiscal year 2023.

Financial Assistance Program - Provides grants to families in financial crisis with payments to help with rent (not pandemic related), utilities (not pandemic related), car repair, or similar needs. In fiscal year 2023, Britepaths provided 534 grants to 517 unique households.

Food - The Food Program provides emergency food and toiletries from our pantry, grocery gift cards, and farmers' market vouchers to families in crisis. We also provide supplemental food for clients working with mentor, caseworker, or in a job training program in the form of grocery cards. We offer farmer's market vouchers to all food clients from May to October to purchase fresh produce. We also support 22 school weekend food backpack programs, including pantries at 4 high schools.Workforce Development - The program offers information technology training and certification, workforce coaching, workshops related to career development and employability skills, and professional network mentoring.Community Education - The program provides information about Britepaths' activities to the community and referring agents and fosters relationships with donors through several mediums, including the organization's website, social media, print materials, display boards, and newsletters.Advocacy program - Board members and staff advocate for Board-selected issues in order to create an environment where Britepaths' clients can achieve long-term self-sufficiency.Seasonal Programs - The program provides school supplies to students at Fairfax County Public Schools and grocery gift cards to families of these same students for Thanksgiving and winter holiday meals.Financial Literacy - Britepaths educates clients in basic household budgeting and understanding credit through four programs: one-on-one counseling is provided through the Financial Mentoring Program and Financial Counseling Clinics, small group instruction is provided through budgeting classes, and eligible clients may participate in the MPower Loan Program in which the client is provided with a zero-interest loan. Britepaths' staff train and supervise volunteers who provide mentoring and classroom instruction.