Fairfax County Resources for Afghan Refugees

(August 2021) From the Program Manager of the Fairfax County Community Impact Unit:  Fairfax County is working with nonprofits and faith communities in assisting Afghan refugees who will eventually call the county their home. Afghan refugees have experienced significant trauma, uncertainty and stress during the evacuation process. It is Fairfax County’s priority to ensure that individuals and families who resettle here can access services as quickly as possible so that they can focus on rebuilding their lives and establishing support networks in the community.

You can learn more visiting herewww.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/afghan-refugee-information-and-resources

Additionally, a list of local and national non-profits who are working to help settle Afghan refugees can be found on this Tysons Interfaith Blog Post:  https://tysonsinterfaith.org/2022/01/06/afghan-families-how-to-help/

———————————————————————————————————————————-

Taking Good Care of Mother Earth

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) is a Fairfax-based grassroots organization that works with individuals/families and faith communities to identify ways people can take action to support the environment. The group is very locally focused and also works with county and state level officials to advocate for responsible environmental programs and policies.

———————————————————————————————————————————-

Combatting Bigotry and Systemic Racism

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

One Fairfax: a joint social and racial equity policy of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Fair Housing Report:    In 2019, Fairfax County entered into a contract with the Equal Rights Center (ERC) to provide email, phone, and in-person testing services in the rental, lending, and sales housing markets. Throughout the course of the contract, from June 2019 to March 2021, ERC conducted and analyzed 122 tests in the county. ERC conducted 93 rental tests: 25 were race tests; 55 were national origin tests; 13 were disability tests. ERC conducted 15 lending tests and 14 sales tests, all of which were race tests. All tests were matched pair, meaning the ERC analyzed each test for both discriminatory policies and for differences in treatment by the agent between testers.

                 Why We Should Care

Tysons Interfaith Statement on Combatting Bigotry and Systemic Racism

The faith communities of Tysons Interfaith speak with one voice in condemning the bigotry and systemic racism that has led to the death of George Floyd and other People of Color in America. We pray that this time of pain will lead to healing and opportunities for real and sustainable change in the social and legal systems of our nation based on realization, acceptance and utmost respect of the oneness of humanity, regardless of any social, cultural, or other factors. Tysons Interfaith is committed to providing opportunities for spiritual growth and for promoting love, understanding and mutual respect among neighbors – and we are all neighbors.

Statements on Racism provided by Tysons Interfaith partners and by others:

All Dulles Area Muslim Society

Baha’is of Great Falls and McLean

Catholic Diocese of Arlington

Center for Spiritual Living, Arlington Virginia

The Christian Science Monitor

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Church of the Holy Comforter

Durga Temple of Northern Virginia

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Fairlington Presbyterian Church

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America

Interfaith Communities for Dialogue (ICD), Northern Virginia

Jewish American Community of Greater Washington

McLean Islamic Center, McLean Virginia

The Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Presbyterian Church USA

Prayer for a Violent Nation by Kaitlin Curtice Sojourners

Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church Virginia

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

The World Union for Progressive Judisim

One Voice, One Family, One Sacred Humanity: A Local Virtual Interfaith Service to End Racial Bias 

This virtual interfaith service of faith leaders in Fairfax County, VA features faith leaders from 20 religious communities in and around Fairfax County, as well as Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler, Jr. in prayers, meditations and songs for unity and hope to end racial bias and hate. Faith communities represented include Christian (Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Unity, Mormon, United Christian, Non-Denominational), Jewish (Reform, Conservative), Muslim, Unitarian-Universalist, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Meher Baba, Bahá’í , as well as the Mosaic Harmony Choir of Fairfax. Service length 1 hr.