Arlington Chamber’s 38th Annual Best Business Awards
On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Rosalía Fajardo, Director of Disability Equity Strategic Partnerships at ECNV, attended the Arlington Chamber's annual Best Business Awards event. ECNV was a sponsor and was nominated.
(Left to Right): ECNV table at the Arlington Chamber Annual Best Business Awards event; Rosalia Fajardo with Executive Director of Doorways in black dress and burgundy leather jacket; (Bottom Center): ECNV Executive Director Dominique Dunford during the speech presenting about ECNV in olive green blouse.
Culmore Community Day
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, ECNV celebrated Culmore Community Day, hosted by Fairfax County. This event was created over seventeen years ago as a multicultural celebration by the global community of Bailey's Crossroads and Culmore. Despite the rain this year, this event was a success in bringing the community together to celebrate the diversity that makes us strong and connected.
(Left to Right), New ECNV staff member, Lorena Granados with Rosalia Fajardo and ECNV travel trainer, Margarita Baquero at the ECNV staff table; Attendees passing by ECNV table.
Powered by Connection Resource Fair
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, ECNV is proud to sponsor the Powered by Connection Resource Fair. This event was held this year at the beautiful INOVA Conference Center and focused on the profound impact that "Powered by Connection" has on the well-being and health of older adults. The fair was about the transformative potential of community engagement to improve mental health, physical and emotional well-being, filled with education, resources, empowerment but most of all, CONNECTIONS!
(Left to Right): Pansy Walker, Senior Outreach and Expansion Coordinator, speaking to a consumer; Attendees of the Fair. (Center): Pansy Walker and Rosalia Fajardo.
Newcomer Health Fair
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, ECNV partnered with a vaccine clinic and distributed free at-home COVID-19 testing kits at the Newcomer Health Fair. Refugees from Afghanistan and other countries received free services from more than 25 health organizations. This event was an opportunity for individuals and families to interact with medical professionals. Everyone is encouraged to join this free event and take advantage of the wide range of health resources available. We were very excited to serve the most vulnerable and needy communities!
(Top, Left to Right): A female Walgreens pharmacist, getting ready to vaccine a Latina woman; A group of Afghan females, and males waiting to get the vaccine; (Bottom Center): Rosalia Fajardo with Samantha Wentling, surrounded by Afghan refugees holding ECNV gift bags.
United Methodist Church Annandale Vaccine Clinic
On Thursday, April 11, 2024, ECNV hosted a clinic at an United Methodist Church Annandale event. There was also food distribution.
Collage: A male wearing a green olive short grey t-shirt and holding an ECNV bag to collect food after the vaccine; Marcie Goldberg, an ECNV peer mentor staffing our ECNV table. / Collage: Un hombre con una camiseta corta gris verde oliva y sosteniendo una bolsa ECNV para recolectar alimentos después de la vacuna; Marcie Goldberg, mentora de pares de ECNV que forma parte del personal de nuestra mesa de ECNV.
Singh Sabha Gurdwara Temple Vaccine Clinic
On Sunday, April 21, 2024, ECNV was invited to participate at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara Temple health fair. We were among others agencies all did amazing work and made this event successful.
Collage: Services providers from Fairfax County Health Department; Rosalia Fajardo surrounded by Singh women in traditional outfits; (bottom), Rosalia Fajardo surrounded by Singh men in traditional outfits. / Collage: Proveedores de servicios del Departamento de Salud del Condado de Fairfax; Rosalía Fajardo rodeada de mujeres Singh con trajes tradicionales; (abajo), Rosalía Fajardo rodeada de hombres Singh con trajes tradicionales.
ECNV Partners with Neighborhood Health
On Tuesday, April 9, (and throughout the month) 2024, ECNV partnered with Neighborhood Health to co-host several community events mainly focusing on food security and health resources. ECNV distributed COVID home test in these events. This was at their Alexandria Alive! event.
Collage: ECNV Staff David Aguayo male wearing black, white and burgundy sweater and Rosalia Fajardo, right side female wearing a purple sweater black pants gold; a Muslim women wearing black pants a black blouse and grey vest holding an holding an ECNV bag with COVID test kits; a female senior consumer wearing brown blouse black pants picking up food. / Collage: Staff de ECNV David Aguayo hombre vistiendo suéter negro, blanco y burdeos y Rosalía Fajardo, lado derecho mujer vistiendo suéter morado pantalón negro dorado; una mujer musulmana vestida con pantalones negros, blusa negra y chaleco gris sosteniendo una bolsa ECNV con kits de prueba de COVID; una consumidora senior con blusa marrón y pantalones negros recogiendo comida.
Flash Forward Postsecondary Options Fair
On Friday, April 26, 2024, Fairfax County Public Schools hosted their Flash Forward Postsecondary Options event.
Collage: Maura Schmidt and Rosalia Fajardo holding up a white frame with text; Maura Schmidt talking with a consumer; (bottom) Rosalía Fajardo posing with a man using a rollator. / Collage: Maura Schmidt y Rosalía Fajardo sosteniendo un marco blanco con texto; Maura Schmidt hablando con un consumidor; (abajo) Rosalía Fajardo posando con un hombre usando un andador.
Fairfax County Public Schools Summit
On Saturday, April 20, 2024, ECNV participated in the Fairfax County Public Schools Summit that brought together various departments within FCPS.
Staff members from ECNV talking with a visitor; staff members from ECNV posing with Dr. Michele Reid, Superintendent of FCPS; Miembros del personal de ECNV hablando con un visitante; miembros del personal de ECNV posando con la Dra. Michele Reid, superintendente de FCPS.
Word of Life Hope Expo Vaccine Clinic
On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the Word of Life Church family, invited ECNV to Hope Expo.
Collage: Margarita Baquero, a travel trainer from ECNV wearing a blue shirt and black pants providing info to a senior female in white blouse and black pants; a young disabled consumer with her mother speaking with Margarita; Rosalia Fajardo wearing a pink blouse and David Aguayo surrounded by a Latino family. / Collage: Margarita Baquero, entrenadora de viajes de ECNV con camisa azul y pantalón negro brindando información a una mujer mayor con blusa blanca y pantalón negro; una joven consumidora discapacitada con su madre hablando con Margarita; Rosalía Fajardo luciendo una blusa rosa y David Aguayo rodeado de una familia latina.
Shirlington Employment and Education Center Graduation Ceremony
On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, ECNV was invited by partner agency Shirlington Employment and Education Center in their graduation ceremony for a group of Latinas (os) entrepreneurs who successfully finished the Latinx in Business program.
Collage: A group of Latino entrepreneurs who graduated from the SEEC Latinx in business program; ECNV table with COVID home tests and bags. / Collage: Un grupo de emprendedores latinos que se graduaron del programa SEEC Latinx in Business; Mesa ECNV con pruebas caseras y bolsas COVID.
Finding Qualified Caregivers for Those You Care About
Come and learn about the transition of students with disabilities going from High School to college or directly to work; you’ll also learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA, advocacy and useful resources.
The way to transition from school to adult life
Come and learn about the transition of students with disabilities going from High School to college or directly to work; you’ll also learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA, advocacy and useful resources.
Empowering Independence: Shamarke's Travel Training Adventure to Panera
ECNV's travel trainer, Margarita, recently (3/25/24) accompanied Shamarke to Panera Bread in Alexandria to get lunch via metro bus and back to Springfield metro. During the journey, Shamarke successfully learned to use the Smart Trip card independently.
A triptych collage of Shamarke at Panera Bread.
More Travel Training with the Arc of Northern Virginia
On Thursday, March 21, 2024, ECNV travel trainers Andrew Shaw and Hunter Cardwell led a group of persons with disabilities from the Arc of Northern VA on a travel training trip from Ashburn to Tysons metro. There were 30 attendees.
Collage: Travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains the basics of travel training; a look inside a metro car while in transit; meeting at the Ashburn station; travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains how to enter and exit a metro station.
Travel training can help transport you to a galaxy (gallery) far far away…
On Friday, March 1, 2024, ECNV Travel Trainer Andrew helped Pete S. take the metro to the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Image: Pete and ECNV Travel Trainer, Andrew Shaw (right) posing for a photo with iconic droids, C-3PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars movies at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
ECNV and the Arc Travel Train in Loudoun
On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, travel trainer Andrew meets with a group from The Arc of Loudoun to use the Loudoun Transit bus to One Loudoun.
Collage: ECNV Travel Trainer Andrew Shaw explains to a group from the Arc of Loudoun how to read a metro bus schedule map, at an indoor bus stop; The Arc travel training group waiting for a bus; Andrew, center, posing with the travel trainees from the Arc of Loudoun.
Travel Trainer, Andrew Shaw and Pete S. Featured in Incl(US)ion Adventures, February 2024 Newsletter
ECNV Travel Andrew Shaw and Pete S. were featured in the February 2024 Newsletter.
Andrew Shaw from the Endependence Center of Northern Virginia and Pete discussing travel training.
Connecting with Students at Mason Life
On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, ECNV Training & Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw spoke to Mason Life students at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. He presented to students from all grades, from freshmen to seniors about travel training.
ECNV Training & Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw presents to college students from the Mason Life Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
Dreamer Mothers in Action Celebrate International Women's Day!
On Friday, March 8, 2024, ECNV and Dreamer Mothers in Action hosted an International Women's Day night.
Collage: Latina mothers who attended the celebration; a group of Latinas leaders holding diplomas (bottom center), Rosalia Fajardo at the ECNV table.