County Executive Bryan Hill recently spoke with Stephanie Berkowitz, CEO of Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS), about the impact of community partnerships in helping families facing crises. Nancy Cordova from the Department of Family Services also discussed efforts to connect residents with county programs that promote independence.
Berkowitz described how NVFS collaborates with Fairfax County to provide immediate support such as food, financial aid, behavioral health services, and child care. She emphasized the importance of addressing urgent needs before helping families plan for the future.
“…When a family is in crisis, they can’t really hear or think about anything but how am I going to get through today, how am I going to get through this week,” she said. “So, we try to stabilize them first and then help them think about what their longer-term goals are.”
The partnership aims to help families manage short-term challenges while also working toward stability and self-sufficiency.