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Fellowship Square provides affordable housing and services for older adults. |
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Volunteer Appreciation Month
Volunteer Spotlight
Phase II Renovation Begins at Hunters Woods
Faith Community Steps Up!
Christy's Corner
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Pastor Klein Retires
Strategic Plan Success
Community Partner Spotlight
2020 Annual Report
Follow us on Facebook
Summer Internships Available
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April is Volunteer Appreciation Month |
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Did you know that in 2020, more than 200 individuals from countless organizations and walks of life volunteered more than 1,000 hours with Fellowship Square? During the pandemic, more than 50 Community Partners stepped up by donating food, masks, and other supplies. Hundreds of helping hands delivered food and pre-made meals to individual apartments. An additional 50+ volunteers helped address residents’ social wellbeing by making friendly phone calls.
We are so appreciative of all those who have served and those who continue to serve. We couldn’t do it without you!
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Volunteers delivering food at Hunters Woods Fellowship House. |
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Fresh produce was delivered to residents at Largo Landing
Fellowship House.
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Volunteers preparing food donations
at Lake Ridge Fellowship House.
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Volunteers sorting food donations
at Lake Anne Fellowship House.
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: JILL WEISMAN
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Fairfax County
Volunteer Service Awards 2021, #StrongerTogether Honorable Mention
Ms. Weisman is one of Fellowship Square's most loyal volunteers, serving the residents of Hunters Woods Fellowship House on a weekly basis since April 2020. As a volunteer with Fellowship Square's "Fellowship Fresh" food delivery program, Ms. Weisman has been instrumental in organizing bulk food donations and delivering individual portions door-to-door to the vulnerable. In addition, Ms. Weisman regularly assists in orienting new volunteers to the food delivery process.
Fellowship Square is grateful to Ms. Weisman for her selfless service to the community and her leadership among our cadre of volunteers.
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BUILDING PROGRESS — PHASE I COMPLETE! |
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Phase II Begins at Hunters Woods Fellowship House |
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Renovations to Hunters Woods Fellowship House continue with more exciting developments! Phase II is set to include:
Exterior Improvements:
- New rear patio with seating, gardening area and outdoor fitness stations
- Front patio with ample seating, lighting, overhead fans, trellis and canopy
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Improved landscaping in front and back of building
- New entrances in front and rear of building – similar locations but totally redesigned and upgraded to a modern look; upgraded security access controls
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Interior Improvements:
First floor -
- New entrance and Reception area - rebuilt with modern fixtures and amenities
- New Social Hall area
- New Fitness Room and Wellness Clinic
- New mailboxes and mailbox area, New wall art
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All new spaces include carpet or new flooring, new lighting, new paint, new finishes and fixtures
- New furniture and fixtures to include chairs, tables, benches, wallpaper, corner guards and artwork
In-Unit Apartment Upgrades -
- Unit entryway upgrades
- New bathrooms
Throughout the building -
- New room signage
- New flooring and lighting
- Upgraded elevator lobbies
- Digital signage in common areas, Fitness Room, Wellness Clinic and elevator lobbies
- New key fob locking system for all apartment doors, main entrances, office doors, maintenance area and other spaces
Ultimately, the completed renovation will significantly enhance the property that Fellowship Square residents call home. The renovation work will enable Hunters Woods to remain an integral part of the greater Reston community and continue to serve an important role as a local affordable senior housing provider. Once the pandemic has ended, we look forward to opening our doors for tours and reengaging with the community.
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Pictured above, architect renderings of the renovated community room (top)
and the new outdoor patio seating area (bottom).
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Faith Community Steps Up!
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B. Sandal, Hunters Woods resident, receives her matzoh from staff member Patrick Matala (Concierge).
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There’s nothing that says “freedom and independence” more than getting in your car and taking a drive. It’s easy to take this for granted – but for older adults, it’s one of the ways they’re able to maintain their independence and make their own decisions.
At Fellowship Square, we’ve seen our 800+ residents struggle with transportation and have been working hard to provide them with appealing solutions to address this.
While many residents have a car, not all drive regularly – the upkeep and maintenance is costly; health issues prevent them from driving safely; or navigating to and from new destinations can be confusing or overwhelming. Valuable resources like “Driving Safety for Older Adults” are only so effective.
Even partnerships with Uber and Lyft have their drawbacks for seniors. An article published in 2019 suggests that technology isn’t the only thing that’s keeping seniors from using this convenient service.
Each Fellowship House has a passenger bus that makes weekly trips to shopping plazas and stores like Walmart and Giant. During the last year, the 14-passenger bus has had no more than five people at time in accordance with pandemic regulations, so multiple trips to the same location were a regular occurrence.
Furthermore, the House Bus doesn’t make trips to individuals’ doctors’ appointments or other personal errands.
Transportation remains one of the biggest challenges for older adults. We continue to seek new ideas, new partnerships and yes, new funding to help us cover costs for the transportation program that is both responsive to the needs of our residents and sustainable for the organization.
As with everything we do, your support and input helps us fill service gaps like transportation and deliver the best resident life experience we can.
Much gratitude,
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Since 2012, Pastor Fred Klein has served as the Pastoral counselor and confidante to many Fellowship House residents. This is Pastor Klein’s last month of service at Fellowship Square.
Over the years, Pastor Klein has visited hundreds of residents – at Fellowship House, in the hospital and in rehabilitation facilities. He led weekly Bible Studies and gave Communion.
He has been a dear friend to many Fellowship House residents – helping them through troubled times and enjoying easy conversations about life. For some, he was the only one they could talk to about their personal issues or family trauma.
He will be dearly missed by all the residents – and staff.
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From Pastor Klein’s closing letter to residents:
“My time with you has been a blessing. I appreciate the encouragement you have given me and the friendship we have developed with each other.
I will long remember your partnership with me in the work of God among us.”
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Thank you and God Bless You Pastor Klein!
Happy Retirement!
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COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT |
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Heritage Fellowship Church
Nominated for the 2021 Governor's Volunteerism &
Community Service Awards in Virginia.
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Every month since May 2020, Heritage Fellowship Church has sponsored food donations to benefit the community, including Hunters Woods and Lake Anne Fellowship House residents. Each month, volunteers with the church organize and pack bulk food donations into household-appropriate portions. Then pack up the church truck and deliver the food to Fellowship House. More volunteers meet the truck at the Fellowship House to unload the boxes and make deliveries directly to senior residents’ apartments. To date, church volunteers have served more than 100 hours providing more than 17,000 pounds of fresh and nonperishable food to low-income seniors.
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2020 Annual Report
Take a look at how our residents survived COVID in 2020, and how we still managed to celebrate our 60th Anniversary during a pandemic!
Read about these things and more in the newly published
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Stay in touch with Fellowship Square on Facebook!
We post articles, updates on activities and events,
our monthly newsletter, and pertinent information regarding our properties.
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We are looking to fill several part-time
internship positions with flexible hours in Reston, VA.
Are you the right fit?
Check out the position descriptions for our Resident Program and Marketing internships and consider joining us this summer to support our mission of providing affordable housing and services for older adults.
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Reminder:
If you have a Thrivent account, please designate Fellowship Square for donations.
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We Need Reviews!
It’s easy and only takes three minutes!
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If you love our work, then tell the world! Did you know that just behind recommendations from friends and families, reviews impact volunteering and donation decisions the most?
Won’t you help us raise visibility for our work by posting a review about your experience with Fellowship Square?
Visit GreatNonprofits – a review site like Yelp, but for nonprofits, to tell the world what you think about us. All reviews are visible to potential donors and volunteers.
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