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 […]
volunteers
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 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: My City, My Town, My Neighborhood, My Kids
Susan Bray saw the transition coming. She was near the end of her professional career as a marketing sales director in the telecommunications industry where she would spend most of her time sending out surveys and collecting opinions of clients (read more about it here). Additionally, her kids were out of college and establishing their […]
Reflections on Gratitude, Service: Words from a Community Lodgings Volunteer
As the holiday season nears, many of us prepare for the traditions we’ve grown to love. Whether it be spending the entire day cooking with your family on Thanksgiving, decorating gingerbread houses with friends, or even just sharing stories around the fire on a chilly day–the season is filled with reasons to smile. However, these holiday […]
Ambassador Reflections: 5 questions with Jesse Strauss
Five Questions with Jesse Medalia Strauss Jesse Medalia Strauss is the co-founder of Forward Frame Media, a full-service videography company that advocates for progressive social change through visual storytelling. He has produced Community Lodgings’ videos since 2015. What attracted you to Community Lodgings? I was just starting out as a freelance videographer and I saw […]
Ambassador Reflections: The Power of Literature… and Generosity
Community Lodgings’ Love of Literature By Jennifer Kenealy Co-Creator, InspireLit Building bridges between resources and needs to inspire and support kids Alexandria should be proud to have a place like Community Lodgings in their neighborhood. It represents what can happen when dedicated people collaborate to solve problems. Community Lodgings not only addresses housing […]
Ambassador Reflections – Helping Where We Can
When Marissa Wilson and her friends from Restoration City Church (RCC) wanted to partner with a nonprofit, Community Lodgings was the perfect fit. “What got us was the mission of overcoming homelessness by helping the whole family,” Marissa recalled. “And we were especially excited to partner with an organization so close to where our church […]
Ambassador Reflections – Shaping My Goals through Community Lodgings
My name is Glancy Rosales and I am originally from Guatemala. I was eleven years old when I migrated to the United States, partly because my parents thought we (myself, my brother and my older sister) would have better educational opportunities in this country. I was first enrolled at George Mason Elementary school, and my […]