Northern Virginia Foundation Creates Prayer and Crisis Hotline to Aid Navy Yard Shooting Victims, Families

Submitted by Al Hoskins, Jr.

Immediately following the horrific and devastating Navy Yard Massacre in Washington, DC that occurred on Sept. 16 at 8:45 a.m., the Brown Foundation of Nokesville and Stafford Virginia quickly responded by setting up an intermediate Prayer and Crisis Hotline. 

While the DC-Metro area and much of the US is still reeling from the senseless and evil shooting of 12 innocent people who worked at this facility, Dr. Lewis R. Brown, CEO/Founder of the Brown Foundation set up a prayer and Crisis Hotline (703-594-2302) dedicated to assisting in the healing and bereavement coping that family members and friends of the victims are experiencing.

 Additionally,Dr. Lewis and the entire Brown Foundation are planning on a series of prayer vigils across the Northern Virginia to combat and cope with senseless actions such as the Navy Yard Shooting and other crimes that have wreaked havoc and spiritual/emotional and in many cases physical pain on the people of the Northern Virginia area.  

The hotline officially began operation on September 1, but the recent Navy Yard Shootings have given a powerful surge to have this hotline nationwide.  This hotline is also being used to assist the elderly and low income individuals in the DC-Metro area who are financially destitute and in need of assistance.  

According to Dr. Lewis, this has always been one of his secret dreams to create a Hotline that will serve as a Prayer line and Crisis Intervention line for those in need.  

He also said that there are many in need in the greater Prince William and Stafford County areas as well as those in the DC-Metro region as a whole and feels that this hotline (which is totally funded by the Brown Foundation) will serve the people of the entire DC-Metro area in a positive manner. 

 Dr. Shamira A. Brown, the CFO/Co-Founder of the Brown Foundation said that she has created a side note to the hotline as an educational awareness program to help youngsters, teenagers and young-adults to always seek educational advancement and never allow the socioeconomic problems of gangs, crime, and school bullies detour them from getting their education.  

Shamira Brown said she is working on creating a special prayer and crisis hotline for pregnant and unwed teenage girls and for abused ladies and some men who are victims of domestic violence.  This hotline is slated to begin operation Oct. 1, 2013 and will serve the Greater Prince William and Stafford County Areas and later expand in 2014 throughout the DC Metro area.