ECNV Honors Leeann Alberts for Dedicated Service with Special Thank You Lunch
On Friday, May 31st, a Thank You Lunch was held to honor Leeann Alberts for her dedicated service on the ECNV Board.
Image: Susan on left, Dominique standing in middle, Leeann holding the award on right.
RAMP Fourth Quarter Celebration
On June 14, 2024, Mentees, parents, and siblings gathered for a Final Celebration at Bowl America in Fairfax, Virginia.
Image: RAMP participants pose with their certificates in hand.
ECNV’s I Am Self-Advocacy Program: Buckle Up for Summer 2024!
We are excited to begin our Summer I Am Self-Advocacy Program, and while we are packing our typical eight-week program into four, these four weeks are also packed with FUN Leadership Fridays! Check out some highlights on what this cohort of students can expect every Friday throughout July.
[Image: Three circles overlapping each other with words Self Advocate in the center and words Motivated, Committed, and Passionate on each circle].
Hablemos sobre IDEA
Que es IDEA?: (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act por sus siglas en Inglés).
Es la ley federal que garantiza que los estudiantes con discapacidades reciban una educación pública gratuita y apropiada que se adapte a sus necesidades individuales.
Gráfica: Bienvenidos escrito verticalmente en texto negro en negrita. A la izquierda hay un texto blanco en negrita que dice: Proyecto Sabias Que? El fondo es un hombre hispano que viste un suéter amarillo y usa lenguaje de señas para hablar con alguien. La frente muestra una taza de café sobre una mesa de madera. En la parte inferior está el logo de ECNV.
Honduras Mobile Consulate
On Monday, May 24, 2024, ECNV partnered with Honduras at the Mobile Consulate, hosted by Fairfax County and Walgreens for a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. This clinic was mainly for new immigrants from Honduras. Guests received resources on food, health and education. ECNV distributed around 300 free home COVID-19 tests.
(Left to Right): ECNV staff Rosalia Fajardo female in white t-shirt and khaki pants surrounded by event attendees; part of the more then 400 hundred participants. (Bottom): Rosalia Fajardo female in white t-shirt and khaki pants.
WMATA Travel Training
On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, ECNV Training and Mobility Manager Andrew Shaw presented a special travel training at WMATA headquarters. ECNV's new travel trainers also attended. Mr. Shaw talked about what to take with him when he travels by train.
Image: Travel trainer Andrew Shaw explains the basics of travel training.
Bienvenidos Conference
Our ECNV’s Bienvenidos Conference sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center took place on Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Falls Church, VA. The conference was the first of many very informative, impactful, and fundamental events bringing together the Latino community of parents, young adults, caregivers who are native Spanish speakers. The conference brought together over 60 participants from across the northern VA area seeking to learn about how they can support their children, family members, and self-advocates with important leaders in the disability community.
A group photo of Bienvenidos Conference attendees.
Disability Resource & Employment Fair
On Friday, May 3, 2024, ECNV participated in the Disability Employment and Resource Fair sponsored by The Arc of Loudoun and the Loudoun Workforce Resource Center, co-hosted by the Loudoun County Board of Disability Services. The event was well attended – over 250 fair goers!
Left to Right: Rosalia with a Hispanic female staff member from the Arc of Loudoun; Rosalia with travel trainer, Hunter Cardwell.
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.
ECNV’s I Am Self-Advocacy Program: Summer Session 2024
The IASA (I Am Self-Advocacy) 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].
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.
RAMP Mini Update: June 2024
RAMP Mini Update for June 2024.
Collage: RAMP attendees visiting Jake’s Ice Cream in Falls Church, VA; a group photo of RAMP students.
Registration for September Thriving Solo Now Open!
These classes will help participants build skills and understanding in the key areas of living independently: cooking and meal preparation, daily routine, stress management, travel training, budgeting and money management, self-advocacy, and more.
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.
RAMP Mini Update: May 2024
RAMP Mini Update for May 2024.
A group of mentees posing together, each holding up their drinks in celebration of the insightful experience
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.