our story

Jan 29, 2014

Casa Chirilagua began in 2007, when three young women moved into the heart of the Chirilagua (also known as Arlandria) neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia with the goal of listening to the stories and wisdom of their Latino neighbors. After two years of life in the neighborhood, Julia, Emily, and Dawnielle decided to respond to neighbors’ concerns about their kids’ academic progress by opening a reading club in their own apartment. This seedling form of Kids Club grew for two more years before the three ladies established Casa Chirilagua as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit. Now, Casa Chirilagua is a community of parent committee officers, staff members, board members, church partners, children and their families, and many weekly volunteers working together to see the Kingdom of God established in the neighborhood surrounding that little apartment.

 

From that small beginning in 2007, the community has achieved incredible success at a rapid growth rate. The yearly highlights include:

 

2007: Three young women relocate to a Presidential Greens apartment in the center of Chirilagua with the sole desire to relationally love their neighbors as themselves.

2008: Kids Club launches in a donated basement room on Bruce Street with 10 children

2009: Casa Chirilagua is formed under the umbrella of Truth & Grace Ventures; Mentoring program is established via Wright to Read

2010: Kids Club moves to space donated by Beverley Hills Community United Methodist Church with 25 children

2011: Casa Chirilagua launches as an official 501(c)(3) non-profit.

2012: Kids Club alumni form a new middle school program, Teens Club

2013: Casa Chirilagua celebrates five years of Kids Club with 40 students and fulfills 4 goals from its five year vision.

2014: Casa Chirilagua creates a community led and community informed 3 year strategic direction to develop community leaders.

2015: The Local Leaders pilot program successfully completes its first year of operation.

2016: The mentoring program becomes a certified Quality Based Mentoring program. Casa Chirilagua works toward opening a community center in the heart of the neighborhood.

We are a community of people “learning together to love our neighbors as ourselves” in a Latino neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia.

As a faith-based Christian non-profit with a small staff and over 100 volunteers, we serve alongside more than 100 families and their children (1st-12th grades) each week through our community programs.

Learn More

Get Involved

Our relational network of volunteers and donors reflects a diverse group of individuals from all over the Washington, D.C. metro area. As a non-profit, we rely on the community for assisting program directors on-site, being mentors, supplying the needs of our food pantry, and everything in between. Each member of our Casa community holds a unique gift, whether time, talent or treasure.