Clothing needed for Annual Winter Clothing Drive - , 9/1/2010 - The Child & Family Network Centers (CFNC) is looking for donations of gently used and clean adult and children’s clothing and shoes for all seasons for the CFNC Annual Clothing Drive. There is a particularly strong need for children’s clothing and shoes. (No underwear or bathing suits please.) The donated clothing will be made available to the families of CFNC on Friday, December 3, 2010. If you have clothing that you wish to donate, kindly drop it off at CFNC’s Birchmere location, 3701-A Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22305 (next to the Birchmere), between the hours of 9AM and 5PM. Questions can be directed to Kristin Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator, 703-836-0214 ext. 234.
CFNC Goes "Back to School" with Harris Teeter and Safeway - , 8/12/2010 - CFNC is preparing for the 2010/2011 school year with help from Harris Teeter's and Safeway's back-to-school fundraising programs. As a participant, CFNC will receive a percentage of qualifying purchases made by customers who have linked their club cards to CFNC. Here's how you can make your purchases help the nearly 200 children and families that CFNC serves this school year:
Safeway
Step 1: Sign up for free now. Log onto www.escrip.com anytime, register your Safeway Club Card and select The Child & Family Network Centers, by searching our Group Number: 500004246.
Step 2: Shop at Safeway and purchase specially marked products. When shopping at Safeway stores between August 11, 2010 and September 14, 2010, look for yellow School Bus tags on over 2,000 participating products. When purchasing these products, present your Safeway Club Card at check-out. You will be able to check your receipts throughout the program to see how much of your purchases will go to CFNC. The total will be updated after each shopping trip at the bottom of the store receipt.
Step 3: Between September 18, 2010, and October 13, 2010, your Safeway receipts will provide a redemption code, located at the bottom of each receipt. In order for CFNC to receive the funds, you will need to either: (1) log on and enter your redemption code(s) at www.escrip.com OR (2) mail/drop-off your receipts at CFNC (3701 A Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22305). You can return to www.escrip.com as many times as necessary between September 18, 2010 and October 13, 2010 to register additional receipt codes.
Harris Teeter
Step 1: Link your card to CFNC! This can be done two ways: (1) You can simply give the cashier your Harris Teeter VIC Card and the school's Together in Education number (CFNC's number is 6467) during checkout OR (2) You can link your Harris Teeter VIC card directly to CFNC by registering online here: Click here!
The program runs from August 1, 2010 thru May 31, 2011, but you can register your card online anytime.
We hope you will think of us in the check-out line at Harris Teeter and Safeway...and spread the word to family and friends!
CFNC Selected as Charity Partner for Two Fall Road-Races - , 7/28/2010 - Autumn is a wonderful time for outdoor exercise-especially while supporting a great cause! There are two upcoming opportunities that we hope you'll take part in. The first is the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, September 19 and the second is Acumen Solutions Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K on Sunday, October 17. A portion of the proceeds from both events will benefit CFNC, among other local charities. If you can't join the race, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer or make a donation. See below for more information. On your mark...get set...go!
Race Ambassador Doreen Gentzler will run the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, accompanied by her husband, Bill. Also on the course will be CFNC's Manager of Development, Anna Berke. With more than 3,500 participants registered there are only 500 spots remaining! Register today on the race's website. There you'll also find a course map, information on the benefitting charities and volunteer opportunities. We hope to see you out there on race day!
CFNC is also proud to announce that we will be partnering with Acumen Solutions for their 2nd Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K and 1K Fun Run race on Sunday, October 17, 2010 in Arlington, VA. CFNC will be one of 12 charities benefitting from the race and it's up to the runner or walker to pick which charity their donation will benefit. The 1 mile format has been added this year to give families and young runners a chance to participate. Two-thousand dollars in combined prizes will be awarded to winners. Acumen Solutions' previous 10K road races and last year's Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™ 8K have contributed over $125,000 to benefit local nonprofits. The company has contributed over $1 million dollars to charitable causes since inception. This is the first time that CFNC will benefit from this event. For more detailed information and registration go to www.theraceforacause.com
Check out the link below for a PSA promoting the race and asking that you support CFNC upon registration. Spread the word!
http://www.youtube.com/acumensolutions#p/c/EB5A8508FED4E3D3/5/PkVM9-uue9k
CFNC selected by The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington - , 6/18/2010 - The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington recently announced that The Child & Family Network Centers has been selected to be featured in the 2010-11 Catalogue. A panel of 100 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, peer non-profit organizations, and the DC government evaluated nearly 250 applications; The Child & Family Network Centers is one of 70 outstanding nonprofits to be featured this year.
"Charities were selected for excellence, cost-effectiveness, and impact," Barbara Harman, President and Editor of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington said. “These are certainly among the best community-based nonprofits in the Washington region.”
The Catalogue enables smaller non-profits to tell their stories to individuals who would otherwise never hear them, and to encourage those individuals to get engaged and to give. It also provides charities with a stamp of approval that tells donors they can invest with confidence because the Catalogue vets its family of nonprofits with great care.
2010 Annual Spring Benefit a Great Success! - , 5/20/2010 - CFNC is thrilled by the success of this year's Annual Spring Benefit, which took place Saturday, May 8, 2010 at the beautiful home of Catie & Steven Peterson. At the benefit, CFNC celebrated the extraordinary career of Founder and Executive Director Barbara Fox Mason upon her retirement. Delicious food, lovely surroundings and wonderful company were enjoyed by nearly 300 guests. Photos of the event are available in the Photo Gallery.
CFNC's Founder and Executive Director, Barbara Fox Mason, to retire in June - , 3/24/2010 - Barbara's motto has been, "Preschool is not a luxury, it is a necessity." Upon Barbara's retirement in June of this year, CFNC will remain committed to Barbara's vision to provide free preschool and related services to at-risk children and their families in Northern Virginia.
Barbara will be dearly missed by the staff at CFNC and those in the community whose lives she has changed. Notice of her retirement was made available to local media outlets in late March and we invite you to read the press release at the link above.
Brooke Curran Presents Check to CFNC - , 2/1/2010 - Brooke Curran and the RunningBrooke Fund awarded $20,000 to The Child & Family Network Centers!
To follow Brooke on her amazing journey as she runs a marathon on every continent, every state and all of the marathon majors while raising money for local Alexandria charities, please visit www.runningbrooke.com
Preschool Needed to Ensure National Security - Mission Readiness, 9/21/2009 - A recent report released by Mission Readiness, a bipartisan, non-profit national security organization of more than 80 retired generals and admirals, makes a compelling case for the need early education across Virginia to ensure national security. Read the report by clicking on the link above.
Nobel Prize Winning Economist Concludes Early Childhood Education is the Best Investment America Can Make - James Heckman, 9/16/2009 - In a speech delivered in Washington, D.C. on September 16, 2009, James Heckman, a Nobel Prize winning University of Chicago Economics Professor, concluded, "Society can save resources later on by heading off problems by early interventions. Payoffs to these policies come early by reducing burdens on schools and the juvenile justice system. The policy pays for itself many times over. If society adopts a long-run point of view, it will implement early childhood programs that reduce deficits and produce substantial social payoffs."
Oct. 1 - 3: Shop at any Barnes & Noble, Raise Money for CFNC - CFNC, 9/10/2009 - By participating in the Barnes & Noble Bookfair on Oct. 1st - 3rd, you will help CFNC raise money to purchase books and classroom supplies for preschool children living in poverty. Help us start the year off right! Visit any Barnes & Noble, and prior to making a purchase let them know that you intend for your purchase to benefit The Child & Family Network Centers. You will need to provide the following number: 565713. A percentage of your purchase will be donated to CFNC.
VPP News: CFNC’s Family Services Helps Families Make Gains - VPP News, 7/27/2009 - When people think of The Child & Family Network Centers, preschool is typically the word that comes to mind, for good reason. Each year, CFNC provides nationally accredited preschool, free of charge, to nearly 200 children living in poverty, preparing them for success in school and in life. Yet CFNC also provides an array of family support services, including ESL classes, job placement services, and health services that give children what they need most: strong, healthy, stable families to nurture and support them in their journey through school and life.
The situations of the parents CFNC served this year were generally similar to years past, including poverty, limited English proficiency, lack of knowledge about how to access services, and lack of confidence in partnering in their child's education. However, this year also yielded a significant increase in the number of unemployed parents, likely due to the current recession. CFNC’s social workers, each with an average case load of 60 families, spent more time helping parents secure jobs, gain training to be more competitive in the job marketplace, and/or avoid or overcome foreclosure on their homes.
The results from these initiatives indicate a successful approach. Read more by following the link above.
CFNC on NBC 4 News - NBC News, 5/11/2009 - Every child deserves the opportunity to start school prepared to learn. Watch the NBC 4 News special coverage about CFNC.
Join Us April 30 For Happy Hour Fundraiser in Adams Morgan - CFNC, 4/27/2009 - Join us this Thursday from 6-9pm at The Blaguard in Adams Morgan for a Happy Hour Fundraiser. Proceeds from the event will help CFNC open two new classrooms in the fall.
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary of service, CFNC provides free, accredited preschool and comprehensive family support services to at risk children and their families.
CFNC will be opening two new classrooms in Fall 2009 that will provide free, accredited preschool to 18 children each, all of whom live at or below 185% of poverty. There are currently 128 children on the waitlist who could be benefiting from CFNC’s services. In order to open the new classrooms, CFNC needs to purchase furniture and school supplies at a cost of $2600 per classroom.
100% of the proceeds will go directly to outfitting these classrooms in the Charles Houston Recreation Center, Alexandria, VA. We need your help to provide these children with the high-quality education they deserve!
For $20 at the door, enjoy all-you-can-drink Yuengling and house wine. There will also be a silent auction with great prizes to bid on as well.
5 Days of Style, Fashion & Jewelry that Benefit CFNC's children - Mystique Fine Jewelry Designs, 3/26/2009 - MYSTIQUE FINE JEWELRY DESIGNS presents the first annual 5 Days of Style, Fashion and Jewelry (April 21-25, 2009) a 5 day event filled with fashion experts and jewelry designers -featuring Elizabeth Showers seen in Town and Country Magazine and seen on Celebrities and the Grammy Red Carpet. Proceeds of this event will be given to The Child & Family Network Centers, which provides high quality free education to at risk families.
25th Anniversary Benefit to be Held at Steven and Catie Peterson's New Home - CFNC, 3/4/2009 - Steven and Catie Peterson have generous agreed to host CFNC's 25th Anniversary Benefit at their new home on the evening of April 24th, 2009. They write, "We are proud to support an organization which has such a far reaching impact...By joining us in April, you will be making an investment in the future of our region's at-risk children and their families and empowering them to thrive in school and life."
We hope to see you on the 24th. Please call for more informatin (703-836-0214).
Rainbow Sponsor, BAE Systems, proudly presents CFNC's 25th Anniversary Benefit - CFNC, 3/4/2009 - On April 24th, CFNC will celebrate 25 years of provding preschool to neighbors in need! Commenting on BAE's sponsorship of the event, Linda Hudson, President of BAE Systems, Land and Armaments, wrote, "Child & Family Network Centers has made a difference in the lives of many low income minority children in our local area. BAE Systems believes in the importance of education and empowering our children to excel. The Centers does a superb job in providing caring, high-quality free education and other related services that would not be available otherwise. We are proud to sponsor such a worthy cause."
Washingtonian Selects CFNC as One of Top 64 Charities to Support - Washingtonian Magazine, 12/1/2008 - We are happy to share with you that we were selected by the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the top 64 charities in DC Metropolitan region to support this holiday season! At the beginning of the article under the sub-section "Where to Give?" they introduce their selections by writing, "Washington is home to more than 8,000 nonprofits, and choosing which ones to support isn't easy. We consulted dozens of local philanthropy experts--including heads of foundations and corporate-giving coordinators--to come up with this list of charities. We also considered which groups have received awards for the impact they've had."
They included a big picture of one our teachers working with children (p.80) which helps draw attention to the great description they have written about CFNC: "This network of free preschools helps get low-income minority children on track for academic success. It also runs a family literacy program and provides social services to parents. Kids in the program have shown almost twice the gains over the course of a year as their peers nationwide."
Check out the full article which should be on newsstands now!
Alexandria Buick Pontiac GMC Saves the Day, Buys Turkeys - CFNC, 11/25/2008 - Each year, CFNC receives turkey dinners from McLean Bible Church and Westminster Presbyterian to distribute to our families the weekend before Thanksgiving. However, this year, due to the difficult economic times, there were not enough turkeys for all of the families we serve. John Herrity at Alexandria Buick Pontiac GMC found out about this need and brought it to the attention of the owner Steve Niswander. They decided to buy the 60 turkeys we needed to make sure every family this Thanksgiving received one! When asked why they decided to buy the turkeys, Mr. Herrity replied, "We are very big on supporting children in this city, and we have been for the last 3 years, aggressively. Things are tight for everybody but when it comes to something like this, it is hard to say no." In a week of thanksgiving, we all are certainly very thankful for the generosity of Alexandria Buick Pontiac GMC.
Donor reads USA Today article, gives $20K - CFNC, 11/13/2008 - After reading an article in the October 27th Money Section of USA Today, a person called from Manhattan to donate $20,000! What a generous gift! And it could not have come at a better time as we face decreased giving across the board due to the difficult economic times. Our sincerest gratitude goes out to this person who was moved to action by the USA Today story. More will follow on this story soon.
'The Littlest Victims of the Mortgage Crisis' - The Washington Post, 11/13/2008 - by Brigid Schulte
The long arm of the global financial crisis reached down into Morena Parada's preschool classroom, where a little girl named Joeli Arias-Lopez painted bright green and orange splotches on an oversize easel and pronounced it a house.
The 4-year-old was blissfully unaware that her school, the Child and Family Network Center, stays open in this converted warehouse with a grant from the now-foundering Freddie Mac Foundation. Or that without that money, which was expected last month, her school, filled with bright puzzles, toys, blocks and dedicated teachers, might end the year early or close down altogether.
To read more follow the link above.
CFNC featured in USA Today - USA Today, 10/27/2008 - A story about CFNC appears in today's USA Today on the front page of the Money section. To read the article, click on the link above.
CFNC Opens New Classroom in Arlington - CFNC, 10/27/2008 - On Saturday, the Arlington Housing Corportation opened a new community center at their Gates of Ballston housing complex, which provides low-income families with affordable housing. The community center will house one new CFNC classroom that will provide 16 children per year with free preschool. The opening of this new site brings CFNC's total number of preschool centers to six, with 4 in Alexandria and 2 in Arlington.
Boeing Employees Help Build Shed, Paint Rooms - CFNC, 10/27/2008 - On Saturday, October 27th, Boeing employees helped CFNC build a new shed and paint our parent resource room. Boeing is a long time supporter of CFNC and one the philanthropic leaders in early childhood education. On behalf of the children and families who will benefit from this volunteer event, we extend our sincerest gratitude to all of the Boeing employees who gave up a Saturday to give back to low-income families.
Surprise Location for Special 25th Anniversary Gala to be Announced Soon - CFNC, 10/22/2008 - We will be announcing the location for our spring gala which will kickoff our 25th Year in November's e-newsletter. If you don't receive our newsletters and would like to, simply click on the stay informed button on our home page and fill in your name and email address.
Shop at Safeway and earn 10% for CFNC! - Safeway, 8/15/2008 - The “Safeway 10% Back to Schools” promotion shopping period starts on August 6th and ends on September 9th. Your participation can mean hundreds of dollars for our group. Last year, the top group in the nation earned over $20,000 in just 6 weeks!
Sign up today!
1)Have your Safeway card available.
2)Visit Escrip website by clicking on the title above
3)Click on “1-Sign Up”
4)Choose “Child and Family Network” or Group ID 500004246
5)Present your Club Card every time you shop and our group earns!
It’s Easy to Renew!
If you participated last year, don’t forget to renew to continue earning Safeway contributions.
1)Have your Safeway card available
2)Visit Escrip website by clicking on the title above
3)Click on “YES RENEW”
CFNC featured in September edition of Real Simple (p.90) - , 8/4/2008 - CFNC was honored to be profiled in the September edition of Real Simple. The piece features a conversation between our Executive Director, Barbara Mason, and long-time board member, Dagobert Soergel. The issue just hit newsstands. See Page 90 or click on the link above and scroll down to page 2!
Shop at Harris Teeter & Help Children - Harris Teeter, 8/1/2008 - Help get our new school year off to a good start by enrolling in the Harris Teeter and the Together in Education program. Starting Aug. 1, 2008 it is time to RELINK your VIC card or link it to CFNC for the first time! Re-linking is easy with one of the following methods:
(1) Call Customer Service at 1-800-423-6111
(2) The register at checkout
(3) Visit harristeeter.com, click on Together in Education
Select The Child and Family Network Centers (#6467) to earn money for our programs serving children and their families living in poverty.
Thanks!
City of Alexandria awards CFNC Mini-Grant - , 7/1/2008 - Alexandria Early Childhood Commission awarded CFNC funds for curriculum support, professional development, and developmental screening. Thank you to Alexandria Early Childhood Commission!
CFNC receives grants from Boeing - , 7/1/2008 - Boeing gives CFNC $40,000 to support our Early Childhood Education programming and build the capacity of our development department. Thank you Boeing!
The Cafritz Foundation Awards CFNC 2-Year Grant - , 6/30/2008 - The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation awarded CFNC a two year grant to support our general operations. Thank you to the Cafritz Foundation for being a long time champion for Northern Virginia's low-income families!
Dimick Foundation Awards CFNC Grant - , 6/22/2008 - The Dimick Foundation awards CFNC a $2,500 grant to support our early literacy programming for children living in poverty. Thank you Dimick Foundation!
Event sponsors Burke and Herbert and PNC make Multicultural Party a huge success - Alexandria Gazette, 6/18/2008 - With more than 300 in attendance and help from event sponsors Burke and Herbert Bank and PNC Bank, CFNC's 2008 Multicultural Party was a smashing success! Click on the link for details on the event plus some great pictures.
Dominion Foundation Awards CFNC Grant - , 6/2/2008 - The Dominion Foundation awarded CFNC a grant to support our Preschool Science! program. Thank you Dominion!
Acumen Solutions to Place 20 Senior Employees on Non-profit Boards - Washington Post, 5/19/2008 - Acumen Solutions announced that it will place 20 of its senior employees on boards of nonprofit groups by the end of the year. The organizations include Child and Family Network Centers, Heads Up, Hope Rising, the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic.
CFNC receives grant from the Herb Block Foundation - CFNC, 5/13/2008 - We received funding from the Herb Block Foundation through the Pathways Out of Poverty Program to support and expand our Family Support Services that build strong, healthy, capable families.
CFNC Classroom Recognized as Demonstration Classroom - High/Scope Consultant, 5/12/2008 - One of CFNC's classrooms at our Birchmere center was recognized as a Demonstration Classroom for the High/Scope Education Approach.
Barbara Mason honored as Nonprofit Leader of the Year - Alexandria Volunteer Bureau, 4/30/2008 - On Friday, April 25th the City of Alexandria recognized and honored CFNC's Executive Director, Barbara Mason, as the 2008 Nonprofit Leader of the Year at the 10th anniversary of Alexandria's Business Philanthropy Summit.
8th Annual Gala To Honor Senator Webb - CFNC, 4/4/2008 - CFNC will honor Senator Webb on April 27th at its 8th Annual Gala, An Evening in the Vineyards.
CFNC Named One of Region's Top Preschools - Northern Virginia Magazine, 1/8/2008 - Northern Virginia Magazine selected CFNC as one of the region’s top preschools, declaring, “It’s hard to argue with a preschool program that shows twice the student gains of other programs, especially when that program serves low-income families.”
Pitching for Preschool, With Eye on Future - Washington Post, 10/25/2007 - Photos of CFNC students featured in article regarding Gov. Kaine’s efforts to expand pre-k funding.
Preschool Space Is at a Premium - Washington Post, 4/26/2006 - CFNC highlighted in article describing the challenge of finding suitable, affordable space for classrooms.
'Strong Families, Lasting Change' - Annie E. Casey Foundation, 11/18/2002 - "In 1989, Lydia Smith-Bates saw a future for her family she didn’t like. Unmarried with three young children, Smith-Bates lived below the poverty line in public housing and held a dead-end job.
Because she wanted something better for her children, she enrolled them in a preschool at the Child and Family Network Centers. She didn’t know she would also get something much better for herself, too.
Today, Smith-Bates owns her own home and works at a job she loves as lead teacher at one of the Child and Family Network Centers’ four preschools. She has benefited from Director Barbara Mason’s guiding philosophy: Children are successful when their families are strong."
Read the full article by clicking on the link above.
“CFNC has a proven record of providing innovative services, and I commend their excellent programs.”
