Second Story in the Community
Second Story in the Community serves the Fairfax County neighborhoods that need us the most through Family Resource Centers, after-school programs, and the Opportunity Neighborhoods Crossroads initiative.
Program Highlights
- Our Teen Center is an after-school program for teens in seventh through twelfth grades in Culmore.
- We operate three Safe Youth Projects in Culmore, Annandale, and Springfield for fourth through sixth graders and a computer lab for first through eighth graders.
- Our Family Resource Centers in Culmore and Springfield serve families on a drop-in basis in collaboration with other partners.
- Second Story serves as the lead agency for the Opportunity Neighborhood’s initiative in the Bailey’s Crossroads region.
The issue:
Fairfax County consistently ranks among the wealthiest counties in the United States, yet opportunity is not distributed evenly. According to a 2024 Hunger Report, food insecurity in Fairfax County is increasing with 27 percent of residents qualifying as “food insecure.” Forty percent of those who are food insecure include households with children. Many families live in poverty with parents working around the clock to support their children. They may share a small apartment with many other families, leading to overcrowding and unsafe living conditions. They may have to work a second or third shift and struggle to spend quality time nurturing and caring for their children. These youth may receive less support at home to help them thrive in school, and their vulnerability makes them more likely to be recruited to join a gang, fall into human trafficking, or get involved with drugs–all persistent threats in Fairfax County.
Our work:
Second Story operates neighborhood-based drop-in centers and after-school programs for youth and families in Culmore, Annandale, and Springfield. We also serve as the lead agency for the Bailey’s Crossroads region of Fairfax County’s Opportunity Neighborhoods Initiative. Through these programs, we offer food distribution; tutoring for students; parenting skills, health, and financial literacy education; the opportunity to connect with existing resources; and so much more.
Teen Center
The Culmore Teen Center is an after-school drop-in center for seventh through twelfth graders. Students have access to computers and dedicated volunteers to help them with homework. They share a meal together, do schoolwork, and learn from local experts about things like finances, interview skills, bullying, drug prevention, and cyber safety. They receive help applying for college and financial aid and go on college visits. We take them on a variety of field trips to the movies, local business, and into Washington, D.C. To learn more, call 703.820.8611.
Safe Youth Projects
We operate three Safe Youth Projects in Culmore, Annandale, and Springfield for fourth through sixth graders. These structured after-school programs serve food and help young people stay safe and thrive in school. Specifically our program coordinators help participants with:
- homework;
- providing workshops for various life skills, mental health, gang prevention, and drug prevention;
- partnering with local schools to ensure the social-emotional health and academic success of each participant;
- working with participants and their families to ensure there is safety and stability at home, school, and community; and
- taking them on a variety of field trips to waterparks, the movies, horseback riding, and indoor rock climbing.
The Culmore Safe Youth Project also operates alongside the Culmore Computer Learning Program for first through eighth graders.
Family Resource Centers
We operate two Family Resource Centers in Culmore and Springfield to provide resources on a drop-in basis to families in need. Other local nonprofits help to provide free legal aid and a medical clinic as well as ESL, parenting health education, and financial literacy classes, among other programs. Families can receive help filling out documents and learn about referrals to further connect with their community. We also distribute food and clothes to people in need.
The centers are the collaborative efforts of community-based organizations, the private sector, and county agencies to bring services, information, and resources to community members.
Culmore Family Resource Center (near Bailey’s Crossroads)
3304B Culmore Court
Falls Church, VA 22041
703.379.5217; TTY 711
Springfield/Franconia Family Resource Center
7224 Commerce Street, Apt.T-2
Springfield, VA 22150
703.644.0000; TTY 711
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Opportunity Neighborhoods Crossroads
Opportunity Neighborhoods (ON) is a county-wide effort for residents, community-based partners, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, and other supporters. We work together to deliver necessary, accessible, and effective resources for vulnerable youth and their families. Second Story is the lead agency for the Crossroads area of this initiative.
Crossroads Area Fact Sheet
All of this support is completely free.
Who is eligible?
The Family Resource Centers serve community members on a drop-in basis. And anyone is welcome to receive services, but especially those who have trouble meeting their basic needs or navigating community resources available to them. The Teen Center and Safe Youth Projects welcome youth depending on their ages and the space in the program. Our after-school programs are intended for youth who do not have another safe place to go and whose families cannot afford other resources for them.
Our impact:
In fiscal year 2024, 412 students were served and 19,327 families received drop-in services. 100% of youth in our community-based programs stayed gang-free.
We try to work with them, have one-on-ones, have communication with them, with their parents and assist them as much as we can because we know they can do it.
- Ivett, Community Organizer with Second Story in the Community
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