Junior League Awards Langley Residential $1K For Group Home Repairs

FAIRFAX, VA — The Junior League of Washington awarded Langley Residential Support Services a grant of $1,000 to replace a refrigerator at one of Langley Residential’s group homes in Fairfax County.

The latest grant from the Junior League of Washington comes after the group awarded Langley Residential a separate $1,000 grant in December to replace a failed cooking unit at a different group home in Fairfax County.

Langley Residential operates five group homes in Fairfax County serving adults with developmental disabilities. The new grant award from the Junior League of Washington will help fund a new refrigerator — a stainless-steel refrigerator from Best Buy — at a group home in Fairfax Station.

“When we found out that one of our refrigerators was about to go out, Junior League of Washington sprang into action through the Community Fund grant program,” Langley Residential Support Services Executive Director Maureen Gum said in a statement.

“Carrying out these types of repairs also restores the pride that our residents and staff feel about living and working in a home that is well cared for,” Gum said.

Langley Residential has been providing residential and care programs for adults with developmental disabilities in Fairfax County for more than 35 years.

The nonprofit operates two key programs: residential support, where staff provides 24/7 care at five group homes, and community support, where staff covers drop-in services in people’s own homes or their families’ homes.

The average age of the people Langley Residential works with is 54, while 57 percent of the people are women.

Langley Residential is working to fill critical funding gaps to carry out repairs and major systems replacements at a group home. The current effort is seeking $15,000 for a variety of projects —from repairing and replacing plumbing valves to installing a new water heater — to ensure that the residents live in secure and comfortable environments.

Since 1912, the Junior League of Washington has contributed more than 5 million hours of direct volunteer service and more than $5.9 million to the D.C. area. The nonprofit has more than 2,300 women who annually donate thousands of dollars and volunteer hours to the metropolitan D.C. community.

The Junior League of Washington has partnered with Langley Residential since the 1980s, when it helped to raise funds for the purchase of the first group home.

For more than 25 years, Junior League of Washington members also have hosted a weekly book club for Langley Residential residents and program participants to focus on improving literacy and life skills. About 30 Junior League of Washington volunteers are currently involved in the book club program.

“While we are deeply committed to Junior League’s core value of literacy, our connection to each person at Langley Residential goes beyond our weekly gatherings,” said Amanda Walke, Junior League of Washington 2021-22 president. “The opportunity to give back in this way shows how much we want our LRSS friends to thrive and live rich, full lives just like everyone else.”

The Northern Virginia community can support Langley Residential and its work for adults with developmental disabilities by making an online gift. Members of the public who prefer to write a check should make out the check to Langley Residential Support Services or LRSS and send the check to LRSS's office address at 2070 Chain Bridge Road Suite G55, Vienna, VA 22182.

Contact LRSS's development office at 571-499-6993 if you would like to make an ACH transaction or use another donation method.