June 5, 2020
Dear Providence Residents, 
  
This week has been especially difficult for our Fairfax County Community, the African American Community, and the United States as a whole. I am committed to addressing and upholding high standards of equity and justice, as the Board and the County do through the OneFairfax lens. I recognize the strides taken by our Fairfax County Police and Board of Supervisors through steps including the Independent Police Auditor and the Police Civilian Review Panel , but I acknowledge there are always areas upon which we can improve. We must continue to work as a community to continue to listen, engage in open dialogues, and pursue justice. 

As we continue to take precautions with preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, I want to remind you that Northern Virginia remains in Phase One in the Forward Virginia Guidelines . Face coverings continue to be required in all public places.

If we work together as a community to follow the safety guidelines, we can help protect each other and especially the most vulnerable. 
  
Please find several Providence District updates on the topics below in this edition of our newsletter:  
 
  • Phase 1 for Northern Virginia
  • COVID-19 Testing Information and Resources
  • DMV Reopening Plan
  • Eviction Process Updates
  • Transportation Updates
  • Food for Others Community Food Drive
  • Waste Collection Updates
  • Help from the Heart Community Drive
  • Highlights, Announcements, Additional Reminders

I hope this newsletter finds you and your family safe and well. 
  
With Gratitude, 
Supervisor Dalia Palchik 
Northern Virginia in Phase I
During Governor Northam’s June 2nd press conference , he announced that Virginia will be moving into Phase 2 today, with the exception of Northern Virginia and Richmond, both of which will remain in Phase I. Fairfax County and Northern Virginia remain in Phase 1.

  • Phase I Guidelines can be found HERE.
 
Face Coverings Required in All Public Places
  • Requirements continue, everyone age 10 and above will be required to wear a mask under the following circumstances:
  • Inside all brick and mortar retail establishments, all personal care and grooming establishments, places where people congregate, and food and beverage establishments
  • On public transportation
  • When accessing state or local government services
  • Exceptions will include:
  • While eating, drinking, or exercising
  • If one has trouble breathing or is unable to remove the mask without help 
  • If one’s health conditions prohibit wearing a face covering

As localities in Virginia begin to gradually ease restrictions in place for COVID-19, VDH urges all Virginians to stay safe. The best way to protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 is to stay home as much as possible. This is especially important for people at higher risk of severe illness, such as older adults and people of any age with  underlying conditions . If you leave your home, practice social distancing  by staying at least 6 feet away from others and wear a  cloth face covering .
COVID-19 Testing
More than 20 sites across the Fairfax Health District are offering COVID-19 testing for both insured and uninsured residents, and the Health Department urges anyone with symptoms or anyone who is a close contact to someone who is sick to be tested.

  • The full list of testing facilities can be found HERE.

7 CVS Health locations in the Fairfax area are also now offering drive-up testing to those who meet the CDC criteria and state guidelines.
  • Patients are required to pre-register online and have an appointment.
  • The testing is free to anyone 18 or older - with or without insurance.
  • A doctor's referral is not required.
Who to Contact About COVID-19 Issues
General COVID-19 Issues
If you have general questions about anything COVID-related, contact us by email at  [email protected] .

Health Department Hotline
If you have questions about health aspects of COVID-19, please call our Health Department call center at 703-267-3511 (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends)

Phase One Business Reopening
To report concerns/violations about Phase One reopening guidelines, please call our Fairfax County Public Safety Non-Emergency Line at 703-691-2131, TTY 711.

Face Coverings
To ask questions about the governor’s executive order for face coverings, please call 1-877-ASK-VDH3 (Virginia Department of Health).

Business Recovery
If you have a specialized question about local business recovery, contact our Department of Economic Initiatives at  [email protected] .

Human Services Hotlines
  • Adult Protective Services: 703-324-7450; TTY 703-449-1186
  • Child Protective Services (24/7): 703-324-7400; TTY 703-222-9452
  • Domestic & Sexual Violence (24/7): 703-360-7273
  • Emergency Basic Needs (Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): 703-222-0880
  • Emergency Mental Health (24/7): 703-573-5679
  • Suicide Prevention (24/7): 703-527-4077 or Text “CONNECT” to 85511
What's Next in COVID-19 Response
Director of Epidemiology and Population Health Dr. Benjamin Schwartz laid out a framework for how the community can continue to  slow the spread of COVID-19  during a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors committee hearing on June 2.

An excerpt from his presentation is available here .

  • Health of the community is dependent on the actions of residents as well as public health.
  • Residents will need to continue practicing protective behaviors which includes social distancing, wearing face coverings and good hand hygiene.
  • Public health must apply the “box-it-in-strategy,” which encompasses testing, isolating, finding and quarantining individuals who may be infected.
  • Other actions necessary include increasing testing within the community to find and isolate infected individuals and conducting case investigations and contact tracing where all cases are thoroughly investigated.
DMV Reopening Plan
Two DMVs located in Fairfax County (Franconia and Tysons Corner) are currently open for appointments.

To minimize customer volume at DMV offices and CDL test sites,  appointments will be required for specific services generally necessitating in-person service. Customers should use alternate service methods, such as  online  or by mail, when possible. Road tests are not available at this time.

DMV does not charge a fee for appointments. Please ensure that you book directly through the official Virginia DMV website. DMV cannot guarantee appointments made through third-party sites.

More information about the Reopening Plan is available HERE . Read about DMV's response to COVID-19 can be found HERE .
Eviction Process Delayed
It’s been a busy week, but as an update on evictions, the Va. Supreme Court on Monday issued another extension to its Declaration of Judicial Emergency, it will now extend through June 28 . Although, as noted previously, the General District Court, in its phased reopening, may still hold eviction proceedings, either pending or newly issued evictions will be served through June 28, instead of June 7.     
 
Federal and state protections are now in place to help renters and homeowners unable to make their monthly payments due to COVID-19. There are also resources available for property owners, developers and the homeless.  

Follow this link for resources and information, including protections, for renters, homeowners, property owners, the homeless, and others.      
Transportation Updates
Tysons Boulevard has opened for pedestrian and bicycle use only in one northbound lane.  The first street closure to vehicles in Fairfax County opened last Friday (on a temporary basis) in Tysons to pedestrians and bicyclists. The half-mile stretch extends from Westbranch Drive and to near International Drive. Walkers, runners, and bikers now have more room for the outdoors, exercise, and to maintain social distancing during Covid-19. The route includes access to  Capital Bikeshare stations  and a park. For more information, call the FCDOT Active Transportation Team at 703-877-5600, TTY 711 and visit the project website at  www.fairfaxcounty.gov/transportation/bike-walk/covid-19-tysons-blvd . 


I-66 and Cedar Lane Bridge – Demolition of the Cedar Lane bridge span continues with I-66 lane closures. Detours continue to Hilltop, Route 29, Gallows and Cottage roads. The bridge is being demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the widening of I-66 as part of the Transform 66 Outside the Beltway Project with completion of bridge work expected around Thanksgiving. When completed, the fenced bridge will have a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists on the east side and a sidewalk on the west side.

For updates, go to  outside.transform66.org/CedarLane , ask questions and submit comments here , and/or call 703-662-3892

Free and expanded Fairfax Connector bus service during the Cedar Lane Bridge construction is available for routes 462 and 467.
Summer Metro Closures: Encouraged Workplace Flexibilities
As the WMATA Platform Improvement Project continues, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is strongly encouraging agencies to allow affected employees in the Washington, DC, area to utilize various workplace flexibilities throughout the WMATA project, including telework and alternative work schedules. To further assist, OPM would like to remind agencies of our guidance on the use of alternative work schedules and telework during the WMATA project.

Food for Others Providence Food Drive
Our office has partnered with Food for Others on a community based food drive to feed those in need during COVID-19.

Email [email protected] to get your community involved.

Thank you to the Falls Hill Civic Association and greater Falls Church region for donating approximately 2,300 pounds of food to Food for Others over the last few weeks!

Grow a Row FC
Have sun and some space? Grow food for yourself and your community 

Grow a Row FC  is seeking volunteers to join its community-wide effort to grow fresh produce for  Food for Others  and its food pantry partners during this public health and economic crisis. Participating is easy: Pledge to dedicate a row of your garden or a container to growing food to donate and report to Grow a Row FC the weight or size (example: five carrots) of your donations. No amount is too small. 

Grow a Row FC has hundreds of seed packets as well as a limited supply of transplants, soil test kits and compost to give to volunteer growers for free. You don’t have to know anything about gardening: mentors are available to give advice and support. Volunteers can either deliver donations to the food bank themselves or take them to a drop-off site. 

Additional volunteer garden mentors and hosts for drop-off sites are being sought in addition to growers. Sign up to volunteer on the website or by emailing  [email protected] . This project is supported by Virginia Cooperative Extension and endorsed by the Fairfax Food Council. 
Public Works and Environmental Services
Fairfax County Collection Customers: Special Pickups Resumed and Yard Waste Collection Resumed. Expected delays.

The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has recently resumed special pickups and yard waste collections. Due to extremely high volume, you may expect delays throughout the upcoming week.
Contest to Thank Waste and Recycling Workers Starts June 14
We are excited to share the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is having a contest to ask Fairfax County residents to show their appreciation for Waste and Recycling Workers during the National Waste and Recycling Workers Week starting June 14th. Residents can show their appreciation by doing things like placing thank you signs at the curb on set day or doing chalk art on their driveways. 
Help from the Heart Community Drive
Communities of Trust is collecting personal hygiene items at Fairfax County police stations. Donated items will be provided to local food pantries for distribution.

The following items are being collected:

  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • Deodorant and lotions
  • Diapers and baby wipes
  • Soap, shampoo, and conditioner
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Adult incontinence underwear
  • Laundry and dish detergent
  • Household cleaners
  • Paper towels and toilet paper

For more information, email  [email protected] , or call 703-646-8994.

REMINDERS in Sections Below
  • Glass Recycling is back! Drop Off Locations in or near Providence:
  • 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031 (please avoid dropping off between hours of 9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.)
  • 431 Mill St NE, Vienna, VA 22189
  • 217 Gordon Rd, Falls Church, VA 22046

  • Fairfax County Parks are now open. Outdoor water parks and pools run by the Fairfax County Park Authority will be closed this summer.


  • Fairfax Library Curbside Pickup started June 1. Curbside Pickup hours at all branches are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

  • Fairfax RISE Grant Program will open in early June. You can sign up to be notified when the application opens here.

  • All Fairfax County 2020 summer camp programs are canceled this summer. This includes: FCPA sponsored summer camp programs, REC-Pac programs held at local schools, summer camp programs sponsored by NCS, and SACC programs. Go to NCS Connects for new weekly activities for youth, teens, parents and guardians!

Donations of Cloth Face Coverings Needed
  • Fairfax County is still in need of cloth mask donations to support our most vulnerable communities.
  • We will be accepting cloth mask donations at each Fairfax County police station (map). Each of the stations has a donation bin for you to place your items.
  • Information on how to make cloth face coverings can be found HERE.

Supervisor Dalia Palchik and her colleagues are working to tackle a growing disparity with the Latinx/Hispanic community and COVID-19 cases in Fairfax County, see the featured article from the Tyson's Reporter here . As Chair of the Board of Health and Human Services, the Supervisor is committed to addressing racial disparities in the county. You may find more information about the Fairfax County Board of Health and Human Services June 2nd meeting here .  
Second Story Youth Services and Safe Shelter 
Second Story transforms the lives of children, youth and their families by providing safe havens and opportunities for them to grow and thrive. Our programs provide support at critical turning points in their lives.
The vision of Second Story is of a community in which all young people are safe, live in a nurturing environment and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Founded in 1972 as “Alternative House,” Second Story transforms the lives of children and youth, helping them stay safe, make positive decisions, achieve educational success, and overcome personal crises. We offer children, youth and families hope for brighter futures by providing counseling, shelter and neighborhood-based support.  

Find out how you can assist with donations for Second Story here .  
Upcoming Events
June 10, all Wednesdays 8 am – noon : Oak Marr Farmers Market season (Oak Marr Rec Center, 3200 Jermantown Road)




Aug. 15 : Conservation Poster Contest, Where would we BEE without Pollinators? Deadline EXTENDED!
Contact Us
We want to hear from you! Please reach out to us with questions, comments or just to say hello.
 
Office Phone : (703) 560-6946
 
Email us HERE if you would like events included in our newsletter or you would like a member of our team to join your HOA meeting.
Follow us on Social Media!