Dear OAR Supporters,

We are headed back to the Winery at Bull Run for our annual gala. This year's theme mirrors our holistic approach to justice: Upstream & Onward. 

Since our inception, we have worked towards reducing harm and recidivism. This year, we will focus on how the OAR model seeks to address upstream issues that keep people caught in the cycle of violence and incarceration. We hope you'll join us for a night of live jazz, a raffle and silent auction, good food, good wine,and a great cause!

We'll be in touch soon with more details, but until then....

Block off the evening of Thursday, May 15th!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 25th and join us across our social media platforms for the annual Loudoun County fundraiser, Give Choose! We appreciate coming together every year for this opportunity from the Community Foundation. It gives Loudoun residents a chance to see all of the great work going on in their backyard. For over 20 years, OAR has been a part of the fabric of Loudoun and we continue to offer our services both in and out of the jail. Follow our social media or visit our page in the Give Choose Catalog. On the big day, you can support our clients AND help us win prizes from the Community Foundation by giving! We'll see you there!

Volunteers are the lifeblood of OAR. The organization began as a completely volunteer endeavor in 1971 and has operated with an invaluable and significant volunteer presence ever since. Enter this month's Volunteer Spotlight: Afaf Alsaadi. Ms. Afaf came to us through the Senior Community Service Employment Program in Fairfax. She matched with our organization and contributed hundreds of community service hours in 2024 alone. 

Ms. Afaf has served as a Service Coordinator at the front desk of the Fairfax office, greeting staff and clients alike, and generally creating a calm and cheerful atmosphere. The work of a Service Coordinator requires diligent customer service in the face of occasionally very stressful circumstances. When I asked Ms. Afaf what made her happy to return to serve each day, she referenced the staff and the mission, sharing specifically that Ms. Tami Hunt, OAR's Volunteer Program Manager, had been influential in ensuring her experience as a volunteer was enriching and fulfilling. When she started, she was a bit apprehensive about working on the computer system, and the front desk can be fast-paced with lots of moving parts. She shared that Ms. Tami had brought her up to speed with clarity and patience and that this had impressed upon her to bring a similar style to client service. Many OAR clients come to our front desk distressed, overwhelmed, or with lots of questions that require some digging to find the right answers. Ms. Afaf leads the front desk often and can provide those answers with great ease now. She said that among her skills, she has employed patience, attention to detail, a positive attitude, strong communication, and active listening in serving clients daily. This, she says, is what makes an exceptional OAR volunteer and Service Coordinator. For Ms. Afaf, the results speak for themselves as she enacts OAR's important mission through client interactions. When clients are able to come from a stressful moment and are able to plan next steps into their future, she knows she has been successful. We are very grateful for Ms. Afaf's work and for her decision to share her gifts with OAR clients.Thank you, Ms. Afaf! 

We are looking for class facilitators to join our volunteer team! Check out the opportunity below. If you are interested in applying, book a chat with our Volunteer Program Manager, Tami Hunt here or e-mail any questions to her at thunt@oarnova.org. 

Thank you for being an OAR supporter and believing in the OAR mission. With your support, we can continue to serve justice-involved families in our area.

If you want to learn more about what your organization or business can do to make the OAR mission reach new heights, e-mail our Director of Development, AJ Oskuie, at aoskuie@oarnova.org.