Neighbors, Resources, and Fresh Produce: Inside Berkdale’s Community Resource Fair

Guest Author: Karina Jurado, Resident Resources Admin, Gates Hudson

On a sunny Saturday in late July, Berkdale Apartments hosted a Resident Resource Fair. The event brought together residents and a variety of community organizations that provided valuable information and resources on healthcare, mental health, education, youth programs, insurance, family services, and other free and low-cost support services available throughout the community.

Residents had the opportunity to speak directly with representatives, ask questions, receive educational materials, and learn about programs designed to improve the well-being of individuals and families. One of the highlights of the event was the Fruits and Vegetables Truck, which provided residents with access to fresh produce. It was wonderful to see residents taking advantage of both the healthy food options and the many valuable resources available through our community partners.

The event created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere where families could visit multiple resource tables, receive referrals, and build meaningful connections with local organizations. The fair also featured a resource table with informational materials from additional organizations that were unable to attend in person, ensuring residents had access to an even broader range of community services.

The Jair Lynch and Gates Hudson teams are grateful to all of our community partners for their participation and support in helping make this event a success. We were honored to welcome the following organizations, each providing valuable information, resources, and one-on-one assistance to residents:

• A Woman’s Choice
• Edu-Futuro
• Park and Rack Herndon
• Faith Bridge Insurance
• Opportunity Neighborhood
• Fairfax County Health Department
• Youth Medication-Assisted Treatment (Fairfax County)
• Resilience Recovery Community- Fairfax 
• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
• Family and School Partnerships (Fairfax County Public Schools)

We were also honored to welcome Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc Jr., who enjoys being called Mayor Keven, to the event. As a frequent attendee of Berkdale community events, Mayor Keven took the time to visit with our residents and community partners, demonstrating his continued commitment to supporting community engagement and local initiatives. We sincerely appreciate Mayor Keven’s continued support and his dedication to strengthening our community.

In addition, several organizations that were unable to attend the event still supported our residents by providing informational brochures and resource materials. We dedicated a resource table to share information from HealthWorks, Lions Club, Clearview Elementary School, Inova, and The Women’s Center, ensuring residents had access to an even wider range of valuable community resources.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and collaboration of our outstanding community partners. It was truly inspiring to see so many organizations come together with a shared commitment to serving our residents. Through their collective efforts, they helped create an event that was informative, welcoming, and impactful for everyone who attended. Their partnership and support played a vital role in the success of the Resident Resource Fair, and we look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen our community. 

Would you like to be involved in our next resident resource fair? Email Melissa Rodrigues, Resident Engagement Manager for Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners, to learn more.