Buying a traditional decorated egg, called pysanky, in Alexandria will help support families affected by the war in Ukraine.
Creator collective Made in ALX is collaborating with local management consultant business The Critical Mass and a group of Ukranian-American artists led by Pysanky Steph to sell the decorated eggs and raise funds for Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit that donates food and other kinds of support to Ukrainian families.
According to a release, the eggs are a sort of Ukrainian Easter egg — an art passed down through generations and made during Lent to be given as gifts.
“Legend says that there is a monster that represents all evil chained to a cliff, and how tight those chains hold it is entirely dependent on how many pysanky are made each year,” the release said. “The more made, the tighter the chains hold evil at bay.”
According to a release:
As the war in Ukraine drags on, the region’s humanitarian crisis continues to grow. More Ukrainian residents are being displaced every day due to the war. This annual fundraiser benefits Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and dedicated to building up Ukraine and its people.
This year, Pysanky Steph (Ukrainian-American artist Stephanie Malm Cheeseman) and other local artists will decorate traditional pysanky (decorated eggs) to sell at Made in ALX in Alexandria.
The eggs will be available for purchase at Made in ALX (533 Montgomery Street) starting tomorrow (Feb. 15).
A celebration on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 5-7 p.m. at Made in ALX will also give buyers a chance to meet the artists. A class on teaching pysanky classes is being offered as well, with classes starting on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Two longtime affordable housing advocacy nonprofits have announced that, as of Jan. 1, the groups have officially merged.
The Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) and the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS) announced in a release that they’d be consolidating into one organization.
“The decision to unite is rooted from a shared commitment to better serve the community by leveraging collective knowledge, resources and advocacy strengths,” Jill Norcross, who will near the consolidated group as executive director, said in the release. “This will build on our complementary assets and vision to create a more effective and sustainable affordable housing movement in each jurisdiction throughout Northern Virginia.”
Both groups worked in housing advocacy rather than directly building or managing affordable housing programs.
AHS has worked primarily in Arlington, advocating for the missing middle housing initiative. NVAHA’s website says the group has a wider Northern Virginia focus.
“We collaborate with nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and government agencies engaged in housing and community development in Northern Virginia, across the greater Washington metro area, statewide and at the national-level,” the website said.
A release from the unified organization said one of the goals of the merger is to move toward focusing on regional affordable housing strategies.
A representative of the new organization said a new name is still being deliberated.
Image via Alliance for Housing Solutions/Facebook
Friends of Guest House residents were greeted with the gift of pajamas and cozy socks on Christmas morning. Alexandria realtor Maureen Clyne ended up exceeding her goal of 100 pairs of pajamas and socks by collecting 140 pairs.
“The generosity of the Alexandria community never ceases to amaze me,” said Clyne. “I want to give a special shout out to Margaret Ticer Janowsky of Del Ray Cafe who donated 40 pairs and my colleagues at Coldwell Banker Realty in Old Town who also donated.”
Friends of Guest House serves 60 women every year in its residential program, and has helped more than 4,000 women transition from incarceration since it was founded in 1974.
“What an incredible gift that will impact many, many women and make them not only feel warm, but very welcome,” former Friends of Guest House Executive Director Kari Galloway said.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe Street) is hosting a pair of staged reading events over the next two weeks to commemorate the murder of Matthew Shepard and raise funding for The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Shepard, a young gay man in Laramie, Wyoming, was beaten, tortured and killed in a hate crime. Shepard’s murder sparked awareness of and advocacy for hate crime legislation, including the launch of the LGBT nonprofit Matthew Shepard Foundation by his parents.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria is producing a reading of The Laramie Project, a play first produced in 2000 to explore and understand what happened to Shepard, including text from real interviews with people connected to the murder.
The readings are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, and Thursday, Oct. 12.
Tickets are $20 and benefit The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
According to the theatre’s website:
Kaufman and the other company members visited Laramie on six occasions and interviewed residents, members of the police force, and Matthew’s friends, in an attempt to understand what happened, and why. They were also interested in the possibility that theatre, more than any other medium, would allow people to engage with and reflect on the issues brought to public attention by Matthew’s murder, such as homophobia, hatred, intolerance, and fear. The Laramie Project takes those real interviews and weaves them into the story of events surrounding the murder and the months beyond. This staged reading at LTA will be performed exactly 25 years from the date Matthew was attacked and the date he died in the hospital.
(Updated on Sept. 21) This Saturday’s first-ever Eisenhower Rock the Avenue Block Party to promote the Eisenhower Valley has been postponed due to a rainy forecast.
“As of this morning, it is still calling for 100% heavy rain and high wind,” event organizers wrote in an email. “Given these predictions, it would be very hard to hold an event with these miserable conditions.”
Eisenhower Partnership and SaltBox are hosting the inaugural event, which was to include a pop-up Cider Garden hosted by Lost Boy Cider, food and products from businesses on Eisenhower Avenue, as well as kid-friendly activities and live music.
A replacement date has not been announced.
After six years leading Heard, a nonprofit that brings the arts to incarcerated adults, Jane Collins is hanging up her hat.
Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, founded the nonprofit in 2017 by hosting a writing contest between participants of ALIVE!, Friends of Guest House and Together We Bake. Collins has been executive director ever since, growing the nonprofit to teach thousands of Alexandria adults in the Alexandria Detention Center, the Arlington County jail, and in more than a dozen local nonprofits.
“I’m not ‘leaving’ leaving,” Collins told ALXnow. “I am stepping aside, and I know that probably sounds like splitting hairs, but yes, we are looking for a new executive director to take over day-to-day operations.”
Heard pays artists to teach workshops on poetry, visual arts, improvisation, etiquette, public speaking, dance and singing. Last year, the nonprofit gave 229 classes to nearly 2,000 participants, according to their annual report.
“Thank you for being part of my healing,” wrote a female inmate from the Alexandria jail in a testimonial. “Your investment is priceless. Please continue doing what you are [doing,] truly saving lives.”
The nonprofit also offers karaoke every Wednesday night to inmates in the Alexandria jail.
“I go with our professional singing teacher and opera singer, Bharati Soman, and she gives a singing lessons and we sing along to karaoke songs,” Collins said. “Some of those guys can really sing.”
Heard will pay $25,000 to the new executive director, a financial shift for the organization since Collins took in a meager annual salary of $7,500 in 2022.
The organization is funded by the City’s Office of the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, grants and private contributions. Heard also collected $23,000 in this year’s Spring2ACTion fundraiser, their biggest annual fundraising event.
“I think this job is good for someone who needs a challenge,” Collins said. “I’m thinking of maybe somebody who was a recently retired from a corporate, a nonprofit or a federal leadership position that wants to stay engaged and help but doesn’t necessarily want the 40-to-60 hour week. Or it could be a highly successful maybe parent who took some time out to raise a family, but now the kids are in school and they want to get back into something rewarding.”
Collins will be staying on in a reduced capacity and hopes that the new executive director is organized, personable and has a vision for future growth.
“There’s no reason why communities can’t be adopting this model across the country,” Collins said. “And when I say this model, I mean, using local artists to help support and address whatever the local need happens to be.”
Photos via Heard/Facebook
As the number of Alexandrians needing food assistance keeps rising, Volunteer Alexandria is asking residents to donate toward the first ever city-wide food drive.
Volunteer Alexandria has a goal to collect 30,000 pounds of canned food items by July 28 for ALIVE!‘s food bank.
“Hunger does not take a summer break and we thank everyone for donating cans and for volunteering to support this month-long food drive,” said Volunteer Alexandria Executive Director Marion Brunken. “Our goal is that this initiative becomes an annual event in the summer.”
Donations to local food banks usually dry up in the summer months, said ALIVE! Executive Director Jenn Ayers.
“Right now our service numbers are very high,” Ayers said. “We’re serving nearly 5,000 households per month through all our food programs (distributions, pop-ups, pantries and ALIVE! food hubs). At the peak of the pandemic we served about 6,000 households. Last year this time we were down to about 3,000 households, so the need for food is still very high.”
Pre-pandemic, ALIVE! served about 400 households per month, Ayers said.
Ayers also said that financial donations are welcome, as last fiscal year the nonprofit spent about $550,000 in $1,000 payments to more than 500 families. Now with funds all used up, she says that the need is growing.
“We think people are really having trouble just making ends meet, what with inflation, the rising cost of living, increased rent, and all of that having an impact on food security,” she said. “We’re also seeing a higher number of people calling for support with rent or trying to prevent eviction, as well as seeking food. So so it’s all compounded together.”
ALIVE! needs:
- Canned meat and fish
- Canned vegetables and fruits
- Canned beans
- Cooking oil in plastic bottles
There are 16 food donation collection points:
- Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen Street)
- Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street)
- Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library (4701 Seminary Road)
- Alexandria City Hall (301 King Street)
- Department of Community and Human Services (4850 Mark Center Drive)
- Department of Beer and Wine (2724 Richmond Highway)
- James M. Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue)
- Fairlington Presbyterian Church (3846 King Street)
- Fitness Together (300 N Washington Street)
- Old Town North Community Partnership (901 North Royal Street)
- Sixteenth Tabernacle Beth-El (634 N. Patrick Street)
- The Goodhart Group (106 N Lee Street)
- United Bank (2401 Mt. Vernon Avenue)
- Venue Condominium (925 N Fairfax Street)
- Volunteer Alexandria (2202 Mount Vernon Avenue)
- YMCA Alexandria (420 E. Monroe Avenue)
- Zweet Sport Total Fitness Studio (727 N. Henry Street)
The food drive is sponsored by Ting Internet, Fitness Together, and the Rotary Club of Alexandria.
The next ALIVE! food distributions will be held Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5700 Sanger Avenue), and on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Old Town Community Church (212 S. Washington Street).
Thank you to First Christian Church of Alexandria and everyone who is donating food this month! @ALIVE4AlexVA #VolunteerALX https://t.co/WJtaMcf72D
— Volunteer Alexandria (@Volalex) July 18, 2023
The canned food drive starts TODAY! Drop off a can of food (or bottle of cooking oil) at one of the 17 food collection boxes across Alexandria. Our goal is to collect 30,000 pounds of food for our neighbors in need. #VolunteerALX @ALIVE4AlexVA https://t.co/nXM4wTb6sU pic.twitter.com/S0imt803xW
— Volunteer Alexandria (@Volalex) July 5, 2023
ACT for Alexandria did it again.
Wednesday’s Spring2ACTion fundraiser — the largest single day of giving in Alexandria — broke the record set two years ago by collecting $2.9 million for 182 local nonprofits. The 13th annual event received more than 7,700 individual donations and ACT for Alexandria exceeded its goal of $2.5 million.
“Alexandria is an incredibly generous community,” ACT for Alexandria CEO Heather Peeler told ALXnow shortly after midnight. “People really want to give back and see our community thrive.”
The final tally keeps changing, as stragglers are allowed to donate on the Spring2ACTion website until Sunday, April 30.
Spring2ACTion is the main annual fundraiser for most of the participating nonprofits. The top three recipients are Move2Learn with $170,400, Casa Chirilagua with $167,994 and Carpenter’s Shelter with $91,938.
“They’re not doing the galas or the big events,” she said. “They’re using Spring2ACTion as a way to promote their organization, connect with donors, connect with local businesses, and raise critical funds.”
Peeler said that 75 Alexandria businesses also donated a portion of their proceeds toward the effort.
“It shows that Alexandra’s business community is is very connected to and supportive of the nonprofit community,” she said.
Peeler said that her staff of six employees are tired.
“We’re a little tired, to be honest, but we are super excited,” she said. “We have a tremendous sense of responsibility, because so many nonprofits really depend on Spring2ACTion for those donations to support their work. It doesn’t happen overnight, even though it seems it all happens on one day. It’s many months of preparation in terms of connecting with potential donors, and providing training and opportunities for nonprofits to learn what they can do to have the best Spring2ACTion possible.”
Spring2ACTion has raised more than $20 million over the last 13 years.
Spring2ACTion Top 10:
- Move2Learn | Powered by Runningbrooke raised $170,400 from 174 donors
- Casa Chirilagua raised $167,994.79 from 327 donors
- Carpenter’s Shelter raised $91,938.53 from 289 donors
- Art League raised $83,214.50 from 205 donors
- The Alexandria Harmonizers raised $77,674 from 319 donors
- ALIVE! raised $74,756 from 423 donors
- Alexandria Tutoring Consortium raised $72,952 from 206 donors
- Alexandria Seaport Foundation raised $66,602 from 101 donors
- Friends of Guest House raised $62,833 from 141 donors
- Together We Bake raised $62,683 from 138 donors
Thank you for supporting #Spring2ACTion! We've raised over $2.8 million for Alexandria's nonprofits! pic.twitter.com/v9FecwydDU
— ACT for Alexandria (@ACTforAlex) April 27, 2023
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! For your amazing support of our ACPS students this Spring2ACTion! We're honored and grateful so many in our community chose to give to Move2Learn to bring movement to classrooms to help kids feel and learn their best. You're the best!💗 pic.twitter.com/tcJNbSp2Xq
— Move2Learn (@move2learnkids) April 27, 2023
I just donated to a list of Alexandria non-profits who are addressing critical needs in our City.
Join me in contributing to your favorites today as part of #Spring2ACTion !https://t.co/CZZlDEUERM
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) April 26, 2023
Image via Running Brooke/Facebook
A number of Alexandria businesses are donating a percentage of proceeds to local charities and nonprofits for this Wednesday’s Spring2ACTion fundraiser.
ACT for Alexandria’s goal this year is to raise $2.5 million from 10,000 donors for 185 participating nonprofits and charities.
Today, Piece Out Del Ray (2419 Mount Vernon Avenue) will conduct a bingo night from 7 to 9 p.m., with proceeds from $10 tickets benefiting Volunteer Alexandria.
“Come out for a fun night of BINGO and beer from Two Roads Brewing,” Piece Out Del Ray posted. “$5 drafts, food specials, beer swag and fun prizes. We will play 8 rounds of Bingo, so you have plenty of chances to win… Doors open at 5, and the first ball drops at 7.”
fibre space (1319 Prince Street) is extending its sample sale through Wednesday, and all proceeds will benefit Friends of Guest House, a nonprofit that helps women reenter society after prison.
“We do this once a year and it’s become a big hit since people always want to buy our shop samples and they aren’t usually for sale,” owner Danielle Romanetti told ALXnow.
Homegrown Restaurant Group has participated in the fundraiser since it began 13 years ago. Its six Alexandria restaurants will donate 10% of all sales to a number of charities and nonprofits.
“The HomeGrown Restaurant Group has been supporting ACT for Alexandria since the first year when John Porter strong-armed us into participating,” HRG co-owner “Mango” Mike Anderson told ALXnow. “Which has been the right move for us in supporting Alexandria. We encourage all Alexandrians to get on board this year and let’s make it a record year for ACT for Alexandria.”
HRG will donate 10% to from these locations to the following organizations:
- Pork Barrel BBQ: Donating to The Men’s Home
- Holy Cow: Donating to Alexandria Little League
- Bartanical pop-up: Donating to Del Ray Farmers’ Market
- Tequila & Taco: Donating to Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center
- Whisky & Oyster: Donating to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA)
- Sweet Fire Donna’s: Donating to Casa Chirilagua
Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap (401 E. Braddock Road) is also donating 15% of its proceeds Wednesday to AWLA.
Last year, ACT for Alexandria raised $2.65 million from 7,700 donors for 172 nonprofits. The top recipients last year were RunningBrooke, which took in $157,000 from 197 donors, Casa Chirilagua with $114,000 from 313 donors and Friends of Guest House with $112,000 from 180 donors.
Spring2ACTion officially starts at midnight on Wednesday (April 26).
Come out for a fun night of BINGO and beer from @TwoRoadsBrewingCompany at @PieceOutDelRay. Enjoy $5 drafts, food specials, beer swag, and fun prizes. $10/person and all ticket proceeds benefit #VolunteerALX for #Spring2ACTion https://t.co/8wXOPa7l9s pic.twitter.com/WhUmXLmzI8
— Volunteer Alexandria (@Volalex) April 23, 2023
ICYMI: Listen to Heather Peeler, ACT’s president and CEO, encourage everyone to #Spring2ACTion for Alexandria’s nonprofits. Thank you for the interview, @TobyChilliShow and @washfm! https://t.co/ZCcIi4YgLv
— ACT for Alexandria (@ACTforAlex) April 24, 2023
Join @lenaswoodfire for a special Wine (and Woof) Down Wednesday on April 26 (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) for Spring2ACTion benefitting the AWLA. Lena's is donating 15% of the day's sales to the AWLA. MENTION YOU'RE DINING FOR THE AWLA! #alexanimals #delrayva #alexandriava pic.twitter.com/gIdS49Q1SJ
— AWLA Alexandria (@AlexAnimals) April 24, 2023
On April 26th, we are celebrating 13 years of Spring2ACTion! Carlyle’s own Tequila & Taco, Whiskey & Oyster, and Sweet Fire Donna's will all donate 10% of every order on April 26th to charitable donations. Please visit https://t.co/d3L59ZVkoF for additional details. pic.twitter.com/YIOH9st7Vc
— Carlyle Council (@carlylecouncil) April 24, 2023
The biggest single-day fundraiser for Alexandria nonprofits is around the corner, and early giving starts today.
ACT for Alexandria’s annual Spring2ACTion fundraiser is on April 26, and this year’s goal is to raise $2.5 million from 10,000 donors.
“I know our community will once again rise to the challenge to make sure all of our neighbors thrive,” said Heather Peeler, president and CEO of ACT for Alexandria (ACT). “Spring2ACTion is an opportunity for all Alexandrians to come together and support the nonprofits that are essential to our city.”
Nearly $19 million has been raised since the fundraiser was launched 13 years ago. There are 185 nonprofits participating this year, an increase of 13 organizations.
“We anticipate another incredible year where generous Alexandrians will come together and support the organizations that serve our community in the best of times and during challenging times,” Peeler said.
A number of nonprofits and residents are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, according to ACT for Alexandria.
Donors can also give to the Alexandria Resilience Fund, which helps families facing financial difficulties from the pandemic. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 467 households that have received a writ of eviction — a 372% increase compared to 2022.
“Now that eviction moratoriums and state rent relief programs have ended, low-income families have few options for managing the region’s high cost of living,” ACT for Alexandria said in a release.
Last year, ACT for Alexandria raised $2.65 million from 7,700 donors for 172 nonprofits. The top recipients last year were RunningBrooke, which took in $157,000 from 197 donors, Casa Chirilagua with $114,000 from 313 donors and Friends of Guest House with $112,000 from 180 donors.
Alexandria’s Giving Day is two weeks away, but you don’t have to wait to give. Early giving starts today! Learn about the 185 local nonprofits you can help support. #Spring2ACTion https://t.co/r186zLhy0d
— ACT for Alexandria (@ACTforAlex) April 12, 2023