SERVE, Inc.

Soy mama soltera tengo 2 hijos pero con esfuerzo los e sacado adelante gracias porque ustedes me han apollado con comida. Fue muy importante para mi. Yo fui satisfecha por todo. [I am a single mother with two sons, but with my efforts I have pushed them forward thanks to your (the organization) support with food. It was very important for me. I was satisfied with everything.] [This review was collected by the SERVE staff through an offline spanish language review form and translated/inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

Times can be hard and its a real blessing to have the extra help. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

I have volunteered at SERVE for almost 1 year. The staff has a "can do" attitude. They are encouraging and supportive of volunteers. I feel fully integrated into the work and mission. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

Well, I'm 15 years old and I love giving back to the community. Me and my dad have been coming to SERVE for 3 years. I love the feeling it gives me and seeing the joy in peoples faces when they receive the food. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

SERVE CARES! [This review was collected by the SERVE staff through an offline review form and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

I come with my friend because of short on money for the electric company. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

I work out of temp services and when the work gets slow I come here for some food and so far I have never been turned down. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

I am someone who has "lost everything" including job, car, home, family and friends. SERVE has givin me a first step in piecing my life back together! [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

When I came here I was pregnant and working part time. I've been here for 35 days and I am still pregnant working full time. They helped me get housing (single family home), a bed, crib and made me feel like I can control myself. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

help me get my apartment when I move up here. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

[This review was collected by the SERVE Inc. staff through an offline review form and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

I have seen this shelter (server) grow and expand over the yrs w/ the uplifting of singles w-families to have higher expectations, more selfesteem, and great hope. The staff are so dedicated and whole themselves 100% accountable to providing excellent services and meeting the needs of all residents. SERVE shelter gives you-n-your families a 2nd chance in life with no prejudices. We sometimes don't realize the blessings, the meals, the beds because of our selfish ways. The love-n-understanding that server has displayed w/ singles and families has put light into residents eyes, and faith in their hearts, smiles on kids faces, and a great opportunity to become more stablen in your life. And realize you can make the difference in your life. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

Due to income lost my family was evicted from our apartment, we also lost our transportation to and from work. SERVE took us in and now we are saving money to obtain a car and houseing. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

When I arrived I was terrified. I never knew what it was to be homeless and in a shelter. But some of the residents who have been here before where friendly. The staffs were encouraging. [This review was collected by the SERVE staff and inputted by a GreatNonprofits intern.]

SERVE is the most important service in our community, providing emergency services, food and temporary shelter to our less fortunate neighbors, and in that endeavor, preventing hundreds of people from becoming permanently homeless.

SERVE is working wonders in our community. With so much need and so many people looking for help, SERVE is the best option for assistance. The shelter is always full, donations are always used for the maximum benefit. We are happy to volunteer and participate with SERVE.

My experience at Serve, Inc has been very interesting and I've met a lot of friendly people during my time here.

Serve has a large group of volunteers and serves a large community with a variety of services. They work hard to use what resources exist for the best effort.

I have found all staff members to be welcoming, open minded about suggestions,well organized, and thankful for my volunteerism. They absolutely have their clients' best interests at heart and strive to improve both their offerings and clients' way of life.

We are The Joe 15 Team, a newly formed non-profit in Prince William County. Our organization was created in my son's (Joseph (Joe) Page) memory after he was killed in February. (www.thejoe15team.org) We are working to get teens and young adults active in their community. SERVE is one organization we have been working with from the beginning. We held a food drive in April to help replinish the summer food bank (this will be an annual event). We held a school supplies drive in August where we collected $500.00 in supplies. Our most rewarding experience has been providing children's activities while the parents are in meetings. We are at SERVE 2-3 evenings monthly playing games, blowing bubbles, playing on the playground or doing crafts with the children. We always have a handout to give them and a treat at the end. Kids we've seen there on a regular basis always greet us with big hugs and a warm smile. It's a great feeling to know we are helping them and bringing a little joy into their lives while they are in an unsettled situation. It's a great opportunity and education for the teens since most of them have never been to a homeless shelter before. We plan on being an active part of SERVE monthly. We also plan on adopting a room at the shelter in the future. It's wonderful to see the help SERVE is giving the less fortunate people in the county. Helping each other, that's what it's all about.

We had a client who had served many years in the military and had fallen upon hard times which landed him in our shelter here at SERVE. A young man in his late 40's who had limited computer skills and spent most of his life working as a government contractor and later was forced to settle working in a warehouse because of a crime conviction. He lost his job and his government security clearance and because of his conviction, he had a difficult time gaining entry back into the work force. Our transitional housing office (after the screening and interview process) was able to have him placed on a waiting list for housing which was contingent upon him obtaining gainful employment. Doors were constantly closed as he struggled to find himself and all attempts to find work, with no transportation was all he experienced. "SERVE" prides itself in aiding people in need and once again we felt an obligation to help this man whose life appeared to come to a sudden halt because of a mistake he made in life which appeared to be an endless punishment, both emotionally and economically. Yet he pressed on, always sharing a word of encouragemnet to his peers in the shelter and a smile to everyone he encountered. With the help of a wonderful organization called OAR (Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources) in Fairfax, we partnered in introducing him to the BEACON program. After careful interview, screening and assessing his needs, BEACON was able to welcome him into their program which offered job training, a salary and housing along with other services in the community. Today, this gentleman has a new attitude about life... to never give up, have faith and everthing will work out for the very best. We trust that this message will be a lesson to many people who face this same struggle in life. Like our wish for him, we wish everyone the very best in life and wish to share this message and hope that someone else will benefit and not give up on life.

SERVE is a key non-profit community resource that extends a helping hand to those in need. It has a comprehensive list of programs to assist people in becoming productive community members

SERVE is an excellent program. SERVE also has outstanding staff. It is a very clean and safe environment. This is my second time here and it is still a very helpful program.

SERVE offers much needed services to the community, and include food distribution, a temporary shelter, transitional housing, workshops and support services, assistance in navigating social services. People sometimes get a bad hand dealt to them, and SERVE is a caring hand up to help people help themselves and get back on their feet.