This weekend is crammed full of family events and fundraisers to support the Alexandria community. Here's the line up for Saturday, 9/28 and Sunday, 9/29: 

Saturday, 9/28

There is a great line up of events this weekend from shopping at Old Town boutiques and yard sales to free yoga. Here are some of the highlights from the event calendar: 

America loses up to 40 percent of its food to landfills - the equivalent of $165 billion each year.

This post was originally featured on Causetown's blog by Kevin Markham. 

The idea originated last year after a citywide fundraising day for nonprofits in Alexandria, Virginia. Restaurateur “Mango Mike” Anderson, the owner of Mango Mike’s, and John Porter, executive director of the community foundation ACT for Alexandria , wanted to give local charities a new way to raise funds year-round to supplement their normal fundraising activities. So when Anderson and his business partner Bill Blackburn launched a “gourmet burger joint” called Holy Cow in November 2012, they decided to donate a quarter for every burger sold to a local nonprofit of the customer’s choice.

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) invites animal lovers and their four-legged companions to the Second Annual Alexandria Shelter Walk for Homeless Animals. The 1.5-mile walk through historic Old Town Alexandria raises critical funds to help the AWLA prevent pet overpopulation and curb animal homelessness in Alexandria and throughout the region.

Operation Paws for Homes, Inc. rescues dogs of all breeds and ages from high-kill shelters reducing the numbers being euthanized. Most of our dogs come from rural shelters in South and North Carolina. With limited resources, the shelters are forced to put down anywhere between 50% and 90% of the animals that come in the front door.

You are invited to the King Street Cats' Kitten Shower and launch of our "Kitten Purrlooza" adoption weekends 2013!

We are Alexandria's only cat-exclusive, no-kill, free-roaming cat orphanage. Come on by and visit with some kittens!

Suggested gifts:

KMR (cans and powdered), Wellness and Proplan Kitten food, puppy pads and paper towels, and pine and Fresh Step clay litter.

Volunteer Alexandria has compiled the following Hotlist of local volunteer opportunities. Please contact the agency directly if you are interested in the opportunity and reference Volunteer Alexandria.

King Street Cats, Alexandria's free-roaming, cat-exclusive rescue facility has put out an URGENT appeal for foster homes.

Friday April 12, Carpenter’s Shelter experienced a fire. We were very fortunate to identify the fire quickly thanks two of our fearless volunteers who alerted the staff immediately. Fortunately no one was injured. 

We have had an amazing outpouring of concern and support from the community. While the fire damage was minimal, the shelter experienced extensive smoke and water damage. The total cost of the damage is estimated to be over $42,000. Carpenter's Shelter is fortunate to have insurance cover a portion of the cost, however, the restoration of the shelter will cost the shelter over $10,000 in out of pocket expenses. 

Sadly, Spring2ACTion is officially over. But today, we get to celebrate the results and the amazing generousity of our community. With your help, we raised $659,591 from 5,872 givers in just 24 hours! Thank you, thank you, thank you! None of this would be possible without YOU!  

What if we all gave one one day?

On Wednesday, April 17, our community will come together for 24 hours of unprecedented giving.

It's puppy and kitten season and the doors of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter are open to the unplanned and unwanted litters. You can help our puppies and kittens start life on the right paw by coming to the AWLA Baby Shower with a gift from our Foster Care Wish List.

Hey Alexandria - this looks like a job for YOU!

Community Lodgings has a new location and they need your help to furnish the rooms for homeless families in need!

What Is At Home in Alexandria?

At Home in Alexandria is an all in one stop for information and services for Alexandria's senior citizens. AHA! provides members of the program with service ranging from doctor appointments to home repair to grocery shopping. Senior citizens are able to receive assisstance from the program to live their daily life, while still independent and not relying on family or friends to do every task for them.

This popular fundraiser returns for the 19th year, with all proceeds to benefit United Community Ministries, which provides comprehensive assistance programs for low-income individuals, families, and neighborhoods.

The Carpenter's Shelter needs your help at their seasonal shelter. 

From now until April, help set up beds, assist with intake and process paperwork. Available shifts are from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Take Action

You can give our homeless cats the gift of comfort this holiday season by donating a cat bed from Kuranda. We're collecting 100 cat beds before the end of the year, and donating through Kuranda earns you a 28% donation discount! Donate today at www.Kuranda.com/donate/2274

It's the Season of Giving and we hope that you'll take the time to give back to members of the Alexandria community who need your help. 

Below are opportunities that you and your family can get involved in. 

Happy Holidays! 

Every year, Fund for Alexandria's Child tries to extend the season of giving to hundreds of people in need in Alexandria. And you can help just by giving a little of your time! 

This year, you can sponsor a family, senior citizen or disabled individual, foster child, or foster teen. You can help with your time by volunteering or with your resources by donating gifts.

Simlpy fill out a secure form on the City's website to sign up by November 15th! 

With regular season ended, this Sunday, 4MRMarket morphs into the Four Mile Run Holiday Market.

THIS JUST IN: C&T; Produce has offered to donate 10% of sales to the Red Cross to aid Hurricane Sandy storm relief!!

Come look for us inside the Four Mile Run Park building. While smaller than the regular season, there will be plenty of produce and specialty items available to help you prepare for Thanksgiving in a couple weeks.

Virtual Walkers Needed! ALIVE! is thankful to everyone who participated in Sunday's East End Congregations' Community Walk and Meet and Greet at ALIVE! House. This was the last community walk to help us raise funds under this year's Fannie Mae Help the Homeless program. The bad news is ...

Sandy is still pounding her way northward into to Canada as millions here on the eastern seaboard and Carribean are still recovering.

Although the Washington Metro area had significant damage, the Carribean, New Jersey, New York, parts of Connecticut and West Virginia are devastated.

Be prepared this weekend as Sandy, also known as "Frankenstorm" is coming up the Eastern Seaboard

The National Capital Region has the potential for impacts from Hurricane Sandy beginning sometime late Sunday into Monday.The National Weather Service anticipates a Sunday into Monday change in weather to include some rain (1" to 2" depending) and NNW winds 15 to 20 MPH.The storm is expected to impact us overnight Sunday into early Monday, continuing into Tuesday, bringing us higher winds and rainfall.NWS forecasters note the main concerns are wind damaged trees and downed power lines. Please note: this storm has made several changes in the past 24 hours so any shift further West could bring more significant rainfall and much greater wind gusts.

Helping the homelessness at Carpenter’s Shelter is so much more than giving those in need a warm place to sleep. At Carpenter’s Shelter we work to identify and correct the root cause of homelessness. We are dedicated to the success of our residents while they’re living in the shelter but more importantly, once they are living on their own in the community. Statistically, 28% of individuals’ recently experiencing homelessness become homeless again within a year. Thanks to your continued support, last year, only 5% of our residents became homeless again. This is a tremendous step toward our mission to help the homeless achieve sustainable independence. 

The Child and Family Network Center is once again asking for help so they can provide each of their kids a new coat.

There are 136 kids that need a coat --just sign up below and a CFNC coordinator will send you a child's name, size and even what color they prefer. All you need to do is buy it and drop it off at A Show of Hands. 

Invite family, friends, and neighbors to Lone Star Steakhouse (3141 Duke Street) on Saturday, October 20th, anytime for lunch or dinner and Lone Star will donate 15% from your dinner receipt to ALIVE! in memory of Ian Daughtrey. 

The American Red Cross, through its strong network of volunteers, donors and partners, is always there in times of need.

ACTion Alexandria is proud to announce we're cosponsoring an Alexandria mayoral and City Council Candidate Forum Sponsored with the Alexandria Branch of the NAACP and Patch on Monday, October 15, 2025 at George Washington Middle School’s auditorium from 7:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M.

Even better than sponsoring a candidate forum, we're giving you an opportunity to be a substantial part of it.

What’s the best way to help Alexandria’s homeless animals? Obviously, adoption is the best and most immediate solution for the current residents of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, but what about the next generation of unwanted and abandoned animals? And if you’re like most of the staff and volunteers at the shelter, or most of Alexandria for that matter, what do you do if you already have a home full of animals?

What's Next, Alexandria?

What's Next, Alexandria? is a City of Alexandria initiative to begin a conversation about how Alexandrians can best participate in shaping Alexandria's future.

Savor the flavors of Alexandria’s distinctive collection of eateries, from fine dining establishments to casual neighborhood favorites, with special offers available exclusively during this event. For 10 days and two weekends, enjoy tantalizing multi-course meals as you sample the inventive culinary diversity offered throughout the city.

Come one, come all, to an electrifying performance this Sunday from 11am-Noon this Sunday at 4MRMarket! 

Wytold Lebing, an acclaimed electric cellist, and a Strathmore Artist in Residence, has volunteered to play the market this weekend, so come on out and experience a very eclectic and electric sound for a song.  Donations will be accepted, but the performance is totally free! Find a music loving neighbor who has never stopped by our little neighborhood market that could and bring them along.

What Is Carpenter’s Shelter?

Carpenter’s Shelter partners with the city of Alexandria and the greater Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area to eliminate homelessness through respect, responsibility and results. Through its many programs, they advocate self-reliance through education and provide programs and services as needed.

Carpenter’s Shelter is Northern Virginia’s largest homeless shelter, serving over 1,000 homeless and formerly homeless men, women and children each year. More than just a roof, Carpenter’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 365 days a year. With a food budget of $0, we rely on the generosity of the community to fill our pantry. 

ALIVE! needs 4 or 5 volunteers to help sort and distribute food on Saturday, May 26 at 8:15am for their Last Saturday Food Distribution at the Church of the Resurrection site. If you can volunteer, please send an email to [email protected] or call 703-837-9300 ext. 2.

After adding on the almost $700 in cash donation made at Alexandria branches of Virginia Commerce Bank, our presenting sponsor, Spring2ACTion 2012 raised more than $320,000 for Alexandria nonprofits in just 24 hours! Spring2ACTion is the biggest Alexandria fundraising event ever thanks to you!

What your contributions mean for local nonprofits

• Casa Chirilagua can now start an after-school middle school program for kids living in the Chirilagua area of Arlandria.

• The Art League can build a new art facility to continue to provide affordable art education.

• YMCA Alexandria can provide 21 more kids scholarships to summer camp.

• Friends of Guest House can continue parenting classes for women coming out of incarceration to help them transition successfully back into community and family life.   

• Senior Services of Alexandria is able to extend its Meals on Wheels Program to serve seniors on more Saturdays and Sundays.

And the winners are…

What would you ask the City Council candidates?

Civic engagement is what ACTion Alexandria is all about and what's more civic than voting?  It's been a boisterous year in city politics, and with more than a baker's dozen worth of candidates running for City Council, it's hard for a lot of us to figure out which candidates best represent our vision for our community.

So, we are turning the tables on traditional political debates by giving YOU the starring role in our online forum.

One City.  One Day.  One Opportunity.

What if we all gave one one day?

On Wednesday, May 2nd, our community will come together for 24 hours of unprecedented giving.

Spring2ACTion is one extraordinary day to support the organizations that make Alexandria amazing. ACT and ACTion Alexandria, in partnership with our sponsors, are offering up to $30,000 in cash and prizes to help increase fundraising efforts by participating organizations and individual fundraisers.  Real-time tracking will be displayed on the leader board at www.Spring2ACTion.org on May 2.

Be Generous.  Be Alexandria.