Two well-known Northern Virginia nonprofits announce merger

Two well-established Northern Virginia community-service providers have merged.

Northern Virginia Family Service, which offers a variety of help to those in need, last week announced its merger with Alexandria-based Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia.

The entities will be combined under the Northern Virginia Family Service, or NVFS, name and will broaden services to better aid children in the region, a spokeswoman for NVFS said.

Essentially, Stop Child Abuse Now, or SCAN, will add child welfare services to NVFS, which has its headquarters in Falls Church. Particularly of note are SCAN’s Court-Appointed Special Advocate services, which provide a way for the wishes of abused and neglected children to be made known to judges in court cases.

“SCAN has an enduring reputation for its dedicated, compassionate service, and we are proud to join forces to deepen the impact of services for families in our region,” Stephanie Berkowitz, NVFS president and CEO, said in announcing the merger. “With the addition of SCAN’s child abuse prevention services, NVFS expands upon its experience providing comprehensive support for children and youth. We are honored to support the dedicated CASA volunteers who advocate for children in Arlington and Alexandria every day, and build on SCAN’s legacy and critical work.”

The merger was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both organizations and was effective as of Jan. 1. All eight SCAN employees have joined the NVFS team, which totals more than 325.

Merger talks began some months ago, the spokeswoman said. The idea is that the organizations can be stronger together and help families and nurture family wellness holistically.

NVFS supports individuals and families with services focused on food insecurity, health equity, education for parents and children, trauma recovery, workforce development and more.

By tapping into inherent resilience and focusing on the root causes of problems, NVFS aims to help individuals and families transform themselves and their communities for generations to come, the merger announcement said.

SCAN’s family programs offer services that address the specific challenges faced by at-risk families, while its professional development and public education services further work to stop child abuse in Northern Virginia.

“For more than 35 years, SCAN has dedicated itself to making Northern Virginia a safer place for children,” SCAN founder David J. Cleary said in the merger announcement. “As a survivor-led organization, SCAN places each child’s well-being at the center of its work and believes in the fundamental human rights of all children to be safe, respected and supported. NVFS has been a valued partner in our community, and I am excited to see SCAN’s mission continue and grow through this merger.”

NVFS has been around for more than 100 years and helps more than 40,000 individuals annually. SCAN, established in 1988, was Northern Virginia’s only nonprofit exclusively focused on preventing child abuse.

“Supporting families is core to the missions of both NVFS and SCAN,” Kevin W. Weigand, president of SCAN’s board of directors, said in the announcement. “With NVFS’ extensive history and infrastructure in Northern Virginia, this merger allows SCAN’s advocacy efforts to reach more children and families than ever before. The combined entity has an extraordinary opportunity to enhance our impact.”