Partnership Spotlight:
Refugee Welcome Kits in Falls Church, VA
By: Erica Brouillette
This summary illustrates how a project can be implemented within the United States by an
RPCV who had already connected with a local Rotary Club and became a member. RPCV
Rotarian Erica Brouillette served in Armenia from 2007 to 2009 and later was introduced to Falls
Church Rotary in late 2011, finally joining the club in February 2012. The project described here
began in 2017.
Project details: Falls Church Rotary and Northern Virginia Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
(NOVA RPCV) have promoted the Third Goal of the Peace Corps by packing together 55 total
Refugee Welcome Kits for Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area’s (LSS/NCA)
Refugee and Immigrant Services (RIS) group to give to newly-arrived refugees, who could really
use a headstart. For our fourth Refugee Welcome Kits Packing Party, held on February 22,
2020, we packed 55 total Welcome Kits (25 Cleaning Kits, 25 Toiletry Kits, and five Linen Kits).
As in previous years, all Welcome Kits are donated to LSS/NCA. Shelby Kruzcak, from
LSS/NCA’s RIS program, gave an informative and interactive introduction to their work and how
volunteers can become further involved with assisting refugees, as well as the expected impact
of our donations. There were about 50 volunteers in attendance, but many more helped out
behind the scenes and by donating online, but not attending in person. In addition to the
organizing groups, NOVA RPCV and Falls Church Rotary, others affiliated with the Peace
Corps, other Rotarians, members of Herndon Reston Indivisible’s Immigrant Issues Committee,
members of Vienna Area National Organization for Women, and other community members who
are united to welcome our new neighbors to our community participated by contributing
donations to incoming refugees and volunteering their time.
How was the Partnership started? RPCV Rotarian Erica Brouillette served on both boards of
directors for Falls Church Rotary and NOVA RPCV. She served in several roles for Rotary,
including Community Service Chair and President, while she also served as NOVA RPCV’s
Community Service Director, each role providing an opportunity for focused community
engagement. Erica leveraged her insight and trust within each group with an action-oriented and
giving attitude to create and organize this project and invite everyone in the community,
including a few targeted organizations with an avid interest in refugee issues and advocacy, to
participate in the spirit of a true community engagement project.
Who identified the need? Erica was already aware of the ongoing refugee crisis in parts of the
world and learned about several resources available to take action to advocate for and assist
refugees in the tri-state area of Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia. She learned of the
LSS/NCA resource need shortly after attending the 2016 NPCA Peace Corps Connect
conference in Washington, DC. The first event was a success and each successive event has
built upon this to reach greater success. After going virtual for two years during the pandemic,
the Welcome Kits Packing Party is back for 2023, this time to be held in late June to better align
with World Refugee Day. (Previously, the packing party events aligned with what was formerly
known as Rotary-Peace Corps Week between February 23 (Rotary’s birthday in 1905) and
March 1 (Peace Corps’ birthday in 1961)).
How was the atmosphere of the collaborative experience? The collaboration was highly
positive. Both groups recognized the need to assist refugees with various social services and
donations, as well as advocate for them in our community. The leaders of each group shared
the donation sign-up link (we used SignUpGenius.com) widely (to other Rotary and Peace
Corps groups, as well as to our friends and family) and attracted more and more interested
organizations that were unaffiliated with Rotary or Peace Corps, but which wanted to participate
by both volunteering and donating what they could raise from their members.
What advice would you offer to someone who wants to replicate this project in their
club/country/group? What has made this project a success over the years was opening up
participation to everyone willing to donate and/or volunteer in person, including children. Each
year, we’ve had former refugees participate in a way to pay it forward to others in their position.
Also, the benefiting organization demonstrated buy-in and actively participated by speaking to
the project participants and answering their questions. This was a great way to introduce the
reality of refugee issues to the community, provide updated numbers on refugees in the area,
and estimate how the project would benefit LSS/NCA and the refugees they serve. Another is to
have limited expectations and go with the flow as much as possible; be willing to pitch in as
needed to get things done, even if you’re the primary event organizer. One more thing is to
remember to take action photos to use in publicizing the event and for paper/online brochures to
help advertise the event.
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About Falls Church Rotary: The Rotary Club of Falls Church, Virginia has been an integral part of
the community for more than 70 years, chartered in June 30, 1952, by the nearby Rotary Club of
Arlington, Virginia. The club is part of Rotary District 7610, which covers the northern and eastern
regions of Virginia. The club’s banner design is from the small colonial Falls Church, which
obtained its name from the nearby Little Falls of the Potomac River. Falls Church Rotary is a
small club “with big impact!” The members are from all corners of the world, and its members
are also diverse in ages, gender identities, sexual identities, and work professions. Falls Church
Rotary holds several community engagement events throughout the year for volunteers, as well
as exploring new funding streams by way of new fundraisers. The club truly lives up to the
“small club, big impact” description! While the club has been working to catch up since the world
has opened back up, you can connect with the club via their website at FallsChurchRotary.org.
About NOVA RPCV: After a very successful turnout for a Peace Corps 50th Anniversary event
held in Reston, VA, in April 2011, NOVA RPCV decided to organize into a NPCA Affiliated RPCV
group. The first organization meeting convened April 27, 2012. The vision of NOVA RPCV is to
build an international network of Peace Corps alumni to foster peace through better
understanding of other cultures and social and physical geography. We encourage mentoring of
potential and returning PCVs, working together on local service projects, and promoting the
Third Goal of the Peace Corps. We hold quarterly general meetings, where we share food,
conversation and listen to a guest speaker relevant to the international community. Our
dedicated general and board meetings are open to all. To find out more about NOVA RPCV, the
group directs visitors to “please continue to check out our mission, our board, and our official
documents and meeting reports. And, of course, feel free to contact us at any time.”