Goodwin House Conducting Virtual Job Fair for Servers at 1 p.m. — “When you join our team, you’ll also be working at one of the Top Workplaces in the Washington, D.C. area according to The Washington Post. Our pay is highly competitive, we offer outstanding benefits and we provide opportunities for growth and excellent perks such as access to our swimming pools and fitness facilities.” [Indeed]

Old Town Sign to Stay on Theater — “Patagonia will “fix up” the sign so it looks a little bit better and to prevent further water damage to the marquee. Patagonia will put up its own sign underneath the marquee.” [Alexandria Living]

Mayor’s Social Media Habit Positively Recognized During Pandemic — “Every time the mayor gets takeout for his family — most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays these days — he tries to documents his meals for more than 4,500 followers on Twitter. For Wilson, it’s a small way to raise visibility for Alexandria restaurants struggling to stay in business while Virginia enforces a dine-in ban to battle the spread of the novel coronavirus.”  [Eater DC]

Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar Opening This Summer — “Originally, we were hoping to open in early May. Obviously that isn’t happening, nor can it while there is a stay at home order enacted. Our current target is now mid-summer. We greatly hope that life will be starting to normalize somewhat by then.” [Facebook]

Casa Chirilagua Video Shows Expressions of Thanks for Support — “We are just grateful. As you may know, we are without work because of the virus. I’ve been out of work for three weeks, and my brother the same. And we are just, you know, trying to wait this thing out. Thank you so much for the collaboration to help. It was so welcome at this time.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” [Facebook]

Fairlington United Methodist Church Hosting Daily Online Worship at Noon — “Do you have questions about your faith and our world? Let us know what those questions are in the comments below and we will explore some of them during noontime gatherings this week. Everyone is invited to come to a short devotional, check-in, and prayer at noon every weekday!” [Facebook]

Tech On Tap Urban Gardening Webinar at 4 p.m. — “Get your hands dirty with Urban Gardening! Gardening can be a great stress reducer. Don’t think you have the space for a garden? Wondering which plants you can or should grow? Gardening is the perfect social distancing activity – feeding a revival of interest in food production and gardening as a recreation, outdoor exercise form and community-building tool. Alexandria Economic Development Partnership can help you get started!” [Facebook]

Cidery Owner Participating in Lost Boy Cider Zoom Chat at 4 p.m. — “Chuck Shelton is joining Tristan on Zoom for Wednesday’s happy hour. Chuck is the co-founder and cider maker at Albemarle Ciderworks in Virginia. Widely recognized as one of Virginia’s premier cideries with a tremendous history in heirloom cultivation.” [Facebook]

At Home happy Hour at 5 p.m. With Pork Barrel BBQ Bartender— “Don’t forget to get your tickets for @Home HH with Kristina tomorrow night from 5-6PM! Kristina will be teaching you how to make two craft cocktail classics.” [Facebook]

Volunteer Alexandria Needs Help Transporting Food — “Volunteers needed to transport a generous donation of food from Great Harvest Bread Company to local organizations. Morning and afternoon shifts available Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Fri.” [Facebook]

ACT for Alexandria raised $2.45 million for more than 150 local nonprofits during its 10th annual fundraiser — breaking the record for the most funds raised in a single day.

In total, 8,453 donors raised $2,455,401 for 156 nonprofits in Alexandria during the Spring2ACTion event on Wednesday.

“I feel tremendous gratitude,” ACT President and CEO Heather Peeler told ALXnow. “When Alexandria’s nonprofit needed our community, people really stepped up.”

The top three recipients were ALIVE!, which raised $145,611 from 491 donors, followed by RunningBrooke with $115,250 and 163 donors, and Casa Chirilagua with $101,609 and 365 donors.

The original plan was to hold the fundraiser on April 29, but it was moved to April 15 due to an increased need brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All of these organizations are operating under a tremendous amount of stress and strain,” Peeler said. “And yet they created the marketing plans and the outreach plans to communicate with and reach new donors throughout the day.”

Spring2ACTion, which is hosted by the foundation ACT for Alexandria, has raised more than $10 million for local nonprofits since its founding 10 years ago. All donations are tax deductible and irrevocable.

Spring2ACTion Top 10:

1. ALIVE! raised $145,611 from 491 donors
2. RunningBrooke raised $115,250 from 163 donors
3. Casa Chirilagua raised $101,609 from 365 donors
4. Friends of Guest House raised $77,178 from 159 donors
5. Inova Alexandria Hospital raised $64,560 from 78 donors
6. Metropolitan School of the Arts raised $62,636 from 102 donors
7. Carpenter’s Shelter raised $57,747 from 256 donors
8. Together We Bake raised $56,918 from 204 donors
9. King Street Cats raised $50,540 from 524 donors
10. Urban Alliance raised $47,692 from 494 donors

Image courtesy ACT for Alexandria

The Del Ray Citizen’s Association on Wednesday approved an allocation of $2,500 to ALIVE! and $2,500 to Casa Chirilagua.

More than 30 DRCA members participated in the monthly meeting on Wednesday night, which was held via Zoom.

“We wanted to really do something major and significant to help with on COVID-19 relief for the charities in this area,” DRCA President Virginia Bush said at the meeting. “This is an unprecedented threat to our community, and I think it’s really important that we do everything we can to support the people who are losing their jobs, losing their businesses and losing their homes as much as we can.”

The association is asking other neighborhood associations to match them with a COVID-19 fundraising challenge with $2,500 or $5,000 donations.

Additionally, a number of community events in Del Ray have been canceled or postponed, including the popular Del Ray Music Festival, the Well Ray fitness festival and the Homes and Garden Tour.

Photo via ALIVE!/Facebook

Casa Chirilagua took to YouTube to thank Alexandria for the recent outpouring of support and to outline ways the organization is trying to help some of the city’s most vulnerable populations.

Casa Chirilagua is a Christian nonprofit in the Chirilagua/Arlandria neighborhood that provides help for local low-income families. Over the last few weeks, as many of these families have lost jobs, Casa Chirlagua has scrambled to help cover rent and grocery needs for the community.

“We are constantly changing in terms of our response to the community,” Executive Director Adriana Gómez Schellhaas said in a video. “It’s one of the main concerns that parents have expressed, the fact that many have lost their jobs. We asked you all to see if people wanted to give and you responded.”

Schellhaas said over the last week, the organization raised $23,000, which will go directly to Casa Chirilagua families for rent and utility needs. The organization is currently calling families and starting to make payments, according to Schellhaas. The group is also partnering with local food pantries to ensure that families have access to groceries.

“You all have responded in incredible ways,” Schellhaas said. “God has moved mightily in the soft hearts of his people. I want to thank you so much for the outpour of response, particularly the financial and food response that you all have given Casa Chirilagua.”

Schellhaas said donations to the organization can be made directly through PayPal or by purchasing an item on the group’s Amazon wishlist.

“We don’t know how long this will last, so we pray people will continue to support us and support the families,” Schellhaas said.

Photo via Casa Chirilagua/YouTube