All of Bishop Ireton High School skipped classes today for a good cause.

More than 700 students, teachers and administrators participated in a cleanup of 30 sites in and around Alexandria, including along the city’s waterfront, Holmes Run and Four Mile Run Park.

Sophomore Trevor Pickard spent four hours picking up trash along the Potomac River waterfront. He said he picked up a lot of plastic bottles, tennis balls, diapers, cigarette butts and a lot of disposable vaporizers.

“Obviously not going to school is nice, but it was good to help on our community and beautify these parks for the people in Alexandria,” Pickard said.

B.I.’s Head of School Kathleen McNutt said that the school’s theme this year has been about giving back, and that the cleanup will be repeated next year. The effort meant 25 buses full of students, as well as coordination with parks and churches in the city, Fairfax County and Arlington.

“We wanted to be able to go out into the community as an entire group,” MCNutt said. “We feel like we’ve accomplished that today.”

Senior Zoe Falcone said that the effort was a fun reminder to not litter.

“I think it’s important that everybody start thinking about that, because it’s like a communal area and a shared space,” she said.

Bishop Ireton’s cleanup included:

• Holmes Run
• Ben Brenman and Booth Parks
• The Old Town Waterfront (Windmill Hill Park, Point Lumley, The Marina, Oronoco Park)
• Fort Ward Park
• Four Mile Run Park
• Chinquapin Park
• Dora Kelly Nature Center
• Gil McCutcheon Park (Fairfax County)
• Franconia Recreation Center (Fairfax County)
• Rising Hope Mission Church
• St. Martin de Porres Senior Center
• Sunrise of Springfield (Fairfax County)
• Good Shepherd Parish (Fairfax County)
• Community Lodgings
• Alternative Paths Training School (Fairfax County)
• Arlington Cemetery Kitchen Gardens (Arlington County)

Incidentally, Alexandria’s Earth Day celebration is this Sunday.

Sister Aniliza Juan’s days of hauling boxes up from a cramped basement to offer food to those in need are over.

The new food pantry at 4725 Eisenhower Avenue opened on Nov. 1, giving Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington a much larger, better-equipped facility to better provide for Alexandrians struggling to get by.

Earlier today, Bishop Michael Francis Burbidge visited the new facility to offer a blessing.

“It is here in this place that we reflect our love for God by serving his beloved children, our brothers and sisters,” said Burbidge. “Those who come through these doors experience and encounter the compassion of Christ, but all those who work here and volunteer here see the face of Christ in our brothers and sisters who are poor and needy.”

The pantry is open two days a week, but staff said they can extend the hours if they receive more volunteer support.

Juan, volunteer coordinator for the Catholic Charities Alexandria Food Pantry, said since the start of November and throughout December, the food pantry has been busier than ever.

“The price of commodities is getting higher,” Juan said. “Some of our people are newly arrived and trying to settle, but they cannot get a job right away.”

Juan said some work three jobs but can’t afford rent in the area.

In the third week of December, Juan said the food pantry served 150 families — a new record for the pantry, which normally serves around 80-120 families in that same week each year.

For the first week of January, the pantry has served 95 families, higher than the usual 60 families for the same timeframe.

An annual report showed that Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington provided $8.2 million in support, from $3.4 million in food assistance to $900,000 in rental assistance.

St. Lucy Project, which runs the pantry, fulfilled more than 59,000 food requests over the last year and distributed $2.2 million in food. Christ House in Old Town distributed 17,627 free meals, a 42% increase over 2022 figures, a diocese representative said.

“The good news is that there is a more spacious place to serve even more people,” Burbidge said. “But the sad reality is the need is just as great too.”

The new pantry is a significantly larger space than the previous location in the basement of Christ House in Old Town. Volunteers there had to retrieve food from a cramped, narrow basement with a low ceiling. At the new location, those in need can grab a shopping cart and pick what they need from the shelves.

“We reached a point where we were really injuring ourselves trying to carry food up and down the stairs,” said Catherine Hassinger, director of community services. “Our poor sister did that for many years.”

Hassinger said it took five years, but eventually, Catholic Charities was able to find the new location on Eisenhower Avenue.

Those working at the pantry said the new layout helps give more dignity to the process for those in need of assistance.

“For us as a Catholic organization, it’s about dignity, and dignity comes with choice,” said Stephen Carattini, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington. “What kind of cereal do they want? What kind of bread? We have that as a luxury, but most people don’t have that choice.”

“It’s a kind of relationship built with our clients that makes a difference,” Juan said. “It’s about how we serve them; with respect and dignity and friendship.”

More than 700 new backpacks will be handed out on Saturday afternoon at John Adams Elementary School (5651 Rayburn Avenue).

Alexandria law firm Blaszkow Legal, PLLC, is sponsoring the giveaway, which includes other school items and will be held from noon to 2 p.m.

“The driving force behind this project was a desire to help the local community at a time when many may truly need it,” said Blaszkow Legal CEO Joseph Blaszkow. “Many families are still recovering from the pandemic. We are striving to help take the edge off, so they can get the new school year off to a great start.”

Earlier this year, Blaszkow Legal was presented with Volunteer Alexandria’s Business of the Year award.

There were a number of backpack and supplies giveaways last month, and Shiloh Baptist Church’s upcoming back-to-school giveaway on Saturday has reached capacity. That event includes free boys haircuts, food and school supplies.

The first day of school for Alexandria City Public Schools is August 21.

ALIVE! and Volunteer Alexandria exceeded their goal and collected more than 33,500 in last month’s first-ever citywide food drive.

The nonprofits collected 33,511 pounds of food from 38 locations across Alexandria last month.

“Thank you, Volunteer Alexandria, for hosting this food drive for us and the community,” said Jenn Ayers, ALIVE! executive director, “Donations like the ones we’ve received go a long way to keeping our costs down and provide a healthy variety of food to people who need help.”

The food collected will feed thousands of Alexandria families needing assistance. The effort was so successful that Volunteer Alexandria Executive Director Marion Brunken said that there will be another food drive next summer.

“We are thrilled to have exceeded our goal by over 3,000 pounds for our first community food drive and thank everyone who was able to help in some way,” Brunken said.

While the food drive was successful, ALIVE! always needs more donations. Food can be dropped at the ALIVE! Food Warehouse (801 South Payne Street) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 pm. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

The food drive was sponsored by Ting Internet, Fitness Together and the Rotary Club of Alexandria.

Volunteer Alexandria and ALIVE! wanted to thank the following organizations:

• Agudas Achim Congregation
• Alexandria City Hall
• Alexandria Children’s Dentistry
• Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library
• Dolce and Bean
• Department of Community and Human Services
• Department of Beer and Wine
• Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
• The Episcopal Church of Saint Clement
• Fairlington Presbyterian Church
• Fairlington United Methodist Church
• First Christian Church of Alexandria
• First Church of Christ Scientist
• Fitness Together
• Gilbane Building Company
• The Goodhart Group
• James M. Duncan Branch Library
• Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
• McEnearney Associates
• Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church
• Old Presbyterian Meeting House
• Old Town North Community Partnership
• Rotary Club of Alexandria
• Russell Temple CME Church
• Sixteenth Tabernacle Beth-El
• Ting Internet
• Top It Off
• Trinity United Methodist Church
• TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
• United Bank
• USDA Food and Nutrition Services
• Venue Condominium
• Washington Street UMC
• Westin Alexandria
• YMCA Alexandria
• Zweet Sport Total Fitness Studio

Get your sneakers and sweats ready, because Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! is hosting its 41st annual StepALIVE! Walkathon in Old Town on Sunday, October 16.

There are already 33 walking teams assembled, including Team Shiba, for this year’s five-mile charity walk.

The fundraising goal is $80,000, and $32,000 has already been raised.

Proceeds will support ALIVE!’s family assistance program, which helps Alexandria families pay for rent and other bills.

The event starts and finishes at First Christian Church (2723 King Street), and begins at 1:15 p.m. with on-site registration and a T-shirt pickup. The walk itself starts at 2 p.m., and is followed by a celebration from 3:30 to 4:40 p.m.

It costs $25 for individual walkers to participate ($30 at the event), $10 for seniors and children ages six to 13, and free for kids under six.

Thank you to the sponsors of the 41st Annual StepALIVE! Walkathon! Your donations help to ensure that ALIVE! has the resources to support our Alexandria neighbors in need with food, shelter, emergency financial assistance, and eviction prevention. More at: https://t.co/M3XNnHCBaI pic.twitter.com/yp8luJ6CcN

— ALIVE! (@ALIVE4AlexVA) September 30, 2022

Via Alive!/Facebook

Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! will conduct six free food distributions throughout the city this month.

No identification is required to pick up the groceries, produce, chicken, eggs and bread.

The food can be found at the following pop-up sites:

• Friday, March 4, from 4:30 – 6 p.m. — Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (200 S. Whiting Street)
• Thursday, March 10, from 4:30 – 6 p.m. — William Ramsay Rec Center (5650 Sanger Avenue)
• Friday, March 18, from 10:30 – 12:00 p.m. — Old Town Community Church (212 S. Washington Street)
• Saturday, March 19, from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. — Fairlington United Methodist Church (3900 King Street)
• Saturday, March 19, from 10:00 – 12 p.m. — UNCUT Youth (1501 Cameron Street)

There will also be three larger distribution events on Saturday, March 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m:

• Drive through and walk-up — Cora Kelly Elementary School (3600 Commonwealth Avenue)
• Drive through — NVCC Alexandria Campus (parking lot B-1 via 500 Dawes Avenue)
• Walk-up — William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave)

ALIVE! has given away millions of pounds of food during the pandemic, and needs donations and volunteers.

The Basilica of Saint Mary in Old Town is looking for city permission to make some expansions to the church grounds and make parts of the property more accessible.

The designs for a new bridge are headed to review at the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, July 21, as part of a broader process of adding to the Basilica School of Saint Mary. The church is hoping to add a new new library and media center to the campus, and install a connecting bridge that will help make the different parts of the facility more connected.

“The proposed addition consists of a two-story bridge connection between the main building and Stephen’s Hall,” the Catholic Diocese of Arlington said in its application. “The addition was initially presented to the BAR for concept review on April 3, 2019, while review of the associated development special use permit and preliminary site plan was underway.”

The BAR at the time endorsed the change and the DSUP for the site was approved by the City Council in April this year. The Catholic Diocese said in the application the goal of the addition is to

“The connection will provide a secure, interior path for students and faculty to walk between the buildings,” the applicant said. The proposed addition will provide the school with additional space to accommodate and enhance the experience of its students.”

Update 6/1 — Potomac Crescent Waldorf School said reached out to ALXnow to provide an update on some of the details. PCWS is not planning to return to the Waypoint site after departing at the end of this year. The plan will also not have pickup or drop-off on St. Asaph’s Street.

Earlier: The kids at Potomac Crescent Waldorf School need a place to stay, and Old Town Community Church is offering to take them in.

According to an application headed to the Planning Commission next month, the private early elementary program is hoping to move into the church at 212 S. Washington Street for the beginning of the upcoming school year.

The Potomac Crescent Waldorf School teaches grades 1-3, as well as a preschool program and kindergarten program. The application noted that the new temporary stay will give students at the school an opportunity to explore local parks and museums once they reopen.

Under noise impacts, the application warned that nearby residents may hear an uptick in children playing flutes and ukuleles.

Photo via Potomac Crescent Waldorf School/Facebook

Early voting begins for June 8 Democratic primary — “Early voting will begin on April 23 for the June 8 Democratic primary election in the City of Alexandria. The ballot includes contests for Virginia Governor;Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; House of Delegates (45th District); Mayor and City Council.” [Zebra]

Alexandria to renovate baseball field near Mount Vernon Community School — “The project is scheduled to begin Monday, April 26  and work will occur Monday through Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Work is planned for the restoration of approximately 39,600 square feet turf. This includes the installation of irrigation. The work area will be closed to the public during the installation period.” [Zebra]

Bradlee-King Street road changes could be paused for resident input — “Earlier this year, the City of Alexandria planned to apply for a grant to fund significant changes along Upper King Street, including new bike lanes, narrowed car lanes, dedicated bus lanes and fewer left turns into a popular shopping center. Now, that grant application for the 0.5-mile stretch on King Street outside Bradlee Shopping Center may be put on hold as city officials go back to get resident input and make more specific plans for the roadway to meet expectations from the Virginia Dept. of Transportation (VDOT).” [Alexandria Living]

Church donates gift cards to elementary school families in need — “On Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Lazarus Ministry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church informed ACPS that they will be donating $5,400 for the purchase of gift cards for families in need at William Ramsay Elementary School.” [ACPS]

Titan volleyball team going to state championship — “T.C. Williams (16-0) advanced to the first state championship game in program history, which it will host Friday or Saturday.” [Washington Post]

Today’s weather — “Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High near 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph… Mainly clear (in the evening). Low 41F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.” [Weather.com]

New job: Dog groomer — “Join us at A Dog’s Day Out in Van Dorn! We passionately deliver a great dog experience composed of play, affection, and socialization – all in a safe, friendly, and clean environment. We offer doggie daycare, boarding, and grooming for dogs of all shapes and sizes who play nicely and want to hang with the gang.” [Indeed]

Earl Lloyd statue unveiled at Charles Houston Recreation Center — “At the unveiling of the first African American NBA player, and Native Alexandrian, Earl Lloyd!” [Twitter]

Episcopal Church of the Resurrection opens new facility — “Inspiring Grand Opening of Episcopal Church of the Resurrection’s beautiful new church this morning! Honored and humbled to partner with you to create 113 new affordable homes adjacent to your new space.” [Twitter]

Alexandria Democratic Committee straw poll tonight — “Register to participate in our Almost Annual Straw Poll! It’s Virtual this year, and the link will be sent shortly before the event.” [AlexDems]

Alexandria Police offer condolences for fallen Capitol Police officer — “The Alexandria Police Dept. offers our most sincere condolences to @CapitolPolice for the loss of one of their officers in an attack at the U.S. Capitol. We also send our prayers to the second officer injured. Your families are in our thoughts.” [Twitter]

Today’s weather — “Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 72F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph… Cloudy (in the evening). Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New job: Dog walker/pet sitter — “DogOn Fitness is looking for confident, reliable, independent dog walkers to walk and exercise dogs in the Alexandria and Arlington area!” [Indeed]