September 4, 2024

Neighbors,

Did you know that September is Hunger Action Month?

While Fairfax County has one of the highest median incomes in the nation, almost a quarter of our community experiences hunger or food insecurity, according to the Capital Area Food Bank’s Hunger Report.

What does this mean? Food insecurity can mean going hungry because you don’t have enough money to pay for groceries, reducing the amount you eat or being unable to afford balanced meals.

Hunger impacts people of all ages, races and even incomes. It can be a child who eats lunch at school, but she goes hungry when she comes home. Or it can be an older adult on a fixed income who can’t buy groceries after paying for medicines or housing.

It might surprise you that even high-income families are going hungry. One in five households that make $120,000 — which is nearly the region’s median income — deal with food insecurity, says the Capital Area Food Bank. Their report also finds that 25% have some higher education like an associate’s degree and another 25% have a college degree or higher.

To help fight hunger, Fairfax County gave out about $9.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to community food providers during the last two years. The county also allocates more than $1 million every year in Consolidated Community Funding Pool grants to nonprofits that provide emergency food assistance.

You can help combat hunger too. Please donate to the county’s virtual Stuff the Bus food drive this month. You can choose which nonprofit food provider to support, including two that serve the Hunter Mill District: Cornerstones and Western Fairfax Christian Ministries.

You can also donate these food banks directly:

• South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry: I’ll also be participating in their annual “Do It Your Way 0.5K” on September 29 which is another way you can support the pantry.
• Food For Neighbors: Participate in their Red Bag program with upcoming collection dates on September 14 and November 9
• A Simple Gesture – Reston: Sign up for their Cool Green Bag program with the next pickup on October 5.
• LINK Against Hunger: Donate food or money, and volunteer to help pick up, sort and deliver food.

Together, we can all help reduce hunger and food insecurity.



Regards,

Walter

For those who experience food insecurity, the Virginia Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is one way to put fruits, vegetables and herbs on their plate.

Qualified seniors will receive a $50 voucher to use at participating farmers markets through this program. To get this free benefit, apply now through September 30. You also may apply in-person at farmers markets.

Better known as Farm Market Fresh, this program assists low-income older adults to purchase fresh produce at farmers markets from June through November. It is a partnership between the Virginia Office for Aging Services and FarmFresh.

In the Hunter Mill District, there are two market locations where seniors may apply in-person or use their voucher:

• Reston Farmers Market (open Saturdays April - December)
• FarmFresh Reston Market (open Wednesdays)

For questions or more information:

• Email FarmFresh
• Call 855-827-3667
• Text 1-833-412-4863

The library will reopen on Monday, September 16 at 10 a.m., following the building’s 10-week renovations. The branch will resume its regular hours:

• Monday – Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Thursday – Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The renovations included:

• ADA upgrades and refurbishment of the main public restrooms
• Replacing the drinking fountain and adding a bottle filling station
• Upgrading all lighting fixtures

Note that before the branch reopens, you will be able to put library materials on hold starting Friday, September 13.

Do you have questions, issues or concerns you want to discuss with me? Let’s talk! Come to my Fall Town Hall on Monday, September 9 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center,1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston.

If you have questions in advance, submit them by email with the subject line "town hall.”

Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, call my office at 703-478-0283.

After a summer break, the Fairfax Circuit Court resumes its satellite services at the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate on Tuesday, September 10 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The court is also offering a new service at its satellite location: filing documents for already existing or open civil cases.

(If you're uncertain about the status of a civil case, look it up through the Circuit Court's online eCaseSearch introduced this summer.)

Court staff will accept civil filings that do not require a fee, and it’s recommended that you bring the original documents, plus two copies if you would like a copy for your records. Your submitted documents will be stamped and brought back to the courthouse for review.

As usual, the satellite also offers free notary services.

Fairfax Water needs your help to report what material is used for your water service line — especially if it’s lead.

Why it Matters: Under updated EPA rules, water utilities must create an inventory of water service lines so they can replace any lead pipes that are identified.

• Lead exposure may cause permanent health problems for children and adults.
• Lead, which is rarely found in significant amounts in streams, lakes and rivers, primarily enters drinking water through plumbing, most commonly from lead pipes and brass or bronze faucets and fixtures.
• Fairfax Water usually would not know your service line’s material — whether copper, steel, plastic or lead — because you own the portion of the line from the meter into your house. Much of the utility’s information is also based on historical records that haven’t been confirmed or updated.
• While it’s unlikely your line is made of lead, take part in the quick survey so you’ll know for sure.

What’s a Service Line: Your service line connects Fairfax Water mains to your home. Fairfax Water owns the line up to and including the water meter, and you own the portion after the meter to your home’s internal plumbing.

Report Your Line: Go to the water shut-off valve in your home, and you can report your service line’s material by:

• Taking the survey online using your smartphone, tablet or computer
• Filling out a paper survey

Watch this video tutorial on how to take the online survey.

The county is holding two community meetings about proposed zoning amendments:

September 10: Contractor’s Office and Shops and Construction Vehicles

The proposed changes may make it easier for landscape professionals to find appropriate locations for their businesses and to park or store their construction equipment and vehicles. Attend the virtual meeting on September 10 at 6:30 p.m. Use this meeting link to join. Password: 670293. Meeting and amendment details.

September 18: Accessible Parking Modifications

This amendment proposes modifications to the county’s parking regulations to ensure that adequate accessible parking levels are maintained. Last year, the county adopted new regulations called Parking Reimagined that reduced total parking requirements for most land uses. Attend the virtual meeting September 18 at 7:00 p.m. Use this meeting link to join. Password: 730437. Meeting details.

Participate in Vienna’s Town Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the Town Green to be assigned locations that need a little sprucing up. Supplies will be provided. Pre-registration via email is recommended but not required.

Do some cleanup at your own house. Get rid of your junk this Saturday, September 7, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the Town’s Quarterly Recycling Day. Drop off scrap metal, electronics and auto waste at the Northside Property Yard, 600 Mill Street, NE. One-time use and rechargeable batteries are also accepted for bulk recycling.

Good Witch/Bad Witch Concerts

It’s going to be popular! Attend the free concert Good Witch/Bad Witch with Dee Roscioli and Alli Mauzey – Glinda and Elphaba from the Broadway company of Wicked. Three performances will be offered Friday through Sunday, September 6 - 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Reston Town Square Park. Concert details.

Connector’s Express Bus Service From Tysons to Bethesda Begins September 16

The Connector’s new express Route 798 begins on September 16. The weekday rush hour service only has a total of five stops, including the Tysons West*Park Transit Station. Details.

New DMV Select Office in Tysons Now Open

Need DMV services like getting vehicle titles and registrations, license plates and decals or disabled parking placards? Visit the newly opened DMV Select location at the AAA Mid-Atlantic office at 8300 Old Courthouse Road, Suite 110, Vienna. Walk-in service is offered Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Details.