Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova will officially announce and launch the 2018 Northern Virginia Blanket and Coat Drive for Syrian Refugees on Friday, Nov. 9.
“We are pleased to continue this wonderful humanitarian effort in Fairfax County, and join our other Northern Virginia local governments to assist approximately 3 million refugees living in Lebanon and Jordan,” Bulova said.
The Drive is organized by NOVA Relief Center and runs Nov. 10 – Dec. 8, 2018. Blankets and coats will be sent to refugees in three camps in Jordan this winter, through a partnership with Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD). Anyone can donate. Those wishing to contribute can become involved in two ways. Blankets and coats should be new or gently worn and may be dropped off to one of the drop-off locations (see website for updates). Monetary donations are also needed and may be made to NOVA Relief Center online and at some drop-off locations. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit NOVA Relief Center’s website at novareliefcenter.org.
Since 2013, Northern Virginia citizens, businesses, local governments, religious groups, schools and neighbors have come together to collect and donate over 100 tons of blankets and coats, to assist Syrian refugees who have fled their homes to other countries to escape the violence from the civil war in Syria.
Upon the conclusion of this drive, Paxton Van Lines will transport all items collected to the port where they will be shipped to Jordan via Maersk Shipping. Upon arrival in Jordan, HHRD will distribute the blankets and coats to refugees near the Syrian border. Previous shipments have been delivered to refugees in camps in Turkey and Lebanon. As with the previous Blanket and Coat Drives, both Paxton Van Lines and Maersk are donating their services this year. The generosity of these two companies allows anyone to donate.
NOVA Relief Center is a newly formed non-profit organization based here in Northern Virginia. NOVA Relief’s mission is to improve the quality of life for refugees abroad, as well as for our own neighbors. Visit the website to learn more and see photographs from previous Blanket and Coat Drives.