Northern Virginia Family Service Benefits From Local Young Men's Service League

VIENNA, VA — The nonprofit Northern Virginia Family Service has benefited from a partnership with the Young Men's Service League Hunter Mill Chapter.

The Young Men's Service League chapter, which works on community service efforts, worked on several initiatives to help Northern Virginia Family Service. The collaboration was part of Young Men's Service League's Ultimate Gift Project, which encourages chapters nationwide to give back to the community in meaningful ways with inspiration from Jim Stovall's novel "The Ultimate Gift." The nonprofit Northern Virginia Family Service provides a range of services throughout the region, from help for the homeless and immigration legal services to workforce development and early childhood education.

Recent efforts by the Young Men's Service League chapter to help Northern Virginia Family Service were:

• Community Education: The chapter passed out handouts on food insecurity in our community, and collected and delivered an impressive 454 pounds of food to the Northern Virginia Family Service Hunger Resource Center, helping to alleviate food insecurity for many families.
• 1000 Weekend Snack Packs: The Young Men and their moms prepared and distributed 1,000 snack packs through the Community In-Reach program, ensuring that families in need had access to nutritious snacks.
• Serving Meals to the Homeless: The chapter also prepared and served brunch to 75 individuals and families experiencing homelessness at the SERVE Family Shelter, offering not just food but also a sense of care and community.
• Maintenance and Care of the Thrift Shop: The Young Men provided heavy lifting for some major maintenance and inventory of the Northern Virginia Family Service thrift shop. They also built and provided an enclosed glass case for the thrift shop that was needed to house more valuable or delicate items like jewelry, just in time for the holidays.

According to the Young Men's Service League chapter, Northern Virginia Family Service expressed appreciation to the group, sending a thank you card highlighting the impact of the chapter's work. The chapter was also a recipient of the AmeriCorps 9/11 Day Grant based on their project focus.

"The Ultimate Gift project exemplifies the spirit of giving and community service that defines the Young Men's Service League," the chapter shared in a news release. "Through dedication and hard work, the YMSL Hunter Mill Chapter has strived to make an impact in the community where we live through our Ultimate Gift!"