Personal Assistance Services (PAS)
QuickMatch specializes in matching an individual with a personal assistant. A personal assistant (PA), also known as a personal care attendant (PCA), is a person who assists an individual with activities of daily living in their home, their community, their school and in their workplace. Activities of daily living include bathing, transferring, dressing, driving, toileting, eating, shopping, reading, assistance to support employment, sports, recreation, entertainment and many other activities of daily life.
Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)
ECNV is a Center for Independent Living led by people with disabilities who provide advocacy and services to people with disabilities in Northern Virginia.
Gum Springs Male Health and Wellness Initiative
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV participated at Male Health and Wellness Initiative, which was hosted at Gum Springs Community Center Advisory Board (GSCCAB) and MAGNUS Temple #3. This event focused on Diabetes, Kidney Disease, and Prostate Cancer and offered various health screenings as well. ECNV distributed COVID-19 home test kits!
(Left to Right), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV with Daniel Admas, providing info to a African American male in burgundy sport sweater and tan pants table, Daniel Admas providing info to a African American senior citizen in light blue sport sweater. (Center
The Happy Healthy Safe Arlington DD Awareness Month Event
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV staff attended The Happy Healthy Safe Arlington DD Awareness Month, which was celebrated at Fairlington Community Center. ECNV gave out information about our travel training program and distributed COVID-19 home test kits!
(Left to Right), Rosalia Fajardo giving an African-American female consumer a purple ECNV bag, ECNV travel trainer Margarita Baquero, Rosalia Fajardo and Bienvenidos organizadora Jimena Baron. (Center Bottom), ECNV travel trainer Margarita Baquero providing info to a family.
Alexandria Community Shelter
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, ECNV distributed vaccines at Alexandria Community Shelter, a 64-bed residential emergency shelter that serves both families and individuals. The shelter offers a comprehensive array of services for children, women, and men experiencing homelessness in Alexandria, VA.
Image: Lorena Granados from wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and blue jeans, surrounded girls in pink outfits, ECNV peer intern David Aguayo, Director Rosalia Fajardo and a female African American female pharmacist wearing a medical gown and black pants. In front of them is a table with a red table cloth and other education materials for distribution.
Carpenter Shelter Vaccine Event
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, ECNV provided vaccines at Carpenter Shelter in Alexandria, VA. This shelter offers a comprehensive array of services for children, women, and men experiencing homelessness and accomplished the core of our mission guaranteeing health to vulnerable communities. COVID-19 home test kits were distributed.
(Left to Right), Lorena Granados from wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and black pants in front a table with a patient waiting to receive a vaccination; A Walgreen pharmacist wearing a medical gown and black pants with a senior male consumer ready to get the vaccine. (Center Bottom), Lorena Granados wearing a white ECNV t-shirt and black pants helps a senior male wearing a grey T-shirt, and jeans to fill out a vaccine form.
Porto Charities Disability Inclusion Conference
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Director of Programs Hannah Roberts and travel trainer Mindy Niland attended the 2025 ‘From Inclusion to Belonging Annual Conference on Disability.’ It was an all-day conference focused on how to plan for your transition from high school to beyond and was held at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, VA. It was sponsored by Porto Charities.
(Top), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV, a female wearing a purple sport sweater and black pants, with Karla Nativity ECNV travel trainer in a black outfit, and Melinda Nilan “Mindy” Travel trainer in a black sweater staffing ECNV table. (Bottom), Melinda Nilan “Mindy” Travel trainer in a black sweater staffing ECNV table taking with two Latina females with VHC uniforms.
Bienvenidos Webinar
On Thursday, March 13, 2025, Bienvenidos Todos offered an informative session on waivers, an important topic frequently requested by families and individuals with disabilities seeking support services. In this seminar, Majo Flores from the Arc of Northern Virginia did an extraordinary job explaining what a waiver is, the eligibility criteria, and the complete process to obtain a waiver.
Margarita Baquero travel trainer, wearing an ECNV t-shirt, Rosalia, Jimena Baron and Lorena Granados.
Springfield Community Center Second Story Health Fair
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, Second Story held a health fair at the Springfield Community Center. ECNV also attended and successfully administered flu shots to attendees.
(Left to Right), Partner Jennifer Argueta from Fairfax County Health Department helps a male wearing a grey T-shirt, black vest, and jeans to fill out a vaccine form; A Walgreen pharmacist wearing a plaid shirt and grey pants with a consumer male ready to get the vaccine. (Bottom Center), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV, a female wearing a black and white blouse standing behind our purple ECNV outreach table.
Loudoun Community Center Health Fair
On Sunday, March 9, 2025, ECNV staff attended the Lorton Community Center Health Fair and successfully distributed flu vaccine shots to those who attended. Our participation and support played a crucial role in making it a success.
(Left to Right), African American female with walker visiting our ECNV table; a Walgreens pharmacist , wearing a face shield, working with a male consumer wearing a black sweater; (Bottom Center), Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV with ECNV travel trainer Karla Nativity.
Don Beyer Federal Workers Fair
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, in partnership with Congressman Don Beyer, Arlington County joined other regional municipalities to host a joint Resource Fair for federal workers and contractors.
(Left to Right), Community Relations Coordinator Office of Congressman Don Beyer, VA-08 in plaid t-shirt and tan pants, talking with a female participant; Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV, a female wearing a burgundy blouse and black pants with Richard Cerros; (bottom center), an Arlington blue and white banner.
Entendiendo el Autismo
El autismo, o trastorno del espectro autista (TEA), es una condición neurobiológica compleja que afecta la manera en que una persona percibe el mundo e interactúa con otros. Aunque el autismo es un desafío de por vida, con apoyo y comprensión adecuados, muchas personas con autismo pueden alcanzar un alto nivel de bienestar y funcionalidad.
ECNV’s I Am Self-Advocacy Program: March 2025 Update
The IASA Program is a Pre-Employment Transition Service (Pre-ETS) focused on helping students with disabilities, ages 14-22, hone their skills in self-advocacy through a combination of individual and group sessions. Funded by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), this program is offered to students referred by the Fairfax, Alexandria, Leesburg, and Manassas DARS offices.
[Image: Three circles overlapping each other with words Self Advocate in the center and words Motivated, Committed, and Passionate on each circle].
I Am Self-Advocacy Program
ECNV offers this eight-week, virtual, peer mentoring program in self-advocacy for transition-aged youth with disabilities. This program will help participants build skills and understanding in the following areas: self-awareness, disability awareness and disclosure, self-determination, disability rights and responsibilities, assertiveness, allies, and advocacy. Weekly group sessions will be led by ECNV’s Program Facilitators. Participants will also meet with their peer mentors once a week for individual sessions. Our peer mentors all have lived-experience with disability and can connect with participants on this shared perspective.
ECNV is a Center for Independent Living led by people with disabilities who provide advocacy and services to people with disabilities in Northern Virginia.
ECNV Benefits Enrollment Webinar
ECNV Benefits Enrollment Webinar
Hopefully, you as a person with a disability or if you care for a loved with special needs are getting the benefits you're entitled to. Unfortunately, "hoping" is not enough. You should have assurance that all the programs and services you need, you've applied for. If you have not applied or would like help understanding the ins and outs of federal and state entitlement programs, we're hosting an informational workshop to cover the core programs plus a few more that a knowledgeable ECNV Benefits Enrollment Counselor can help you apply for. Please join me on the NOVA Collaboration Platform to learn more.
Integration Station and Response to ECNV Letter of Support from an Integration Station Alumnus
Integration Station isn’t just a program that I worry about being shut down. It was where I first received speech and occupational therapy.
As a young child, doctors insisted that speaking normally and being understood was out of reach for me. They said that tasks like holding pencils, processing sensory information, and understanding what people said would all be beyond my ability.
Navegando el Mundo de las Exenciones
Entender las exenciones es crucial para acceder a los servicios de apoyo esenciales en Virginia. Esta guía completa te ayudará a comprender qué son las exenciones, sus beneficios y cómo aplicar exitosamente, con un enfoque en los recursos disponibles tanto para las comunidades de habla inglesa como española.
GSCCAB Black History Celebration
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, the Gum Springs Community Center Advisory Board (GSSCCAB), hosted their annual GSCCAB Black History Celebration.
Collage: (Left to Right): Rosalia Fajardo with two African American women wearing traditional African dresse; an African American female in a walker wearing a black blouse and animal print jacket holding an ECNV Bag and standing next to her, Rosalia Fajardo from ECNV wearing black pants and a green olive sweater (Center Bottom): A group African American women, one of whom is a wheelchair user, behind her is Rosalia Fajardo. On the left is a African-American man in jeans and a gray jacket.
Bienvenidos Webinar
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, Bienvenidos Todos hosted “Know Your Rights” presented by Legal Aid Justice Center. This webinar discussed immigrant rights at home, work, school, hospitals, and public spaces; planning for emergencies; and supporting loved ones – especially for those with disabilities.
Image: ECNV Disability Outreach Coordinator Lorena Granados in a light blue striped blouse and black pants, Director, Strategic Partnerships Rosalia Fajardo wearing a gold vest, tan sweater and black pants and Jimena Baron in a brown blouse and dark navy jacket.
South Arlington Knowledge + Action Groups
Our ECNV RACE project will continue with major outreach and services targeted in South Arlington. According to a 2023 report by Insight Region, over 34% of people in South Arlington fail to meet basic needs compared to 12 % in North Arlington.
(Center Photo, Top) Food distribution attendees in line to receive groceries; (Left) A Hispanic male in sport t-shirt and tan pants with a cap receiving info from ECNV -RACE Outreach Coordinator Lorena Granados during Our Lady Queen Of Peace church food distribution; (Right) A Hispanic female in white t-shirt receiving info from Lorena Granados during Our Lady Queen Of Peace church food distribution.