August 13, 2020

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you to the hundreds of community members who participated in our recent virtual community meeting and survey to consider updates to the design of the Braddock Road Improvement Project. Your continued involvement in this project is critical to ensure that we make it the best it can possibly be.

The design changes at Braddock Rd./Port Royal Rd./I-495 received strong community support during the meeting, in the survey, and in your e-mails and phone calls to my office and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.

But while the revised design proposal at Wakefield Chapel Dr. and Danbury Forest Dr. would save $24 million, prevent the destruction of hundreds of trees, and improve traffic flow on Braddock Rd., it generated significant confusion and concern. Therefore, we will revisit that intersection design during an additional round of community meetings next Spring.

It is my sincere hope that we'll be able to conduct those community meetings in person next Spring, but for now we're all still grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I know that one of the biggest challenges facing Fairfax families is the all-virtual start to the 2020-2021 school year. That's why I'm so pleased to report that Fairfax County is developing a new School Aged Child Care (SACC) program called Supporting Return to School (SRS).

The in-person program will support online learning and be offered at 37 FCPS locations, primarily at Title I (high poverty) schools and existing food distribution sites. It will operate from 7:30am-6:00pm and families will pay based on a sliding fee scale. Registration will be available soon, but due to strict social-distancing safety measures, capacity will be limited. We hope to support those parents and guardians who have no other choice but going to work and lack the resources to support their children who are at risk of falling behind academically.

Finally, I hope you'll join me at 7:00pm tonight for a community focus group with the Fairfax Prevention Coalition. We will be gathering community input and feedback on substance misuse in our community. Register here.

Continue reading for more information on:

P.S. Forward this message to your neighbors in Braddock District! Residents can click here or email braddock@fairfaxcounty.gov to subscribe to the monthly Braddock Beacon newsletter and Advisories like this.

COVID-19 resources and information is still available! For the latest updates you can visit the Health Department's COVID-19 webpage or visit the county Emergency Information webpage.

The Health Department continues to provide daily case data updates on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard. Information such as total cases, new daily cases, total hospitalized, and confirmed cases per zip code can be found. Stay informed with the latest data by visiting the Health Department webpage.

Join me and the Fairfax Prevention Coalition (FPC) staff tonight, August 13, from 7 p.m. through 8 p.m. for an important community focus group where FPC will gather community input and collect community data on substance misuse.

The FPC is a newly formed coalition that is in the process of completing a community assessment to gain information around substance misuse all throughout Fairfax County.  They are hosting a total of 9 online district wide focus groups in Fairfax County where they will explore a range of topics with attendees. Registration is required.

Register for the event.

Fairfax County has been receiving large amounts of rain and many forecasts predict additional rainfall will follow. Preparation is crucial to stay safe. Learn what to do before, during, and after flooding.

Please remember never to drive through a flooded road -- turn around, don't drown.

The following are important key words to know in case of heavy rains:

This Sunday, August 16 2020, at 7:30 p.m. the O'Connor Lee Band will be performing for our second Braddock Nights Concert which is a part of the county's Summer Entertainment Series.

Americana duo Kate Lee and Forrest O’Connor have earned national recognition as co-lead singers and primary songwriters of the O’Connor Band, a bluegrass group they co-founded along with O’Connor’s father, seven-time CMA Award-winning violinist Mark O’Connor. They wrote the majority of the band’s debut album, Coming Home, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums Chart and won a GRAMMY Award in 2017.

We are excited to host the O'Conner Lee Band and we hope you will join us! The concert will go live on O'Conner Lee's Facebook page at 7:30 p.m.

Review the entire Summer Entertainment Series artist schedule.

Beginning August 17, all visitors to campus will be required to fill out a Mason COVID Health Check survey and can do so directly at healthcheck.gmu.edu.

Green – You have no symptoms, testing, or contacts that indicate exposure or illness and therefore you are free to come to campus or participate in face-to-face classes, events, and activities. You must bring a copy of your Green result with you when you come to campus.

Yellow – You have indicated that you may have one or more COVID-19 symptoms, have been tested and are awaiting results or received a positive test, or you were in contact with someone with COVID or who tested positive for COVID. If you receive a Yellow message, additional information and resources will be emailed to you immediately after completing Mason COVID Health Check™

Red – Based on your responses, you may be experiencing a medical emergency and should immediately contact your health care provider or emergency services.

Learn more about Mason's COVID Health Check™.

COVID-19 has turned everyone’s lives upside down. The isolation has caused many families to lose their support networks, which has been especially stressful for families with children. As a result, some children may be at higher risk of harm. Others may not be safe because there isn’t a responsible adult who can watch or take care of them.

Learn more about what to consider if you suspect abuse, how to make a report, and resources to help.

Interested students should visit the webpage or call Lisa Sales at (703)624-0387 for more information on the commission. Applicants should send resumes to Mery.Juarez@fairfaxcounty.gov (CFW in subject line).

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 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.

Participating is easy:

If you would like to learn more or contact Grow a Row FC, visit Grow a Row's website.

Langley Residential Support Services (Langley) serves adults with developmental disabilities, their families and our communities by providing quality, comprehensive residential and community support services.

Langley Recently debuted new masks available to the general public. The facemask features the Langley Residential logo and it is washable, made of cotton and polyester, and features fabric ear bands for comfort.

For a donation of only $25, Langley Residential will send anyone two masks while supplies last. Contributors can protect themselves and a loved one while supporting the charitable work of Langley Residential.

The masks are a token of Langley Residential’s appreciation for donors’ generosity and their gifts are tax-deductible. Contributions help to underwrite the organization’s programs for Fairfax County adults with developmental disabilities through six group homes and drop-in services for folks who live in their own home or their family’s home. Founded by three McLean churches in 1983, Langley Residential currently assists 55 adults and their families.

Order your masks by calling Langley Residential at (703) 893-0068 ext. 1800 or visit their website.

NV Rides, a program of the Pozez Jewish Community Center and Fairfax County, is actively recruiting volunteer drivers to assist older and/or vulnerable adults in our community. NV Rides supports a network of volunteer driver programs who make transportation for seniors possible in the Northern Virginia area. NV Rides’ goal is to increase capacity for existing volunteer driver programs and to expand volunteer transportation options throughout Northern Virginia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NV rides require all volunteer drivers and riders to wear masks and observe physical distancing protocols.

In August, NV rides will hold four virtual driver information sessions for potential volunteers. The Zoom sessions will be brief, informative, and easy to attend.

Register for one of the following sessions below:

Click here to learn more about NV Rides.

Consider becoming a volunteer driver with Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke & South County! SCFB provides free transportation to folks over 50 years old who no longer drive to their medical appointments and essential shopping trips. Drive requests generally last less than three hours, run during regular work hours, Monday -Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and are convenient to your schedule. During COVID, precautions are in place for everyone’s safety. Contact SCFB by email at recruiter@scfbva.org or by phone at (703) 715-7592 to volunteer.