March 2026 ECNV E-newsletter
ECNV's Monthly Spotlight
Joseph Albert: Independent Living Skills Training Staff
What inspired you to work in independent living and disability advocacy? My path here was shaped by my time in politics and the example set by my parents. During my time working on campaigns—specifically under a mentor in Connecticut who pushed me to explore new ideas and really taught me how to listen—I discovered how rewarding it is to help people solve problems. My parents also always emphasized the importance of being an active part of your community and helping others whenever possible.
There’s a quote about Mr. Rogers that I’ve always carried with me. He kept a note in his pocket from a social worker that said, "Frankly, there isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story." That has become my North Star. I’ve met all sorts of people, and I’ve learned that everything starts with truly listening to where they’ve been.
Can you share a moment or success story that really reflects the impact of your work? For me, the real success happens in the moment an individual realizes they have the power to make their own choices. There is this incredible shift that occurs—a sense of freedom that washes over them. Once someone unlocks that internal recognition, it’s like catching lightning in a bottle. When you have the determination that comes from understanding your own power of choice, you can create anything, be anything, and go anywhere.
What does “independent living” mean to you, and how do you help consumers achieve it? To me, independent living is "the right to risk." We often talk about it as the right to choose, but choice is inherently about risk. In good health, we take for granted the ability to choose our jobs, our friends, and our actions. People often mistakenly believe that choice disappears if you are disabled, but the opposite is true: the necessity of choice and risk is even more vital. To answer the question simply, independent living is having the agency to live a life defined by your own decisions.
What motivates you to keep doing this work, even on challenging days? What keeps me going is a mix of humor, my coworkers, my supervisor, and my family. But most of all, it’s remembering that at the end of the day, I’m only human. I can only give the best I have to give. I try to focus on the little glimpses of hope and remember what my dad always says: "Tomorrow is another day."
What’s something most people might be surprised to learn about you? I play the drums and have for quite a while. It’s usually a surprise to people because I’m notoriously clumsy, so they don’t expect me to have that kind of hand-eye coordination! Also, I’ll be the first to admit: I still don't understand the movie Inception.
Book or a Movie? I’m going to go with movie. If you’d asked me a few years ago, I definitely would have said book, but I’m afraid my attention span has diminished a bit since then!
ECNV Awarded Amazon Loudoun Community Grant!
Exciting news! ECNV has been selected as a grant winner of the Amazon Loudoun County Community Fund!
This initiative from Amazon and the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties empowers local nonprofits to drive transformation and resilience in our community. We're thrilled to be part of this community-driven effort alongside other local organizations working to create positive, meaningful change in Loudoun County.
Amazon Loudoun County Community Fund ››
Join the Movement: How You Can Support ECNV Through Our Campaigns:
ECNV will Participate in the 2026 Give Choose Campaign this Month!
When: Early giving begins March 10, and the 24-hour Day of Giving is March 24, 2026!
Where: ECNV Give Choose page
Why ECNV? By supporting ECNV, you are empowering people with disabilities to live independently, access meaningful opportunities, and break through systemic barriers. Your gift helps us provide life-changing services like job readiness, peer mentorship, and advocacy for a more inclusive community.
Give Choose is a 24-hour day of giving organized by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties to benefit local charities serving our community. The goal is to inspire our community to come together to give generously to charities that make our community the best place to grow up and grow old.
Mark Your Calendar: ECNV is Participating in 2026 Spring2ACTion!
Spring2ACTion is a 24-hour online event that provides a simple way to connect donors to the charitable causes they care about most and encourages them to take action. This virtual fundraising effort, presented by ACT for Alexandria, with the help of generous sponsors, offers local nonprofits the chance to raise thousands of dollars to ensure that Alexandria is a strong, vibrant community for all.
When: Early giving begins April 8, 2026 and Spring2Action Day is April 22, 2026.
Why ECNV? Each gift made during this campaign will allow us to further our mission at ECNV. Your donation of any amount will help with Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Mentorship, and our durable medical equipment program.
Where: ECNV Spring2ACTion page
Navigating Crisis with Confidence: Tools, Rights & Alternatives
Not all crisis advice reflects real-life experience. We created this page to offer raw, honest guidance and updated resources from people who’ve been there. Want to share your story or insights? Contact us to help others navigate crisis more safely.
Upcoming Classes!
Aging Solo: The Benefits of Journaling - For Life, Learning and Leaving a Legacy
March 2, 2026 7:00 p.m. Eastern
The Benefits of Journaling - For Life, Learning and Leaving a Legacy
Melisa Mistler-Yates will join us this month for our Aging Solo DMV Collective Speaker Series. Melisa is a health and fitness advocate as well as a small business owner and empowerment leader. As an event coordinator and trainer, Melisa often supports authors and speakers with reaching new audiences to help them extend the reach of their books, programs and services to impact new audiences and grow followers through the online Book Club events she hosts on Facebook. She will discuss how regular Journaling as a daily, weekly or monthly practice is a wonderful tool for memory keeping, thinking on paper and has been scientifically proven to have a positive impact on cognition and cognitive functioning, helping with skills such as decision-making, planning, and problem-solving. A free journaling PDF booklet with prompts to help you start your journaling journey will be provided to all registered participants.
Note: If you have registered for any Aging Solo meeting in the past, you will get a reminder, however, to ensure the Zoom link is at the top of your inbox, you can reregister any time and as many times as you need.
Register for the meeting here ››
Financial Literacy & Management
(for ages 14-22) Registration Deadline: March 20, 2026
Money Moves: An active camp for financial education
(for ages 14-22) Referral Deadline: March 16, 2026
Ready to Achieve Mentoring Summer Program (RAMP)
The Ready to Achieve Mentoring Summer Program (RAMP) will span 5 months from May 2026 through September 2026! This career-focused mentoring program is intended for at-risk youth with disabilities. RAMP is a nationwide program, and ECNV is the vendor offering it in Northern Virginia. For questions, please contact Kevina Brown at kbrown@ecnv.org.
Referral Deadline: April 30, 2026
Thriving Solo: June 2026 Registration is Open
Registration is now open for the June 2026 session of Thriving Solo. This will be an adult class for individuals 23 and older.
Details are in the registration link ››
ECNV Programs and Support
Read about our programs and support aimed to empower people with disabilities to lead fulfilling lives, pursue their aspirations, and actively participate in their communities.
ECNV's I Am Self-Advocacy Program
Healthy Relationships and Communication in the Workplace
Personal Assistance Services (PAS)
Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)
Referral Form for Travel Training
ECNV can also offer 1:1 support in work readiness and independent living skills.
Fill out the ECNV interest form to be contacted about individualized services
Coming Soon
Community Guide
Peer Support Group Open House Peer Support Group Interest Form
Fill out the ECNV interest form to be contacted about the above classes.
These courses are under development and will launch in 2026.
Need Help with Your Energy Bill?
Good news: You may be eligible to receive up to $500 through the EnergyShare® program, administered by Dominion Energy. This special benefit is available one-time per year to Virginia households with a person with a disability.
ECNV is here to help you apply. To find out more email info@ecnv.org
Connect and Engage: Join Our Social Circle
The ENDependents Social Group
ECNV’s Social Group will take place March 27, 2026. To be determined on location. Stay tuned.
If you're interested in joining us, please email us at info@ecnv.org. Come join us to chat about anything you'd like including current events, what's happening with you, exciting plans and anything else you'd like to chat about in a fun and safe environment over a delicious meal.
ENDependents Social Group Sign Up
Adult Social Club Outing Update
The Adult Social Club is currently on break. During this time, regular activities will be paused.
Please continue to check our website and upcoming newsletters for updates on when the club will resume and for any new announcements. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon!
Advocacy Updates
Legislative Update: Good News at Crossover
We have encouraging news from the Virginia General Assembly.
All of ECNV’s priority bills have made it through crossover day, which was on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. This is a key milestone when bills must clear their chamber of origin in order to continue moving forward.
This year, we’ve focused on issues that directly affect people with disabilities across our community.
ECNV’s Impact Hub
Advocacy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. ECNV’s new Impact Hub gives you the tools to get started and the confidence to take action. Here you’ll find news and action alerts, clear guides to advocacy, opportunities to serve on local boards, and a lookup tool to connect with your elected officials. It’s a one-stop space to make your voice heard and drive change in your community. Visit the page today to get started!
Grant Updates:
No updates to share right now, but we’re always working on new things—check back soon!
Check Out ECNV's Zazzle
Support ECNV by purchasing and wearing some of our unique clothes and accessories with the ECNV logo. There are lots of choices and five percent of the proceeds go back to ECNV to continue the awesome and meaningful work we all are doing for disability advocacy and justice in the northern Virginia area.
ECNV Upcoming Calendar
Check out our updated calendar page with the latest information and events.
ECNV Around Town
ECNV in the Community: River Terrace Education Campus
On 02/26/26 ECNV staff members Karen and Andrew attended a community event at River Terrace Education Campus in Washington, DC. During the event, they connected with students and families to share information about our Travel Training program.
