Green Valley Day was held from noon-5 pm at the grounds outside Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School with a health fair inside offering blood pressure evaluation, Arlington Free Clinic table, some vaccines and health care information. Over 30 vendors representing the variety of services offered in Arlington lined the pathway from the Drew Elementary Parking lot to John Robinson Square including Animal Welfare League, Thrive, the Arlington Library, NAACP, OAR and several jewelry vendors. The event is held each year to bring the neighborhood together and to celebrate the history and the neighborhood then and now. 

Harrison Grant, with Arlington County Fatherhood Engagement, chats with William Burley, senior probation officer and Chair of Arlington’s ReEntry Council, and Joanna Mourad, their intake reentry officer. Burley, says Mourad is the first person the probationer sees when they leave court or prison. “A lot of people don’t understand we are here to help.” 

Mourad assesses what the person has and what they need and then refers them to the best place for help. She says, “A lot of them are homeless—they don’t have anything including food.” 

Burley adds, “OAR gives them backpacks and cell phones, but we have to show them how to use their cell phones, and we refer them to AFAC for food.” 

Grant says his Fatherhood Engagement program works together with the county reentry program but with a slightly different focus on the role of a man, particularly as part of a family unit. “We always talk about the mother or the aunt but we want to make sure we have the whole family engaged. We talk about what it takes to be a good father, what it means to be a man, what their emotions mean, mental health and communication skills.” 

Erica Serrano is Outreach and Recruitment for foster families for the Arlington Department of Human Services. They currently have 56 foster families in Arlington although they aren’t all currently active because the families need time out. She says last week was a hectic time with several placements of three sibling groups which they try to keep together but it doesn’t always work. Housing can be an issue with people in apartments and not enough space to accommodate siblings so they try to find them placement close by so they can see each other.

Claudia Scott and Faye Pritchard register voters at the voter registration and answer questions. Pritchard is particularly interested in giving out information on prisoner voting rights. 

* Q: “How do I find out if I am registered?” A: Check online at the Virginia Department of Elections https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. Or call the ArlingtonOffice of Voter Registration at 703-228-3456

* Q: “Where is my polling place?” A: Check online at the Virginia Department of Elections https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. Or call the ArlingtonOffice of Voter Registration at 703-228-3456

* Q: “When is Election Day?” A: Every day in Virginia between Sept. 20 and Nov. 5.

* Q: “When does early voting start?” A: Early Voting opened in Arlington on Sept. 20 at Courthouse Plaza and Long Bridge’s Aquatics and Fitness Center.

* “What form of ID do I need to take?” 

A: Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you can sign an ID Confirmation Statement that says you are the registered voter you claim to be and vote a ballot. Acceptable forms of ID include: Virginia driver's license (current or expired); Virginia DMV-issued ID card (current or expired); valid employee photo ID card issued by your employer; U.S. Military ID; valid student photo ID issued by a U.S. higher education institution (public or private); valid student ID issued by a Virginia high school (public or private); valid U.S. passport or passport card; government-issued ID card from a federal, Virginia, or local political subdivision; Virginia voter ID card; voter confirmation documents; valid tribal enrollment or other tribal ID issued by one of the 11 tribes recognized by Virginia; utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck issued in the last 12 months and containing the voter's name and address; any other current government document containing your name and address