Kids get a Dose of Reality

Every year FCS agent Jennifer Abel and the Master Financial Education Volunteers conduct several Kids Marketplace and Reality Store events to help teach children and teens about smart money management skills.  In these hands-on simulations, students receive hypothetical family situations and a monthly income.  They visit a series of stations (housing, transportation, entertainment, groceries, clothing, personal care, medical, etc.) and make decisions about how to spend their money.

The goal of the exercise is for the participants to take care of the needs of their hypothetical families without running out of money while also putting some money into savings.  Kids Marketplace is for elementary school students while Reality Store is for teens in middle and high school.

These events have been very popular this fall.  In November, staff and volunteers led a Kids Marketplace for 71 students at Barrett Elementary School, a Reality Store for 347 eighth graders at Hammond  Middle School, and a Reality Store for 25 teens from military families from around the country who assembled for a conference at the Crystal City Sheraton.

Participants learn a great deal at these events as evidenced by the evaluations that they complete. Many cite the importance of saving, gaining a greater understanding for what their parents have to deal with, and the importance of planning before having children as key lessons that they learn.  Many more events will be held in 2013 so if you are interested in volunteering (requires no preparation work before the event) please contact Jennifer Abel: jabel@vt.edu.

Master Food Volunteers Cook Up a Healthy Summer

Ever since Katie and Jennifer graduated the first local group of Master Food Volunteers in May these 15 people have wasted no time in teaching Arlington and Alexandria residents about healthy food choices. Here is a summary of just some of the things they have done.

                Aleksandra Damsz taught a lesson to a group of kids at Carver Community Center on how to choose fast food with less fat and sugar. She also helped Sue Grace with a series of nutrition classes for a group at the Nauck Family Life Center by leading physical activity lessons. Carolina Spencer led a class on Cooking for One at the Aurora Hills Senior Center. Catherine Hader helped Katie teach a series of classes to TSA employees on the DASH diet and worked together with Alice Eichers to teach a class on low-salt cooking. She also taught a low-salt cooking class at the Nauck Family Life Center. Desiree Morningstar taught a series of three classes on hearty salads for weekday lunches. The classes were very well received and Desiree will be taking her show on the road, providing the series at a local church. Desiree also helped Sue Grace with the series at the Nauck Center by teaching a physical activity lesson and has been helping Jennifer and Hareg with the Cooking Matters course at Macedonia Baptist Church. Volunteer Kris Angerthal  has been helping with these classes as well. Diane Blust helped Katie with several canning classes in Fairfax and worked with Katie and Jennifer on a canning class in Arlington. Janet Al-Hussaini has been doing cooking demonstrations at the Great Falls Farmers’ Market and will be offering a series of Middle Eastern Cooking classes at Fairlington on Wednesdays in September. Julie Mendoza helped Katie with a canning class out in Reston. Lynnette Vango taught nutrition to three groups of pre-schoolers, helped with a series of three cooking classes at the Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria, and has helped with nutrition and cooking lessons at all five of the Cooking Matters classes at Macedonia Baptist Church. Ruth Schulman led two of the cooking classes at the Carpenter’s Shelter. Sara Knopp helped out at one of the Carpenter’s Shelter classes. Ruth and Desiree also represented Master Food Volunteers at VCE’s exhibit at the Arlington County Fair. Susan Grace led a series of three nutrition classes at the Nauck Family Life Center. Susan Lagon helped with a canning class in July and is teaching several healthy eating programs for seniors at various centers in August.

                 We are grateful for the enthusiasm of these volunteers and look forward to their contributions in the fall.

Canning Class

Canning and Food Preservation Made Easy

Join us for a fun afternoon learning how to preserve your favorite summer and fall produce. The canning and food preservation class will feature a hands-on preparation of a pressure canning recipe—succotash! Everyone will get to take home a jar! We’ll also discuss other methods of food preservation including water bath canning, freezing and drying. All participants will receive a packet of recipes and preservation instructions that they can use to preserve food at home. This is a great way to learn how to save your fresh produce to use all year long.

When: Friday, September 7th from 12:00-4:00pm

Where: Fairlington Community Center Kitchen

3308 S Stafford Street, Arlington

Cost: $20, please bring either cash or a check made out to “Arlington Extension Fund”

What to bring: aprons and dish towels and/or cloth bags to put your jars in—they will still be hot when the class ends.

To register contact Jennifer Abel: jabel@vt.edu or 703-228-6417

Please RSVP by Wednesday, Sept. 5th

Middle Eastern Cooking Classes

Middle Eastern Cooking Classes

Have you ever wondered how to prepare the delicious foods of the Middle East?

Join Janet Al-Hussaini, Master Food Volunteer, as she shares creative ways that you and your family can enjoy a varied diet while experiencing the art and graciousness of fine food preparation. Come savor traditional regional foods.  Learn to prepare varied grains, vegetables and legumes.

You will learn how to prepare stuffed grape leaves, shape kibbeh, and handle varied forms of phyllo. Classes are based on the traditional view of three nutritious daily meals. Each class will focus on a different aspect of Middle Eastern cooking—breakfast, main courses, and dessert—and we will prepare 3-4 recipes at each class. Participants will work together to make the recipes and then will get to enjoy them as a tasty and fragrant meal. All participants will receive a packet of recipes so they can replicate the techniques demonstrated in class at home.

When

Three Wednesdays: September 5, 12, and 19; 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Where

Fairlington Community Center Kitchen

3308 S. Stafford St.

Arlington, VA 22206

Cost: $30 for each class or $80 for the series

To register

jabel@vt.edu; 703-228-6417

Come Join us at the Arlington County Fair!

Come to the Arlington County Fair running now through Sunday at Thomas Jefferson Community Center (3501 2nd Street South  Arlington, VA 22204).  Volunteers and staff at the VCE display inside the vendor area can help you with questions or let you know about upcoming VCE programs.  Drop by and show your support for VCE in Arlington!

Leaks, Gaskets, Caulk...

Do you like hands-on projects? Do you want to have an active role in reducing carbon emissions in your community? Then we've got the volunteer opportunity for you! 

Sign up now for our Energy Efficiency Education Program! Volunteers will complete three days of weatherization training, and then be part of dynamic teams that weatherize low-income apartments in Arlington. This is a great way to help your community reduce its carbon footprint and give back to your neighbors!

Trainings are held on Thursday nights: 9/20, 9/27, and 10/4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fairlington Community Center.  

The program will cover weatherization, energy efficiency, and water conservation techniques such as sealing leaks around doors and windows with foam adhesive, installing gaskets behind switch plates, installing faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads, reducing water use in toilets, and other techniques. In addition to attending the training sessions, volunteers must commit to a year of community service, at which point they will be certified with master status for energy efficiency education. Training will be conducted by certified professionals in the field.

The Energy Efficiency Education program volunteer commitments include:

1. Attending three training sessions at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington, VA: Thursday, September 20, 27, and October 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
2. Attending at least one hands-on training session to learn weatherizing techniques on either Saturday, October 13 and/or 20. 
3. Committing 60 hours of volunteer service in one year to the program, performing tasks including weatherizing apartments and condominiums, conducting education workshops, assisting with program preparation in the ACE office, and other educational outreach tasks.

The Energy Efficiency Education program partner organizations and agencies include Arlington County, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs (AMEN), and Virginia Cooperative Extension.

If you are interested please fill our our Energy Efficiency Education Program online application.

If you have any questions about this program please contact the ACE Office at: energy@arlingtonenvironment.org 

or 703-228-6406

Make Some Salsa: Easy Steps to Canning and Preserving

Join us for a fun afternoon learning to preserve and can your favorite summer and fall produce.

The class features two recipes, one for peach salsa and one for mango salsa. Everyone will take home a jar of each! We’ll also discuss other methods of food preservation including pressure canning, freezing and drying.

Participants receive a packet of recipes and instructions to use to preserve food at home. Learn how to save your fresh produce to use all year long.

When:  Friday, July 20^th from 12:00 - 4:00 pm

Where:  Fairlington Community Center Kitchen

3308 S Stafford Street, Arlington 22206

Cost:  $20, please bring either cash or check made out to “Arlington Extension Fund”

What to bring: Dish towels and/or cloth bags to put your jars in —they will still be hot when the class ends.

To register contact Jennifer Abel: jabel@vt.edu or 703-228-6417

Please RSVP by Wednesday, July 18^th