For the 400 people who attended HomeAid Northern Virginia's 10th Annual Gala & Auction on November 5, there was no mistaking that the organization is making an enormous difference in the lives of thousands of homeless people in Northern Virginia, is capable of raising some serious money, and knows how to throw a great party!

Thanks to the generosity of those in attendance and sponsorships, HomeAid raised more than $175,000, and in addition received a matching donation from Doug and Ann Smith for all monies raised during the live "Paddle Challenge."

HomeAid Northern Virginia and Builder Captain Beazer Homes recently completed a $20,000 kitchen replacement and upgrade for the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter (LAWS), a private nonprofit in Loudoun County, Va., that provides emergency housing support and advocacy for women and children who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. The cost of the project was covered in its entirety, thanks to donations by Beazer and its trade partners and a grant from the United Way of the National Capital Area.

Beazer Homes has donated 40 nearly new electric double ovens to HomeAid Northern Virginia, and HomeAid is now in the process of coordinating their distribution through Habitat for Humanity's ReStore outlets in Northern Virginia.

Pulte Homes donated $8,000 to HomeAid Northern Virginia after a company-sponsored golf tournament raised more than $24,000. The company split the funds between three charities.

The 6th Annual Vienna Coldwell Banker Cares Fundraiser in September was another outstanding success, with HomeAid Northern Virginia receiving a donation of nearly $4,000 from ticket sales, a silent auction and raffle sales. Also benefitting from the fundraiser were Doorways for Women & Families and the Coldwell Banker Cares Foundation.

HomeAid Northern Virginia is seeking two Builder Captains for projects in Old Town Alexandria and in Leesburg/Loudoun County. As with most projects, the Builder Captain will provide project leadership; help organize in-kind donation assistance from trade partners; and leverage their assets, knowledge and contacts to help in the completion of the projects.

Both projects have been pre-screened by HomeAid Northern Virginia's Board of Directors, and the scope of work and project expectations are well documented.

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If you've been looking for a way to give back—and help our communities' youth—then please consider volunteering with the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership, which is currently in need of 20 mentor volunteers to serve the children enrolled in its many programs. Mentors spend an average of one hour a week working with their assigned child; scheduling is flexible and based on the mentor's availability, and the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership will train mentors and provide support and materials throughout the mentor relationship.

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If you or your organization is looking to "pay it forward" with a day (or even a few hours) of community service, Women Giving Back (WGB) needs you!

WGB—a HomeAid Northern Virginia program that helps transitionally homeless women get back on their feet with clothes and accessories suitable for re-entering the workplace—is in the enviable position of having loads of clothing to distribute, but it all needs to be sorted before it can be put out on the shelves.

Do you love getting deals through sites like Groupon and Living Social? Then you will love Recoup, the first "cause shopping" Web site that offers deeply discounted daily local deals on everything from restaurants to symphony tickets to moving services, but with one awesome difference: Every time a subscriber purchases something through Recoup, a portion of every dollar spent can be directed toward a cause of their choosing. And because HomeAid Northern Virginia recently partnered with Recoup, subscribers can now select HomeAid Northern Virginia every time they make a purchase on the site.

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