nonprofit

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Workers mow the snow, for reasons unknown (photo courtesy Peter Golkin)

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]

United Way Donates $260K to Arlington Nonprofits — The United Way has donated nearly $260,000 to 20 Arlington nonprofits. The list of nonprofits receiving grants includes the Arlington Pediatric Center, Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, Arlington Thrive and others. [Sun Gazette]

John Youngs Dies — John Youngs, a past president of the Arlington Bar Association and former head of the Arlington public defenders office, has died after a long battle with brain cancer. Youngs was 69. “John fought the good fight and he is now at peace,” the bar association said in an email to its members.

Photo courtesy Peter Golkin

Arlington Parents Start Foundation in Memory of Drowned Son

By Ethan Rothstein

T for Tal Foundation logo(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) Bret and Deanne Brock lost their 3-year-old son, Talmage, this May when he drowned in a creek in Shenandoah County. To honor his memory, they have founded the T-for-Tal Foundation to raise money for positive children’s causes and “family safety awareness.”

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.”

The Brocks, who are real estate agents in Arlington, are raising money on Go Fund Me, and as of this afternoon had raised $13,410 of a set goal of $20,000 in 13 days. Brock said the foundation is working toward 501(c)(3) status, which will make the donations tax deductible. The Brocks are still determining which charities to target and which causes to help, but working to prevent more deaths like Talmage’s is at the top of the list.

Talmage Cedar Brock

“The setting where he drowned was an active family gathering with eight adults and 11 children,” Brock said. “Talmage was the youngest of the children, which ranged in ages up to 13 years old. In that setting as a parent I made the mistake of not watching him close enough, perhaps with a subconscious thought that there was a ‘group watch’ type of supervision taking place in the minutes between the times I checked on him.”

Talmage is a family name, and he was given the name Cedar after the creek he ultimately died in, Brock said. He strayed from the group to fill up his squirt gun, when he slipped fell into the creek. He was found 200 yards downstream from the house at which the family gathered.

“As parents we can’t assume that there is safety in numbers,” Brock said, “when sometimes it’s the opposite. As a parent you can think you are doing a good job, and accidents can still happen.”

In addition to supporting family safety causes, Brock said he also plans on using the foundation to prolong the memory of his son, organizing events for his birthday and other events.

“It was also created for his brother and sister so they would know that he was very loved and important,” Brock said. “They were just six and eight when he died. We wanted the foundation to be positive and happy and a good remembrance of their brother, who they loved. It’s so they know it’s a good thing to remember and talk about him.”

Peter’s Take: Strengthen Arlington’s Social Safety Net

By Peter Rousselot

Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Peter RousselotDuring this holiday season, please consider making a contribution to an organization of your choice that helps those who struggle to survive in our community.

We read often about how many wealthy people live in Arlington, but perhaps not often enough about the needs of others who live here too.

During the past year, I’ve profiled two organizations that work hard to keep our social safety net strong: the Arlington Food Assistance Center and the Arlington Free Clinic.

Today, let’s look at Arlington Thrive.

Arlington Thrive provides emergency financial assistance to county residents who experience sudden financial crises such as temporary unemployment or illness. Most clients are the working poor, elderly and disabled people on a fixed income, and the homeless and formerly homeless. In many cases, Arlington Thrive’s assistance prevents homelessness. Last year, 630 households that had received eviction notices were saved from becoming homeless.

Arlington Thrive’s clients are among Arlington County’s most vulnerable residents. Families with children are given the highest priority, and one-third of the individuals served by Arlington Thrive are children.

Arlington Thrive’s Daily Emergency Financial Assistance program employs trained volunteers who fulfill requests from Arlington County and private social service caseworkers on behalf of their clients. Some of the private organizations are Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), Doorways for Women and Children, the Alexandria-Arlington Coalition for the Homeless (AACH), and Northern Virginia Family Services. Arlington Thrive’s Carter-Jenkinson Housing Assistance program is used exclusively to prevent the eviction of families and individuals.

“Sharon” [not her real name] is an example of a client recently helped by Arlington Thrive. Sharon is a 57-year-old, single Arlington resident who had been economically self-sufficient all her adult life.  When her company downsized, she was laid off after 19 years at her job.  She is working with the Arlington Employment Center to find a new job, but has been unable to keep up with her bills while job-seeking.

When Sharon received disconnect notices for both her gas and electric services, Arlington Thrive paid these bills to keep her utilities connected.  She can now focus on finding employment and getting back on her feet.

You, or I, or someone we know could find ourselves in a situation like Sharon’s. If you can, please contribute to an organization that helps those in need.

Peter Rousselot is a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia and former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

Nonprofit Bike Shop Plan Picking Up Opposition

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A plan to build a new headquarters for Phoenix Bikes has picked up some neighborhood opposition.

Phoenix Bikes is a nonprofit focused on empowering youths by teaching them bicycle repair and entrepreneurship. The organization wants to move from its present cinder block building in Barcroft Park to a new location on county-owned land adjacent to the W&OD Trail, near the intersection of Walter Reed Drive and Four Mile Run Drive.

The new facility will feature education space, public restrooms, a drinking fountain, a water bottle refill station and an air pump.

A second public hearing on the proposal will be held tomorrow, Dec. 4, at the Park Operations conference room (2700 S. Taylor Street). Fliers sent to condo associations around the neighborhood suggest that some residents will be attending to voice opposition to the plan.

“Arlington County plans to remove trees… to build a replacement facility in what is now a wooded area for the nonprofit Phoenix Bikes, which will be used for training teens in bicycle repair,” the flier says. “The facility will provide only 3 parking places and thus its visitors will be parking on streets near your homes. The facility will be lighted until 9:00 p.m. and may provide public bathrooms attractive to drunks.”

Susan Kalish, spokeswoman for the Arlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation, says it’s too early to determine how many trees would have to be cut down to make way for the facility. She said any trees that are removed will be replaced per county policy.

“It’s way too preliminary to know how many trees are impacted because the exact location of the building, its size or the size of an associated parking lot have not been determined,” she said. “That said, when the building plans are finalized the County will use its standard tree replacement formula.”

The flier makes reference to County Board member Libby Garvey, who sits on the board of Phoenix Bikes. It also accuses Arlington County of not giving enough notice to residents about the first public meeting.

Phoenix Bikes is currently raising money for the new headquarters, which is projected to cost $1 million. As announced today, proceeds from next year’s Crystal City Diamond Derby will be used to help fund the headquarters.

The text of the full opposition flyer, after the jump.

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Arlington Dog Gets Charity-Funded Cancer Treatment

By Ethan Rothstein

3-year-old Buddy, suffering from cancer

The owner of a cancer-stricken dog in Arlington got thousands of dollars in help this month to pay for the pup’s medical bills.

Kristin Schmeski and her 3-year-old white German Shepherd, Buddy, reached out to The Magic Bullet Fund, a charity that provides funding for canine cancer treatments to owners who cannot pay for it themselves.

According to Schmeski’s Give Forward page, she is a student and works a full-time job, and Buddy’s medical bills — for radiation and the surgery he’s already undergone — are almost $10,000.

Schmeski has already raised $2,065 on her Give Forward page, but after Magic Bullet Fund’s donation, it’s likely the bills will be covered.

Buddy had a tumor on his right hind leg, which after a biopsy and surgery was found to be Spindle Cell Sarcoma, according to Schmelski. With the radiation treatments, Buddy’s doctors estimate that the odds are greater than 75 percent that Buddy will be disease-free in three to five years.

Courtesy photo

Couple Sells Shirts to Benefit Navy Yard Shooting Victims

By Katie Pyzyk

26.2 for 20 t-shirt26.2 for 20 t-shirt

An Arlington couple is selling t-shirts they came up with as a way to raise money for those impacted by last month’s Navy Yard shooting.

Chris and Jennifer K. (they prefer not to reveal their full last name) had been trying to find a way to help those affected by the incident at the Navy Yard, where Jennifer works. Jennifer remembered a “Boston Strong” t-shirt she bought following the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this year. The couple figured something similar might work for the Navy Yard shooting, because Chris was already planning to run next month’s marathon in Athens, Greece. The “Run for the Navy Yard, 26.2-for-20” theme honors the 20 victims killed or wounded at the Navy Yard.

“We just thought this would be a great way to raise funds and help keep the victims’ memories alive through wearing the shirts,” said Chris.

Jennifer had been working on the third floor of building 197 when the shooting took place. She had been near an emergency exit and managed to escape to safety. Chris explained that his mother-in-law works just down the hall from Jennifer, but luckily had been on vacation that day. His mother-in-law’s office ended up being used as a shelter where employees barricaded themselves inside.

Chris said the family is incredibly thankful for Jennifer’s safety, and now the focus has turned to helping the families of those who weren’t so lucky.

“We just want to promote the t-shirts right now,” Chris said.

The money raised by the t-shirt sales goes to the Navy Yard Relief Fund. The couple already completed one round of fundraising, during which they sold 95 shirts. They recently launched a second round that runs through October 29. Although the fundraising websites Chris used required him to list a specific amount of money as an end goal, he and Jennifer don’t really have a set amount they’re aiming for. They just want to help out as much as they can.

“It’s just to really raise as much money as we can for the families and people who are really affected by it,” he said. “Any support people can give by buying the shirt or spreading the word is greatly appreciated.”

Anyone who wishes to buy one of the $25 shirts may do so online. The shirts will ship around two weeks after the fundraiser ends on October 29.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

View of Key School from a nearby office building

Arlington’s Feuding Bike Donation Charities — “Arlington, surprisingly, is home to not one but two nonprofits that donate bicycles to the underprivileged in Africa and elsewhere,” writes Our Man in Arlington columnist Charlie Clark. “Our 26-square-mile county, however, may not be big enough for both – the two groups do not ride alongside each other smoothly.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Pike Apartment Ad from the ’60s — The Columbia Pike apartment complex now known as the Wellington is seen in a 1960s-era advertisement uncovered by Ghosts of DC. The then-new “Executive Apartments” were “designed to meet the requirements of successful executives who can command the finest in luxury air-conditioned apartment living,” the ad says. Rent for a one bedroom was $135 per month. [Ghosts of DC]

Library Reminds Feds to Return Books — Furloughed federal employees might not have access to their government email accounts, and thus might miss reminder emails from the library about overdue items. Arlington Public Library is reminding feds that they can keep track of their account through the library website. [Arlington Public Library]

New Nauck Civic Association Website — The Nauck Civic Association recently unveiled a new website, which includes a history of the neighborhood. Also known as Green Valley, the neighborhood was settled by a freed slave in 1844. [Nauck Civic Association]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunset at the East Falls Church Metro station (photo by Wolfkann)

Arlington Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted — A grand jury has indicted Arlington County Sheriff’s deputy Craig Patterson in the shooting death of 22-year-old Julian Dawkins. Patterson is charged with murder and a firearms charge. A trial date has yet to be set. [WJLA]

Near Record Humidity Mid-Summer — The mid-summer period from June 30 through July 23 was the second most humid in recorded history. The dew point averaged a steamy 71.2 degrees fahrenheit during that time. [Capital Weather Gang]

Shirlington Bar Crawl Set for Saturday — A bar crawl to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will take place in Shirlington on Saturday afternoon and evening. There will be food and drink specials at each of the four restaurants/bars on the crawl. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

AHC Kicks Off Backpack Drive

By Ethan Rothstein

AHC Backpack Drive (courtesy AHC)AHC, an Arlington-based affordable housing developer, has launched its annual fundraising drive to buy backpacks and school supplies low-income children.

The drive, launched this week, is targeting at the low- to very low-income elementary school students who live in AHC’s affordable housing units in the county. AHC accepts cash donations starting at $18, which is how much it costs for a backpack filled with school supplies.

“Our goal is to make sure each and every child shows up to elementary school with the tools they need to succeed,” AHC stated in a press release.

The AHC says 100 percent of donations go to the children who receive the backpacks. Donors can donate for one backpack or up to 20 at once, and can set up monthly donations.

Photo via AHC

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sunset (photo courtesy James Mahony)

County Mulls Streetlight Changes — Arlington County is considering changing the type of LED streetlights it uses after complaints from residents. One possible change is using lights with a color temperature that more closely matches traditional sodium-vapor lighting. [Sun Gazette]

Cyclist Sets Up Stolen Bike Sting — A cyclist whose bikes were stolen from a Fairfax County parking garage managed to set up a sting operation in Arlington to try to catch the thief. The cyclist found one of the bikes for sale on Craigslist, arranged for the seller to come to an Arlington parking lot, and flagged down a police officer to lend assistance. After agreeing to a sale, listened to by police via a cell phone in the cyclist’s pocket, the seller was arrested. [Gripped Racing]

Transgender Fashion Show to Benefit Arlington Org — A transgender fashion show will be held this Saturday in Falls Church to benefit NovaSalud, a Courthouse-based HIV/AIDS nonprofit. The show’s Honorary Mistress of Ceremonies is Kristen Beck, a retired Navy SEAL who was formerly known as Chris Beck. [Falls Church News-Press]

This Day in Arlington History — On this day in Arlington history, 1937, it was reported that the County Board was debating whether movie theaters should be allowed to open on Sundays. Also, it was reported that a majority of the $176 million the IRS collected in Virginia in 1936 came from taxes on tobacco. [Sun Gazette]

Photo courtesy James Mahony

Arlington Mercury To Go On Hiatus Until 2014

By Ethan Rothstein

Arlington-Mercury-LogoThe Arlington Mercury, a non-profit news website covering Arlington, is going on haitus for the rest of the year.

The site has been inactive since June 18, but editor Steve Thurston has an explanation: the Mercury just received 501(c)(3) status and is taking a break to secure funding to come back stronger in 2014.

Thurston, a full-time professor at Montgomery College in Maryland, said he plans to spend the rest of the year fundraising — be it through private donors, organizations or grants — with hopes of restarting the website with the start of the new year.

“We’re taking a break on the editorial side,” Thurston told ARLnow.com. “We made the decision that we were going to go on a hiatus and figure out how to get a little more money into the group now that we’ve got this [nonprofit] status.”

When the website starts again, he will start teaching only part time, devoting more of his time to the “Merc,” as he calls it. Thurston says he has meetings set up all over the county to try to court funding. He says it’s nearly impossible to fundraise effectively without 501(c)(3) status, since organizations that aren’t loyal readers don’t have assurances that the corporation is legitimate.

“It lets everyone who might want to give you money know that you’re a little nonprofit and not a thief,” he said.

The certification process with the Internal Revenue Service took 22 months and was incredibly time-consuming, Thurston said. Thurston said he formed the corporation in June 2011, applied for nonprofit status that August and launched the website in September 2011.

By the end of the school year with his full-time teaching schedule, it became clear there wasn’t enough time in the day to put forth an effective fundraising effort if he was still going to maintain the site. He declined to say how much he has raised so far.

Since Thurston started the site, he hasn’t paid himself or any of his writers a dollar, Thurston said, but, depending on the strength of the donations, that’s about to change. He plans to start taking home some pay and hopes to pay his writers.

“I’m hoping it will buy us more consistent reporting,” he said. “When you’re working with all volunteers, including me, it’s tough to be able to look at somebody and say ‘we need this by Tuesday at 2.’ If you start paying people, you’re able to say ‘you’ve got to find some time to do this job since we’re paying you.'”

Part of the IRS’ requirements for 501(c)(3) organizations is to incorporate an educational component, which shouldn’t be difficult for the Montgomery College faculty member. Just what to do is still to be determined, however, as is much of the Merc’s future.

“I don’t know what the Merc will look like into the future,” Thurston said. “The news industry is changing a bunch, and who the hell knows what’s going to happen… I feel like we’ve gotten off the ground. We’ve done a lot, we’ve broken a number of stories, given some great analysis, but now it’s the time for people to give and for us to go out and say ‘we really need the money. If you like the site, help contribute.’”

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