Streams Get a Lift from a County Program : ‘Operation Stream Shield’ is called a win-win-win.

As storms continue to wash trash, construction debris, tree limbs and leaves into the suburban streams throughout Fairfax County, a program was developed by officials to clean up the streams while providing a paycheck to those in need…

City Jobs celebrates two-year anniversary

Patrick Scholzen was used to working, and did so for 35 years, until falling onto hard times. Then he discovered City Jobs – a partnership between The Lamb Center and the City of Fairfax…

Operation Stream Shield Builds Skills and Cleans Communities

Operation Stream Shield, a pilot program launched in October 2019, to help improve water quality in streams and provide dignity in work to people experiencing homelessness, removed more than 17 tons of litter from Fairfax County waterways. Due to the success of the 12-week pilot, the program will be extended up to five years and expand to serve the entire county…

Employment Creates Dignity, Self-Worth, Hope for Future in Fairfax. City Jobs becomes international model against homelessness.

The Lamb Center’s City Jobs program has received accolades since its inception nearly three years ago. And now, it’s receiving international recognition as a model for fighting homelessness, thanks to the Voice of America (VOA).

'It Changed Everything': Jobs Program For Homeless Marks 2 Years

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — The coronavirus pandemic has brought more people out to enjoy open air spaces like parks and trails in the City of Fairfax. Some have observed trails are noticeably cleaner. That's all thanks to the efforts of workers who are experiencing homelessness…
 

Homeless Maintain Dignity With Work During Coronavirus Crisis

FAIRFAX, VA — Residents experiencing homelessness know they're especially vulnerable during the new coronavirus outbreak. In the Fairfax area, a daytime drop-in shelter and partnering City of Fairfax are offering helping hands to support their basic needs and let them earn money. The Lamb Center's City Jobs program with the City of Fairfax is continuing to provide work while accounting for social distancing…

Invasive plant removal now included in a Fairfax County program

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDVM) — Invasive plant removal will now be included in Fairfax County’s “Operation Stream Shield” program which started in 2019.

The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness began this project to benefit the environment and to help people experiencing homelessness.

Work Program for Homeless Helps Clean Up Creeks

An innovative jobs program that helps homeless individuals develop work skills is back in action after being sidelined for a time by the coronavirus pandemic. Northern Virginia Bureau Chief reports its participants couldn’t wait to jump back in to the kind of jobs many others are reluctant to do…

Homeless Battle Winter In Northern Virginia, Look Ahead To 2020

FAIRFAX, VA — Rain fell on a dreary morning outside a Fairfax County office complex as workers removed invasive plants and trash near Long Branch Stream. But the weather is hardly a setback for the 10 homeless and formerly homeless workers — every day helps them work toward permanent employment and other goals as the new year approaches…

Lamb Center’s City Jobs Program

City Jobs is a program of the Lamb Center in partnership with the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County. The City Jobs Program creates an employment opportunity for individuals that meets them where they are and seeks to empower them to reach their greatest employment potential. Here are some key points about this “Transitional Work Program” and what it offers our guests:

• The program pays 20 individuals $10 an hour for working from 8am to 12pm two days a week.

• We work with the City of Fairfax Department of Parks and Recreation. Our team helps to maintain city parks through leaf removal, snow removal, landscaping and others tasks as assigned. The City of Fairfax has $60,000 allocated in their annual budget to help fund this program.

• Fairfax County's Operation Stream Shield was launched in October 2019 to help improve water quality in streams and provide dignity in work to people experiencing homelessness. It has doubled the number of individuals given the opportunity to participate in our program.

• City Jobs functions similarly to day labor programs but a big difference is that once an individual receives one of the 10 spots, they are able to keep that spot so long as they show up for work on time. If a worker does not show up on time for work and fails to communicate their absence they lose their active spot and are placed on the bottom of the waiting list.

• Many individuals have registered for the program and they are eager to work as soon as an opening is available. For this reason, this program is not open to anyone except for Lamb Center guests at this time. We do hope that we will expand in the future and allow for others outside of the Lamb Center to be able to join.

• The goal of the program is to help individuals graduate to a full-time or part time job in conjunction with housing opportunities. We look to engage any individual including those who are struggling with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, addiction and/or a criminal record.

• Once an individual has worked ten work days in a row, a recommendation letter is written for them to give to prospective employers. Once graduated, they understand that their conduct as an employee impacts the reputation of the program and the opportunity for future workers to gain employment.

• So far, we have had twelve workers graduate and move on to other employment opportunities.