Imagine for a moment that you are standing in an alley between two buildings, you pull your flimsy nylon coat close, the zipper is broken and the wind hits your sweatshirt with a searing blast of cold air. There is nowhere to go...
That was the reality for our neighbors living on the streets and in the woods 15 years ago, when two men froze to death in Fairfax County. Our founder Linda Wimpey, said "never again" and began working with the Salvation Army, Fairfax County and a few of our faith partners to open emergency hypothermia prevention shelters on the coldest days of winter.

Today, with the compassionate support of our 50 faith partners, people experiencing homelessness have a much more than a safe warm place to sleep each night as the churches open not just their doors, but their arms and their hearts every night this winter. They serve delicious home-cooked meals, provide evening entertainment and spend time getting to know their guests as neighbors.

Your gift to FACETS means that we can have caring, skilled Case Managers attend the churches each night, forming what our founder Linda Wimpey called "a connection of the heart" with our guests, earning the trust and respect needed to help them move from homeless to "home."

Folks experiencing homelessness will tell you that there are many challenges to this life - the weather is difficult all year round, but even tougher in the bitter cold of winter. Being hungry is hard, wondering where your next meal might come from as your stomach rumbles makes every day a test of survival. But the worst is how you become "invisible" when you live on the street. People look past you or cross the street to avoid you. No one asks you how your day is or if you need help.

But, from the Sunday after Thanksgiving until the morning of April 1st all of that changes, as your support gives our clients a warm place to spend the night, delicious food and most importantly the feeling of being part of a family for that week. Their eyes meet the eyes of a church volunteer who asks if they'd like a second slice of pie. They are joined for dinner by folks who really want to know how their day was, if they need a warm jacket or pair of socks and listen to the story of their lives. For many, it's the moment that changes everything...and for that we are truly, deeply grateful.

So far this year with the help of our faith partners, volunteers and you our generous donors, we have welcomed 211 people to our Hypothermia Prevention Program. We have helped 10 people begin their transition from homeless to home and 4 of our neighbors in need are now safely and permanently housed.

On behalf of the many, many people who will need not just a place to come out of the cold, but a place to come into the light of a new day and a new home, thank you...

Most Sincerely,
Joe Fay
Executive Director
We are excited to introduce you to our new Senior Director of Programs, Greg Meeropol. Greg joins FACETS as a seasoned professional, with over 15 years experience leading program development and organizational change.

Prior to joining FACETS, Greg served as the Senior Director of Programs for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where he supervised NSBE's pipeline of national programs, serving over 15,000 members. Previously, Greg spent 12 years at the District of Columbia Housing Authority, designing, implementing and evaluating housing initiatives and social service programs for some of DC's most vulnerable populations.

Greg holds and M.Ed from Howard University, a BA from Georgetown University and lives in Washington DC with his wife Patrycja. In his spare time Greg enjoys an active lifestyle that includes cycling and hot yoga.
As the days begin to grow longer and the sun shines warmer on the people we serve, our thoughts here at FACETS turn to our signature fundraising event, our very popular Benefit Breakfast. It's your opportunity to share breakfast with friends and colleagues who believe, as we do, that EVERYONE in Fairfax County deserves a place to call home!
 
The theme this year is Hope in Bloom, because when you give of your time and talents as a volunteer, or make a generous gift to FACETS, hope blooms in the hearts of the people we serve. It's a morning that is both uplifting and inspiring as you will meet our courageous clients and hear firsthand how your gift to FACETS changes, and sometimes even saves lives. You'll also hear from our Executive Director Joe Fay about the many ways your support is helping our neighbors in need open the door to a bright future...one only made possible because you care.

At this year's Hope in Bloom Breakfast we will be marking 15 years of FACETS' Hypothermia Prevention Program. This program would simply not exist without the extraordinary generosity of the 50 faith communities who open the doors to their churches. You all open your arms wide to provide a warm place to sleep, delicious food, and kind fellowship. We will be honoring our faith partners at this year's Hope in Bloom Breakfast and look forward to a sea of tables full of our Hypothermia Prevention partners and volunteers.

There is no cost to attend FACET's Hope in Bloom Breakfast. Please RSVP and save your spot today at facetscares.org/RSVP For more information on how you can host a table please contact our Events Coordinator, Tessa Robinette at trobinette@FacetsCares.org .

One of the ways we are able to offer a delicious breakfast to our guests is through the generous support of our FACETS Hope in Bloom Benefit Breakfast Sponsors. As a sponsor you'll receive excellent promotion and that incredible feeling that comes with knowing you have helped FACETS change the world for our neighbors experiencing homelessness, poverty and hunger. To find out more about the many sponsorship packages available please contact Brenda Dushko, at bdushko@FacetsCares.org .


THANK YOU TO OUR EARLY BIRD SPONSORS!

GOLD SPONSORS 

Mr. Frank Palmer
ber.
SILVER SPONSORS
TallRide Transportation
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS:
10700 Page Avenue, Building B
Fairfax, VA 22030