Bill Text: VA SJR178 | 2018 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending FACETS.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2018-03-07 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ178ER) [SJR178 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2018-SJR178-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, FACETS, a nonprofit organization that has worked to end the cycle of poverty by providing meals, shelter, and educational, life skills, and career counseling programs to individuals and families in need in Fairfax County, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2018; and
WHEREAS, FACETS traces its roots to 1988, when founder Linda D. Wimpey began working with local churches to provide hot meals to homeless families in Fairfax; since then, it has grown into a full-service organization offering programs to increase quality of life and opportunity for those in need; and
WHEREAS, FACETS leverages volunteer and in-kind contributions, working in partnership with many faith communities to meet shelter and hunger needs in the community; in 2017, the organization logged more than 50,000 volunteer hours and over $500,000 of in-kind donations; and
WHEREAS, throughout its history, FACETS has sought to leverage and expand its limited resources to meet the growing needs of the community in an efficient and effective manner; and
WHEREAS, in 2015, FACETS significantly expanded its services to meet increasing needs throughout the community and created the Next Steps Family Program, which provides homelessness prevention services and an 18-unit shelter for families experiencing homelessness along the Route 1 corridor in Fairfax County; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, FACETS continued to expand its supportive housing units program by adding 10 single-bedroom units, two group homes, and two multi-family units, which meant increasing the staff by 67 percent and the budget by 50 percent; and
WHEREAS, with the help of its volunteers and partners, FACETS continues to provide hot meals to some 25,000 people each year; the meal program is used to conduct outreach to the homeless community and identify individuals or families who may need additional services, including medical care; and
WHEREAS, FACETS operates a client resource center that dispenses supplies and offers comprehensive case management to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless; the organization also connects with individuals and families living on the streets and works to help them move into more stable transitional or permanent housing; and
WHEREAS, between November and April each winter, FACETS operates a hypothermia prevention and response program at 31 church locations in Fairfax County; the program ensures that homeless people get food and a safe place to sleep during the coldest months of the year; and
WHEREAS, FACETS also runs education and community development programs at four affordable housing communities in Fairfax County; along with financial literacy and career development services for adults, the programs offer academic assistance and college and career planning for children; and
WHEREAS, FACETS has received numerous honors for its work in preventing and ending homelessness, including the Friends of Housing and Community Development Award from the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development, the Team Excellence Award from Fairfax County, and the High-Performing Nonprofit award from the Taproot Foundation; and
WHEREAS, through its wide range of programs, services, and partnerships with other nonprofit groups, businesses, faith communities, government bodies, and foundations, FACETS has reduced the effects of homelessness in Fairfax County and worked to break the cycle of poverty; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend FACETS on 30 years of providing life-sustaining services and support to the residents of Fairfax County; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to FACETS as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for its tireless work to end homelessness.
