Who is Fairfax Cares?

A coalition of Fairfax-Falls Church community partners organized to help our neighbors in need. Fairfax Cares helps strengthen the basic needs safety net system during this time of economic crisis.

What is Fairfax Cares?

Fairfax Cares receives and distributes monetary donations, helps keep the food pantry shelves plentiful and brings out the best in our community. Donations made to Fairfax Cares are distributed by the Northern Virginia Community Foundation (NVCF) through an allocation process determined by the Fairfax Cares Advisory Committee.

Why Fairfax Cares?

The demand for basic needs assistance in our region is greater than anything we’ve seen in recent history. Fairfax County Government is getting increased calls for help:

• There has been a 79% increase in requests for help since January 2006, although the county’s population has grown by less than 1% since then.
• The largest increase in demand includes emergency food (137% increase) and food stamps (186% increase), job search (91% increase), emergency housing payment assistance (71% increase) and subsidized housing (97% increase).
• Much of the influx is made up of first-time clients from a broader economic spectrum.

Local nonprofits and faith-based communities also are reporting increases in demand for basic needs assistance. During the fourth quarter of 2008:

• 80% of direct food providers and more than 75% of direct financial assistance providers reported receiving more requests for assistance than the year before.
• Close to 50% of the providers were unable to serve households at times due to lack of financial resources and close to 27% were unable to serve households at times due to lack of food resources.
• 45% of the providers reported receiving requests for assistance from households not previously served, such as middle-class families and those that are underemployed.
  
  

The state of today’s economy may increase requests for help. Together, through Fairfax Cares, we can help our neighbors in need. This is the reason we need you — your colleagues, friends, family and your employer to help. Help us get them involved.

I Want to Help!

I Need Help!