ECNV I Am Self-Advocacy Program: In-School Reflection and Summer Session 2023
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.
Three circles overlapping each other with words Self Advocate in the center and words Motivated, Committed, and Passionate on each circle.
What’s New with RAMP?
For those of you that don’t know, RAMP stands for the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program. It is a career-focused mentoring program for students with disabilities, aged 14-22, funded through the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).
Five RAMP participants are in the foreground standing behind a black table with their completed STEM projects laid out in front of each student. One student has his thumb up and 2 students are waving at the camera in excitement. RAMP Program Coordinator, Kevina Brown, is standing on a chair in the background and in the center wearing a gray sweatshirt with her arms folded in front of her chest.
Virginia Aging and Disability Meet and Greet+
On June 1, 2023, ECNV Executive Director Dominique Dunford-Lack accepted an invitation from the White House to an Aging and Disability Meet and Greet in Washington, D.C.
ECNV Executive Director Dominique Dunford-Lack pictured in a group photo; she is standing in the middle row, center aisle, first from left wearing a yellow dress.
Aging Unbound Conference
On May 31, 2023, ECNV hosted a resource table and distributed COVID-19 test kits and provided COVID-19 vaccinations at the Aging Unbound Conference at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Burke, Virginia, in recognition of Older Americans Month.
Three different Asian women picking up COVID-19 tests.
Alexandria City Transitional Fair
ECNV’s Paul Whitney and Ruchika Lalwani attended the Alexandria City High School Transitional Fair.
Cookout at Southern Towers
Pansy Walker and Rosalia Fajardo attended the Alexandria Community Cookout at Southern Towers
Brent Place Apartments
On May 10, 2023, Pansy Walker assisted families at the Alexandria Community Cookout at Brent Place Apartments.
Pansy Walker at ECNV’s blue table at Brent Place Apartments.
Madison House
ECNV, with its partners Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers, Vida Senior Center, and the Loudoun Medical Corps hosted our first Loudoun Vaccination Clinic at the Madison House on May 8, 2023.
Rosalia with volunteers from Vida Senior Centers at Madison House.
Fiesta Latina Loudoun County
On May 7, 2023, ECNV attended the Loudoun County Latino Festival organized by the Loudoun County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Rosalia Fajardo (center) with volunteers from Equality Loudoun, (left) Matthew Charlesworth | Defense Director and (right) Sofia Smeigh | Historian at Fiesta Loudoun.
Culmore Day
On May 5, 2023, ECNV’s Rosalia Fajardo, Director of Multicultural Families and Peer Intern Margarita Baquero assisted David Aguayo on Culmore Day, which was attended by over 300 people.
Peer Interns David Aguayo and Margarita Baquero.
New Annandale High School Coalition
On May 3, 2023, ECNV and other human services leaders met to support Annandale High School in their efforts to bring resources to the diverse community of families at the school.
Multicultural Families Director Rosalia Fajardo attending a New Annandale High School Coalition meeting
ECNV Around Town
During April and May, ECNV shared information about our services and distributed COVID-19 test kits.
Alexandria Cookout collage
What’s New with RAMP?
For those of you that don’t know, RAMP stands for the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program. It is a career-focused mentoring program for students with disabilities, aged 14-22, funded through the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).
RAMP logo
Ruby Tucker Barbecue
Alexandria City began its Spring outreach activities with their traditional BBQ.
Multicultural Families Director Rosalia Fajardo with an African-American male consumer.
Let’s Zumba!
On April 27, 2023, we went Zumba dancing!
Latin women participants of Zumba on Fire!
Rosalia Fajardo Recognized As La Mujer Maravillia by the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement
On Friday, April 21, 2023, Rosalia Fajardo was recognized as La Mujer Maravilla (Wonder Woman) by the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE).
Full photo of Rosalia’s La Mujer Maravilla (Wonder Woman) Award; Rosalia, wearing a pink blazer and black skirt, holding her award.
ECNV Donates COVID-19 Tests to BPSOS at Eden Center
ECNV partnered with BPSOS for a vaccination clinic at the Eden Center on April 21, 2023.
An Asian woman on the left and an Asian man on the right. Staff from BPSOS receiving a box of COVID-19 home test kits to be distributed to the community at the event
Culmore Resource Center
On April 13, 2023, ECNV staff participated in the health and resource fair held at the Culmore Resource Center organized by Second Story, distributing COVID-19 home tests.
Rosalia Fajardo and Margarita Baquero
FCPS Flash Forward Postsecondary Options Fair
Rosalia Fajardo, Director of Multicultural Families and Pansy Walker, Outreach and Expansion, represented ECNV, Inc. at the Fairfax County Public Schools Flash Forward post-secondary options event at Woodson High School in Fairfax.
ECNV at Arlington Central Library
On April 10, 2023, ENDependence Center of Northern VA staff (Pansy Walker, Ruchika Lalwani and Rosalia Fajardo pictured with families) spent time at the Arlington Central Library to bring awareness to the programs and services being offered by ECNV to the disability community and families.