December 2019: Message From The Chair

By: Stephanie Cohen

Our team has been working hard the last few months to bring our mission statement to life! Pictured below is Gabe Manion, volunteer Deloitte Consultant and brother to CC NOVA member Mike Manion, applying his professional skills at our extended workshop. Gabe and other Deloitte volunteers took City Center’s entire Board of Directors through professional exercises and goal development to help us validate our approach and sharpen our priorities.  Everything we do supports our mission statement. 
 
Deloitte Partner Jacqui Winters (and City Center NOVA Director) hosted the team building day at their Rosslyn location. During this fantastic day, we also learned more about our business chemistry, and further defined our strategic goals.  With City Center NOVA members now living at Gilliam Place in Arlington, we are charting our course to building future communities.

Team City Center NOVA in Rosslyn:

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Also, on a beautiful Sunday in September, we hosted a fantastic event at The Waypoint at Fairlington.  The Waypoint is a future City Center NOVA community that will be ready for a community to move into sometime in the fall of 2021. This fantastic location on King Street, a block from the Bradlee Shopping Center, and partnership with the FPC (Fairlington Presbyterian Church) hold great promise for our second inclusive community. 

Artist’s rendition of The Waypoint at Fairlington:
At this event, over 100 people attended to hear Jeannie Cummins, Senior Regional Housing Coordinator present a very informative session on Housing Opportunities and how to access them.  Another similar event took place at New Hope Church Sunday November 17th.  Our goal is to continue to partner with Jeannie and DBHDS (Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to continue this important education and outreach.  
 
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In October we participated in the annual Down Syndrome Association of Northern VA Buddy Walk at Signal Hill Park in Manassas.

City Center NOVA member Michael and City Center NOVA President Joe Manion:
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City Center NOVA also continued to spread the word at the Moving on to Life in the Community Resource Fair at Lake Braddock High School, a very well attended event. 

Chair Paula Manion pictured with City Center NOVA Accountant June Adelsberger:
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Later in October we attended a Housing Forum hosted by the Arlington CSB and Donna Budway and I had a chance to present City Center NOVA.
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The most exciting news is that four of our members have officially moved into Gilliam Place in Arlington which is featured in this newsletter separately by Donna Budway.  Gilliam Place is home to City Center NOVAs first community of adults with developmental Disabilities.  This is also a project connected with a faith based community, once again providing additional support to our members.
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Finally, on December 5th City Center NOVA was invited to present at a Transitions Workshop hosted by The Washington Group and the JCC.  It was well attended and another great opportunity to continue to spread our important mission 

Pearl Hartley from The Washington Group kicking off the event:
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Thank you all for your continued support in our mission.  We now have 100 members but would love to see this number increase substantially in 2020.  Many of you are enjoying the benefits of following our progress and attending our events.  However, sometime this coming year, only members will continue to receive the newsletter and enjoy our events for free.  We hope we will not lose contact with many of you going forward but really need to move the mission to the level of support where we are truly united in one strong voice.  Membership speaks volumes that ‘interest’ simply cannot even come close to.   Please join us and help us in our efforts to create communities that embrace adults of all abilities!

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season,
Paula Manion, Chair
City Center NOVA