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. Here are some highlights through the years: