Northern Virginia: Self-Advocacy Organizations/Groups

Organization/Group

What they do

Arc of Loudon County
601 Catoctin Circle NE
Leesburg, VA 20176
(703) 777-1939
Arc of Loudon County website
Person of Contact:
Jennifer Lassiter. ED, Lucy Beadnell email

The Arc of Loudon County provides opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to get together to discuss hot topics. Meetings: 4 times a year
Membership: no
Fees: $35 dollars fee per year
Transportation: no

People First of Northern Virginia/Toastmaster
2755 Hartland Rd., Suite 200
Falls Church, VA 22043
Person of Contact:
Lucy Beadnell, Director of Advocacy Lucy Beadnell email


People First (Arc of Virginia) provides opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to get together to practice public speaking (Toast Masters) and self-advocacy skills.
Meetings: the second Thursday of the month, from 6:30 to 8 PM at the Arc of Northern Virginia's offices
2755 Hartland Rd., Suite 200
Falls Church, VA 22043
Membership: no
Transportation: no

Arc of Greater Prince William County/INSIGHT
13505 Hillendale Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22193
(703) 670-4800
Arc of Greater Prince William County website
Person of Contact:
Karen Smith, ED, Karen Smith email

Offers residential services (INSIGHT, Inc), family support services and vocational services
Meetings:  the 3rd Friday of every month.
Membership:  specific disabilities only.  You have to be under the age of 35 to attend
Fees: no
Transportation: limited availability

disAbility Resource Center
409 Progress Street
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
(540) 373-2559 or (540) 373-5890  TTY
Person of Contact:
James Rapp, James Rapp email

 

 

The disAbility Resource Center provides opportunities for youth and adults with developmental disabilities to get together to promote self-advocacy.
Meetings: the A-Team meets every Friday from 1:00-2:30 PM. In addition to weekly meetings, there are special activities and trainings which provide opportunities to meet new people and learn more about important issues that affect people with disabilities.
Membership: open to all community members who want to get involved and learn how they can make a difference and become effective agents of change
Fees: no

Endependence Center of Northern Virginia
2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 305
Arlington, Virginia 22201
Endependence Center of Norther Virginia website
Person of Contact:
James Garrett, Executive Director James Garrett email

The Endependence Center for Northern Virginia provides opportunities for people with and without disabilities to get together and hang out.
Meetings: the 1st Friday of the month from 6-8pm. The location changes each month.
Membership: no membership requirement.
Fees:  meal costs

Fairfax Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
(703) 994-2040
Person of Contact:
John Bailey, President, John Bailey email

The Fairfax Chapter of the Virginia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind provides opportunities for people to come together who want to improve the lives of blind people.
Meetings: The chapter meets the third Thursday of each month from 6:30- 8:30 at various locations. Email John for meeting information
Fees: meal costs
Transportation: limited availability

Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board - Developmental Disability Services
Pennino Building
12011 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22035
(703) 324-4400
Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board website
Developmental Disability Services
Person of Contact:
Tisha Deeghan, Executive Director

 

Northern Virginia Association of the Deaf (NVAD)
Northern Virginia Association of the Deaf (NVAD) website
Northern Virginia Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NVRC/DHHP)
3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130
Fairfax, VA 22030
Person of Contact:
JulieAnn Chavez, President JulieAnn Chavez email

 

 

The purposes of the organization shall be to work in harmony with VAD to promote any worthwhile cause of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and especially to work for the betterment of conditions affecting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people of Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia is defined as an area made up of the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William.
Meetings: First Saturday of each month from 9:30 a.m.-12:00p.m. There are no meetings July, August, and December. Meetings are held in the Reuben I. Altizer Meeting Room at the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC/DHHP), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030. 
Potomac Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
(703) 379-1141
Person of Contact:
John Halverson, Ph.D. John Halverson email 
Serving the Arlington, Falls Church, and Eastern Fairfax County area. The Potomac Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind provides opportunities for people to come together who want to improve the lives of blind people.
Meetings: Second Thursday of each month in Room 114 of St George’s Episcopal Church (915 N. Oakland street, Arlington) from 7:00 – 9:00 PM The church is located just one block from the Virginia square-GMU Metro Station on the Orange Line.
Dues: $10.00
Transportation: No 
Historic Fredericksburg Chapter of National Federation of the Blind
(540) 899-7747
Historic Fredericksburg Chapter of National Federation of the Blind website
Person of Contact:
Holly Frisch, President Holly Frisch email
The Fredericksburg Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind provides opportunities for people to come together who want to improve the lives of blind people.
Meeting: Third Saturday of every month from 10:00 – noon in the Cable Studio room at the Central Rappahannock Library, 1201 Caroline Street.