Who is Jennifer Ferrara’s Favorite Community Lodgings Employee? *Editor’s note: At the time this interview was conducted, Ms. Ferrara was with BB&T. She has since taken a position with M&T Bank as Vice President and Business Banking Relationship Manager and she remains very active in social justice causes in Alexandria. Jennifer Ferrara is the Vice […]
30th anniversary
Ambassador Reflections: 10 Questions with a Community Lodgings Mother – Reina Martinez
Ten Questions with a Community Lodgings Mother – Reina Martinez By Josue Martinez Josue Martinez, an eighth-grader in Community Lodgings’ after school program, recently completed a short course on how to conduct interviews. For his final project, Josue interviewed his mother about Community Lodgings. He introduced himself, explained the purpose of the interview, created open […]
Ambassador Reflections: What Volunteering Means to Me
What Volunteering Means to Me by Julie Cupp My name is Julie Cupp, and I am a volunteer with Community Lodgings. I was born and raised in the area and through the years have wanted to volunteer in my local community. I’d donated to national charities, mostly in honor of my brother who died in […]
Ambassador Reflections: Eight Questions with Karina Wiggs
Eight Questions with Karina Wiggs, Community Lodgings’ Director of Operations Karina Wiggs joined Community Lodgings’ staff in November of 1998 – nearly 20 years ago! Find out how Community Lodgings helped Karina find her true passion, and who she wants to be when she grows up. What attracted you to Community Lodgings? I needed a […]
Ambassador Reflections: 10 Questions with Christine Suchy
Ten Questions with Community Lodgings Mentor Christine Suchy Christine Suchy has been a mentor for five years. Christine gamely answered ten questions about her volunteer experience as a Community Lodgings questions during a long car trip to New York. She was our “Volunteer of the Year” in 2015 for a particularly heroic act – read […]
Ambassador Reflections: 10 Questions with a Community Lodgings Mom
Ten Questions with a Community Lodgings Mom Maria Romero’s daughter Jennesy Perdomo-Romero is in third grade and has been enrolled in Community Lodgings’ youth education program, which offers after school homework support and summer program, for three years. Maria shared how the Community Lodgings staff has helped Jennesy, and Maria’s entire family. How did you […]
Ambassador Reflections: 10 Questions with Stephanie Hemmert
Ten Questions with Community Lodgings Mentor Stephanie Hemmert Stephanie Hemmert has been part of Community Lodgings’ girls’ mentoring program right from the beginning, and she’s here to stay! Read our Q&A below to find out why she’s been with us for so long, and who is her favorite Community Lodgings person (hint: that person said […]
Ambassador Reflections: a Nonprofit Peer Reflects on Community Lodgings
Friends Helping Friends Helping Women Everyone needs a friend. A friend is that trusted person who laughs, cries, celebrates and commiserates with you, and serves as that beautiful reminder that none of us are alone. Friends make life more fun. If you are lucky enough to work with a friend, work becomes more fun too. […]
Ambassador Reflections: John Taylor Chapman on Community Lodgings
Six Great Quotes from John Chapman about Community Lodgings City Councilman John Chapman first heard of Community Lodgings when he was a child growing up in public housing in Alexandria. He was re-introduced to them when he was employed as a paraprofessional instructor, or a teacher’s aide, at Alexandria City Public School’s (ACPS) George Washington […]
Ambassador Reflections: Jenny’s Journey
Jenny’s Journey “I’m not good enough to wash a dog.” That is an odd statement for a job interview, but that is how Jenny McDaniel felt when she applied as a dog washer at Your Dog’s Best Friends in Alexandria ten years ago. Jenny was pulled out of school in the third grade to avoid […]