CRi

10/19/2026

🎉 On the 17th, we celebrated 51 years of CRi and such a big number reminds us of how far we’ve come. What began as an organization serving individuals in Arlington has grown into a community reaching more people and making a difference in more lives.

Throughout our journey, many people have contributed their time, talents, generosity, and passion to help us grow our mission. Whether through financial contributions, volunteering, or working alongside us, every person has played a part in making CRi what it is today.

A big thank you to everyone who has been part of our story over the past 51 years. Your support makes our work possible, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.

🥂 Here’s to 51 years of impact and to the many more ahead!

10/16/2026

Come out to the Venture into Volunteering event in Springfield. We will be there on Sunday excited to see all the future volunteers 😃💚

10/07/2026

With World Mental Health Day coming up on the 10th, we wanted to highlight an awesome event hosted by Metro Ridge, one of our mental health homes. 🌻

Last Thursday, our individuals came together for a picnic filled with good food, fresh air, fun games, and great company. We’re grateful for the team members who help create these meaningful moments and for everyone who made the day so special!

09/25/2026

A big round of applause for the employees at Freddie Mac 👏

They beautified our home in Annandale and got it from This to That in just a few hours. They have always been a fun company to work with and love making our homes look picture perfect. We appreciate all the help and see you guys in the spring!

09/23/2026

ArtWorks is back! 🎨

After several years, CRi is bringing back our Arts and Crafts program. Thanks to the Civitan Club of Arlington and the FCIDD, our individuals came to our day program space to enjoy and express their creativity through fun crafts again. This past weekend, 22 amazing friends came out to create bird feeder ornaments to hang outside our community homes and make cool portraits using paint and bubble wrap.

We loved seeing everyone with their works of art and being able to create amazing projects together! Next session should be just as fun with different activities for our individuals. Stay tuned for some more awesome crafts!

09/17/2026

🎉CRi had plenty to celebrate at the 2026 DSPY Awards!

Congratulations to Esther Ngegba of Queen Elizabeth, this year’s Team Player Award winner! When Esther’s name was announced, her CRi colleagues filled the room with cheers. We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate this well-deserved recognition with her.

We’re also celebrating Mohamed A. Kamara, who was selected as one of the top nominees for the Above & Beyond Award!

Please join us in recognizing all 12 of CRi’s nominees:

🌟 Suah Harris
🌟 Mariama Cole
🌟 Alexander Abe
🌟 Esther Ngegba
🌟 Desmond Ntah
🌟 Santigie Karbo
🌟 Mohamed A. Kamara
🌟 Vanessa Williams
🌟 Abdul Jalloh
🌟 Donna Hodge-Daniels
🌟 Kalipha Tejan-Kella
🌟 David Mendeglia

To each of our nominees, thank you for the care and commitment you bring to the people we support. You make a difference every day, and we’re so glad to see your work recognized!

09/10/2026

Tonight’s the night! 🎉

We’re excited to cheer on 12 incredible CRi team members who have been nominated for a 2026 DSPY Award!

⭐ Suah Harris
⭐ Mariama Cole
⭐ Alexander Abe
⭐ Esther Ngegba
⭐ Desmond Ntah
⭐ Santigie Karbo
⭐ Mohamed Adin Kamara
⭐ Vanessa Williams
⭐ Abdul Jalloh
⭐ Donna Hodge-Daniels
⭐ Kalipha Tejan-Kella
⭐ David Mendeglia

The DSPY Awards recognize the commitment and meaningful impact of Direct Support Professionals and managers throughout Northern Virginia.

Our nominees will be celebrated tonight at the Stacy Sherwood Community Center, and we could not be prouder to see them receive this well-deserved recognition.

Help us cheer them on by leaving a 👏 or 💚 in the comments!

Congratulations to all our amazing CRi nominees! We’ll be cheering loudly for each of you tonight! 💚🎊

09/08/2026

Ask Justin is back with the second installment of CRi’s Q&A series featuring President and CEO Justin Zakia.

In this video, Justin discusses some of the challenges CRi faces today and how our organization continues working to meet the evolving needs of the individuals and communities we serve.

Stay tuned for more conversations in the future! 💚

08/31/2026

We're pleased to share this interview featuring Dennis Findley, FAIA, a friend of CRi, discussing the importance of the SSDI Income Disregard and increasing awareness within the disability community. Great job, Dennis!

The ARC of Northern Virginia came to my home yesterday to film the story of my eight-year effort to change Virginia law so people with disabilities receiving SSDI can work without jeopardizing the Medicaid Waiver services they depend on. (8 years, 6 bills, 3 governors, 2 state studies, 1 dedicated c...

08/12/2026

Brushes, rollers, paint, and a whole lot of volunteers were brought to one of our homes to give it a fresh look. 🎨🖌️

Steampunk was nominated as our Volunteer of the Year, and they continue to amaze us with the work they do for our community. We greatly appreciate the donation we received from them to start off the month of August, because not only did they donate their time, but they also provided the funds to support future renovation projects for our community.

Thank you, Steampunk!