AFAC Summer Updates

July 19, 2017

The summer is to be a time of rest, but for AFAC, it is just the opposite. With the fiscal year closing, it is a great time to report on all that is happening.

Personnel

Operations

Last week, Koube Ngaaje informed me that she has accepted a position as Executive Director at the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) in the District of Columbia. We will greatly miss her. Koube has grown since coming to AFAC ten years ago and her hard work and dedication has been essential to the growth of AFAC in many, very important ways. If you have a chance, please add your best wishes to mine for Koube’s success and for all she will do in the future.

While this is a loss, it is also an opportunity to restructure our operations. Both Vicky Bandalo (Assistant Director of Operations) and Lily Duran (Manager, Client Services) will be taking on additional responsibilities. A new position to handle administrative operations will replace Koube’s position. The search for this position has begun.

Development

Aryany Cedeno, who left us for a internship with the DOS, has been replaced with Eric Bohn, who is a recent George Washington University graduate and a Yorktown High School alumnus. Zack Spaeth has also left to return with his wife to Richmond and a position with the Virginia Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.

Zack’s position in the Development Office has been filled by Jeremiah Huston, who is moving over from the Volunteer Office. For historic reasons, our communication functions have been split between the Volunteer and Development offices. This move will allow us to consolidate communications in the Development Office and strengthen those efforts. This will also relieve the Volunteer Office of this responsibility and allow that office to focus fully on our Volunteers. A search for Jeremiah’s position as Volunteer Coordinator has begun.

The search continues for a new Director of Development continues. This search is not totally about competency. All of the candidates are very competent but rather it is about personality and the ability to fit with our staff and our mission. We must get the right person for AFAC and our staff.

Volunteers

I want to note with great pleasure that Andy Lee, will soon receive Volunteer Arlington’s Lifetime Service Award. Nobody knows when Andy first volunteered at AFAC, but he has served with great distinction in almost every position here, in his 25+ years with AFAC. In addition, Bloomberg BNA will be receiving Volunteer Arlington’s Distinguished Corporate Service Award for their work here at AFAC. And, finally, 37 AFAC volunteers will be recognized for having contributed over 100 hours of service to AFAC in the last year.

Construction

We are awaiting receipt of the final building permits which are expected shortly. In the meantime, the new refrigeration boxes have been delivered and are being installed next door in preparation for our move over and the start of work on the first floor. If all goes according to plan, construction should be completed by December. Construction is going to be a very difficult time for everyone. The building next door is far from ideal for our work. You can imagine the jack hammering of the floor downstairs will fray all of our nerves. We will be asking our families, volunteers, and especially our staff to be patient.

Vehicles

Thanks to the generosity of the Washington Forrest Foundation, the BM Smith Company, and all the donors to the Last Mile Fund, we have added 2 new larger vans to our “fleet.” Check them out below and wave to our drivers as they make their deliveries around Arlington.

 

As you can see, it has been and will continue to be a very busy summer. But it is a summer of great opportunity and great change for AFAC. Changes and opportunities that will make AFAC even stronger and ready to serve all the many families that rely on us for help.

I want to especially thank everyone who has lent their time, and their energy to AFAC in support of our mission to help those in need here in Arlington.

Sincerely,

 

Charles F. Meng

Executive Director & CEO