August 9, 2023

Dear Providence,

I hope you and your family are having an enjoyable summer so far! As we approach the first day of school, it's good to start thinking about sending our students back to school. Below you will find a few opportunities to help make sure that our students have the tools they need to be successful.

Bidushi Basnet interned with my office for a few weeks this summer as part of the Fairfax County Youth Leadership Program. One of her projects was an interview with Tysons Community Alliance CEO, Katie Cristol. You can read about their conversation below.

With gratitude,

Back to School Drives

Become a Back to School sponsor with Britepaths to help ensure that every FCPS student can start the school year strong with the supplies and support they need!

Learn more about the Back to School Program.

The Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services is collecting school supplies through September 15th. If you are able, please drop off your donations at the Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive).

Every summer, Educate Fairfax conducts an annual giving campaign called "Collect for Kids." Funds raised through this effort help purchase school supplies for newcomers to FCPS who are economically disadvantaged or recently displaced, as well as students who live in poverty.

Learn more or donate.

Tysons Community Alliance

Bidushi Basnet is a rising senior at McLean High School and was an intern in my office through the Fairfax County Leadership Program. Below is a summary of her conversation with Katie Cristol, Tysons Community Alliance CEO.

The Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), a public-private collaboration to develop Tysons into a thriving urban center with a renewed focus on advancing the urbanization of Tysons, recently appointed Katie Cristol as CEO.

Tysons has transformed over the past 60 years from a rural crossroads to a thriving business district with establishments and the Silver Line Metro Station. However, the area's car-centric design has made it difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to navigate. To address these concerns, the TCA is launching tree-planting initiatives, enhancing signage, and creating a thorough wayfinding system to improve walkability and accessibility. In addition, to tackle traffic congestion, the TCA is working with its partners on initiatives such as a high-capacity bus rapid transit and promoting and boosting carpooling and shuttle use.

Tysons must constantly improve its amenities and infrastructure to become a globally appealing metropolitan hub. The TCA is dedicated to upholding high standards to attract and retain a vibrant community of businesses and people.

Read Bidushi's full article.

Tysons Community Alliance (TCA) would like to hear from you! As part of the organization’s ongoing strategic planning process, TCA has developed several community engagement surveys to better understand the needs, preferences and aspirations of Tysons community members. Each survey aims to identify key areas of opportunities that will inform TCA’s key initiatives and ensure that Tysons continues to thrive as a remarkable place to live, work and visit. For questions about the Community Engagement surveys, please contact Destineé Mitchell.

Participate in the Community Engagement Surveys.

Tysons Community Alliance recently released results of a new Market Study that reveal a strong post-pandemic recovery in Tysons led largely by an increase in new residents. Tysons’ population has grown by 17% since 2015, reaching over 29,000 residents. Moreover, it is projected that roughly 15,000 more residents will call Tysons home by 2030.

Access the Market Study.

Library to Resume Normal Operating Hours

Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) will resume normal operating hours effective Monday, August 28th. With this change, the library will be open longer, offering library visitors more time to check out books, attend programs and utilize the many resources available at each of its 23 branches.

Under the updated hours, regional branches will now be open:

10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday

while community branches will be open:

10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
Closed on Sunday

The Access Services branch, located at the Fairfax County Government Center, will remain open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to the extended branch hours, the library is always available online through its many digital offerings. Cardholders can search the digital collection on Overdrive and its mobile application Libby, stream tv shows, movies, and documentaries on Kanopy, and access a vast array of research databases.

Contact Us

Office Phone: (703) 560-6946

Email: Providence@fairfaxcounty.gov