ONC Questions and Answers

Our Neighbor's Child (ONC) volunteers are preparing for their 21st year of coordinating the community’s efforts to provide holiday gifts to children from struggling families in western Fairfax County. In 2011, it delivered brand-new holiday gifts to more than 2,200 local children.

Food baskets for these same families are also provided by the community and coordinated by WFCM (Western Fairfax Christian Ministries). ONC’s Founder and Executive Director, Kelly Lavin, has put together a list of answers to some frequently asked questions:

Q: What is Our Neighbor's Child and what does it do?

A: Our Neighbor's Child is a community-based organization and 501c organization that coordinates holiday assistance for children from low-income families, or those in temporary crisis in western Fairfax County. Our all-volunteer team of 28 project leaders coordinates the generous efforts of the community – local schools, churches, businesses and several hundred individuals – who give their time to make this effort possible.

Q: I'd like to help. How can I become an Our Neighbor's Child volunteer?

A: New faces are always welcome at ONC (and we really appreciate the returning ones). We will be serving a large number of families and we're only able to do it with the community's support. Volunteer opportunities are listed on our Web site at www.ourneighborschild.org.

Our calendar of events and volunteer signups are also online. If you have general questions, send an e-mail to Volunteer@Ourneighborschild.org and we'll be sure to forward it to the appropriate project leader.

Q: Where does ONC need help most?

A: We have a critical need for individuals willing to "adopt" a family and fulfill their clothing wishes. These are primarily for children ages 12-17 who have not asked for toys or other gifts, or for families usually in dire circumstances. Stephanie Somers is the ONC project leader in charge of clothing donations and may be reached at somers06@cox.net.

Q: We have an ONC giving tree at our church, but the deadline seems so early. Why is that?

A: Our first priority, along with providing the gifts for these children, is to relieve a little stress for these struggling families. ONC always delivers on the latest possible Sunday that would still leave a week before Christmas. Gifts are delivered unwrapped so that parents may wrap them, themselves, and give them to their children as presents from them.