Last April, about 240 Fairfax County residents each day sought emergency assistance from the County. Last week that number was over 600. Families making minimum wage have been the hardest hit, with hours shortened and loss of available daycare. These are parents who don’t receive healthcare benefits at work.
Please go to our Facebook Page for weekly updates and information on Family PASS and the work being done in our county to help the most vulnerable of our families.
From its beginning in 2006, Family PASS has been a Fairfax County Virginia community-based organization, involving volunteers and donors who share a belief that healthy communities are built on healthy families. Their dedication supports the efforts of Family PASS case managers who provide weekly, and sometimes daily, counseling to help families succeed. Healthy families require a roof over their heads. The Family PASS focus, coupled with the commitment of its clients, has achieved a 95% success rate in keeping families housed and self-sufficient. The families that Family PASS assists are highly motivated to regain their self-sufficiency. Most move out of our program within a year. We consider it an honor to be able to assist them.
One family’s experience inspired the founding of Family PASS. The family—a young woman we’ll call Sylvia and her two children—was staying in one of Fairfax County’s temporary housing facilities when Suezette Steinhardt, an employee there, met them…read more
Since we began, Family PASS has also become an integral part of the network to end homelessness in Fairfax County-bridging affordability initiative, Fairfax-Falls Church Housing Locator Network, Fairfax County’s 10 Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, Fairfax County Consolidated Community Funding Pool…read more
In talking about the barriers families face, Guest Speaker Delegate Mark Keam recalled his own uncertain childhood — and potential homelessness — when his family fled from Vietnam back to Korea where there was little family to support them and no jobs. He also recalled his first meeting, years later, with Family PASS founders Allan and Suezette Steinhardt. It was his first attempt at running for office and he was going door-to-door to find out what constituents felt were important issues. Then he knocked on the Steinhardt’s door. Suezette Steinhardt proceeded to educate the young candidate on the state of homelessness and near homelessness in Fairfax County — in his own district. It was an eye-opener and a situation the candidate could relate to… read more.Family PASS helps families that are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Fairfax County. We provide rent subsidies and connect families with support services needed to become self-sufficient. Our work is part of Fairfax County’s 10-year plan to prevent and end homelessness.
The Bennetts lived from motel to motel after being wrongfully evicted from their home. Nonetheless, Mrs. Bennett managed to work full-time as a home health aide. Mr. Bennett had no license, no job, and no working car but was a committed stay-at-home dad for their six children. The children’s moves from school to school were affecting their education. The Fairfax County Public Schools Homeless Liaison contacted Family PASS for help.
After becoming stably housed with the help of Family PASS, the Bennetts made incredible strides. Mr. Bennett has his own working vehicle, a driver’s license, a commercial driver’s license (CDL), and a full-time job at a reputable moving company. Mrs. Bennett works part-time as a home health aide while working on her Personal Care Assistant certification and her GED. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett received much-needed dental treatment through a pilot dental program at Northern Virginia Family Services. They will soon have full medical coverage with Kaiser Permanente’s Bridge Program. All this progress was made in less than a year. The children have been in the same school for a year and are flourishing.
VIENNA, Virginia (CNN) — “Despite working three jobs, Carolina Wines and her husband, George Wines, couldn’t afford housing. For six months they had to live out of their van, hanging sheets on the windows for privacy and stopping at gas stations to wash up…Using her Virginia home as headquarters, Steinhardt, a suburban mom, created Family
Preservation and Strengthening Services, or Family PASS, to help provide affordable housing and support services to low-income families. She aims to keep families in her community out of shelters and on a path to self-sufficiency. “When we have an economy like this, the people at the very bottom are really going to be hit,” said Steinhardt. “As a mother, as a neighbor to these families, I have to be a part of the solution of what’s going on in our community.” For Steinhardt, 52, the key is bridging the gap between the time families exit transitional housing programs and they obtain affordable, permanent housing. ”
Read full CNN article here
Tutoring, delivering food, helping with moving, coaching — Family PASS couldn’t operate without its corps of volunteers—and more are welcomed. Click here for some of the ways volunteers help Family PASS. If you have a specific skill or talent that you think would be beneficial to Family PASS, let us know.
Click here to learn more about the Partnership and its members.
