I still remember my first encounter with a homeless person. I was 6 or 7 years old, and my family had tickets to The Nutcracker at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. As we walked from the parking garage to the theater, we passed a man sitting on the sidewalk, wearing filthy clothes and asking for money. I remember questioning my parents about his situation and being floored to learn this man didn’t have a home and that he probably slept outside. At that age, I just assumed everyone had a safe, secure home with their own bed. The thought of this man sleeping in the street, under a bridge or in an alley upset me. He must have been cold, wet, hungry, dirty and exhausted all of the time. Where was his family? Couldn’t someone help him? It was sad and distressing. The encounter was burned into my young brain.
Even in shiny, affluent Arlington, which is worlds away from the gritty Philly of the 1970s, we have our share of people living on the streets. “Homeless in Arlington” by Tamar Abrams explores what it’s like to experience homelessness in our community—including some of the causes, the number of people affected and our county’s robust safety net. Due to the dedicated work of local organizations like PathForward (formerly A-SPAN), Bridges to Independence, Doorways and Arlington Thrive, and with critical support from the government and private donations, the homeless among us have a clear path to housing and a more stable future.
As the holidays and the end of the year approach, I hope you will review our Guide to Giving. In it, we identify more than 35 local nonprofits, the work they do and how financial support will specifically help those in need—covering necessities ranging from groceries and emergency dental visits to financial and career counseling. Thanks to the Arlington Community Foundation for its help in assembling this useful resource.
Shifting gears, we are pleased to introduce “Best Places to Work,” a new annual feature we’ve launched in partnership with Best Companies Group (BCG). The inaugural list highlights 11 winners from a variety of industries. BCG’s survey process and requirements are rigorous, and making the list is difficult and prestigious. Congratulations to our first class of top employers.
I hope you find our November/December 2021 issue interesting, informative and useful. At the risk of completely burying the lede, I am proud to note that we launched Arlington Magazine 10 years ago. Our inaugural issue was the November/December 2011 issue. I am grateful to our talented, dedicated team and the wonderful support and enthusiasm from our community. It’s been a fun, wild ride for sure. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please send them to me at greg.hamilton@arlingtonmagazine.com. Story ideas should be sent to jenny.sullivan@arlingtonmagazine.com. Thanks!
Greg Hamilton, Publisher