nonprofit | ARLnow.com

Published September 11, 2014 at 11:15AM | Updated September 11, 2014 at 11:59AM

The nonprofit organization, located at 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive, has a program called “Safekeeping.” The program allows pet owners in Arlington and Falls Church to shelter their pets at AWLA for up to two weeks while the owner is coping with an emergency, like domestic violence, losing a home or the owner’s death.

With the national spotlight thrust on domestic violence after video surfaced of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée, AWLA is hoping to remind abuse victims that their pet’s well-being could be at risk as well as their own.

Around Town

Military Art Therapy Studio Planned for Crystal City

By Morgan Fecto

Published July 29, 2014 at 4:30PM | Updated July 29, 2014 at 6:03PM

(Updated at 6:00 p.m) A walk-in studio art facility for veterans and active-duty service members plans to open Oct. 15 in Crystal City.

Alexandria-based The 296 Project launched a Kickstarter on July 24 with a $30,000 goal to fund the 1,100-square-foot space, which it calls “A Combat Veteran’s Healing Place.” The studio will be located in a retail space at the Shops at 2100 Crystal Drive.

Schools

Girls’ Mentor Program Comes to Arlington

By Morgan Fecto

Published July 14, 2014 at 2:30PM | Updated July 14, 2014 at 2:50PM

Photo courtesy Ashley Snyder

The “Space of Her Own” art-based mentoring program will partner with two Arlington elementary schools for the 2014-2015 school year to give fifth grade girls an open ear and a creative outlet.

SOHO will provide Hoffman-Boston Elementary and Randolph Elementary students from low-income homes with mentors, who will guide them through art projects like creating a mosaic mirror and refurbishing a desk, Mentoring Coordinator Ashley Snyder told ARLnow.com today. The mentors will then team up with the girls and their families to personalize their at-home study areas with the finished projects during a “renovation weekend” at the end of the yearlong program.

Around Town

Young Philanthropist Group Gives First Grant

By Ethan Rothstein

Published July 8, 2014 at 6:00PM | Updated July 8, 2014 at 6:29PM

The grant, for $5,000, was given to The Reading Connection’s “We Are Readers” program, which enables at-risk children to keep up with their peers when they might not normally have access to reading materials. NextGenNow had determined its cause for the grant would be helping children and families, and chose the Alexandria-based group out of 20 nonprofits that applied.

NextGenNow was launched a year ago to “engage young professionals in philanthropy,” according to a press release.

News

Arlington Falls in ‘Most Generous’ Rankings

By ARLnow.com

Published June 30, 2014 at 3:35PM | Updated June 30, 2014 at 3:51PM

Arlington is the 7th most-generous locality (with a population over 100,000) in the U.S. according to new rankings from Blackbaud, a software company dealing in fundraising solutions for nonprofits.

Arlington residents made 72,031 chartitable online donations that were tracked by Blackbaud, for a total of $7.3 million. That’s $33,671 per 1,000 residents.

Around Town

Free Smoothies in Va. Square for ‘National Flip Flop Day’

By ARLnow.com

Published June 18, 2014 at 12:05PM

Friday is apparently the 8th annual “National Flip Flop Day,” and the Tropical Smoothie Cafe store in Virginia Square will be giving out free smoothies to mark the occasion.

From 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., the store at 3811 N. Fairfax Drive will be giving away free 24 ounce strawberry banana smoothies to anyone wearing flip flops, according to owner Marcus Barnett.

News

AFAC Seeing Record Demand, May Exceed Food Budget

By Ethan Rothstein

Published June 3, 2014 at 12:00PM

AFAC currently serves 2,007 families and 8,028 individuals, a 40 percent jump since July 2013 and a 37 percent increase in the last calendar year, according to Executive Director Charles Meng. Meng projects the nonprofit will exceed its $700,000 food purchase budget this year by $150,000.

Meng claims the increase is a direct result of two policy changes in Congress — the passage of the farm bill, which will cut more than $8 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly known as food stamps) over the next decade, and the end of long-term unemployment benefits. Both resulted in cuts that have affected millions of low-income and unemployed Americans, and both have come within the last eight months, he said.

Events

Vets Running 684 Miles from Atlanta to Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Published May 22, 2014 at 3:30PM | Updated May 22, 2014 at 3:59PM

The crew left Atlanta Monday morning, according to organizer and the lone civilian runner, Travis Ellis. They plan to conclude their journey at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn Sunday at noon.

The group calls themselves “Shepherd’s Men,” after the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga., which houses the SHARE Military Initiative, a privately owned facility that treats veterans for traumatic brain injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Ellis said it’s the only private facility in the country focused on veterans’ brain injuries, a status quo he hopes to change.

Around Town

Rosslyn Helps Grant 5-Year-Old’s Pop Star Wish

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 10, 2014 at 3:30PM

A street corner in Rosslyn transformed into a red carpet scene for an hour this morning, all to make a little girl’s wish come true.

Five-year-old Addy — who is suffering from a Wilms Tumor, a form of kidney cancer that affects young children — wished to become a pop star. Through the efforts of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic chapter, Addy’s wish played out in front of the WJLA building in Rosslyn, on the corner of N. Lynn Street and Wilson Blvd.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published March 26, 2014 at 8:35AM

Car Crashes Into Construction Equipment — A vehicle crashed into some parked construction equipment in Courthouse during the evening rush hour yesterday. The crash happened on Wilson Blvd, just down the hill from the Wendy’s. Wilson Blvd was closed for a short period of time as a result. [Twitter]

Five Achieve Eagle Scout Status — Five members of the local Boy Scout Troup 106 achieved Eagle Scout status during a recent ceremony in north Arlington. [InsideNoVa]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 28, 2014 at 9:35AM

Wakefield Advances to Regional Title Game — Wakefield High School’s boys basketball team defeated Broad Run last night 85-80, advancing the Warriors to the regional title game of the 5A North Region Tournament. Senior Re’Quan Hopson scored 29 points during the game. [Sun Gazette]

Police Look for Witnesses to Fatal Crash — Arlington County Police are seeking witnesses to the Feb. 24 crash that killed 39-year-old Jennifer Lawson. Lawson was struck by a dump truck on Little Falls Road after volunteering at Nottingham Elementary School. Detectives believe two vehicles were behind the truck and would like to interview the drivers. [Arlington County]

Around Town

Arlington Parents Start Foundation in Memory of Drowned Son

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 27, 2013 at 3:30PM | Updated December 28, 2013 at 3:42AM

Bret Brock said he and his wife decided to start the foundation as a way to cope with their loss.

“It helps us with the grieving,” he said. “It’s very raw and fragile still, so we’re still grieving. That’s the obvious reason. Beyond that, we recognize all the support and love around us and so many people wanted to help in ways they didn’t know how. We think the foundation will capture that energy.”