Drawing of children playing outdoors.In Fairfax County, 67,258 people live in poverty and 18,923 of those are children. Many of these people live on less than $25,100 a year in the second wealthiest county in the United States, and enriching FCPA educational classes are simply out of reach for them.

Contribute to fund need-based scholarships for individuals to register for Fairfax County Park Authority classes. HELPING YOUR neighbors in need is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Donate to Class Scholarships via Fairfax County Park Foundation.

2. DONATE when you do business with Fairfax County Park Authority:

  • Register for FCPA Classes, Programs, Camps and Events
  • Reserve Picnic and Birthday Party Shelters, or Trips & Tours
  • Buy Rec Center Memberships or Aqua Passes

3. SMILE knowing you made a difference helping to provide class scholarships for neighbors who would otherwise do without!

Guitar class.Thanks in part to the generosity of donors, income-eligible senior adults, dependents of income-eligible families and adults with disabilities who reside in Fairfax County may receive up to one class scholarship per quarter. See the class registration page in Parktakes online for details.

Your gift is an investment in our community that will pay dividends forever.

Adapted Recreation Programs

Adaptive swimming.Did you know that more than 1,200 adults and children with physical and developmental disabilities receive hundreds of hours of important individualized activities at Fairfax County Rec Center each year?

These classes include learn-to-swim classes, aquatic exercise classes and training for Special Olympics and Paralympic Swim team competition which serve an average of 400 participates between the ages of 2 and 92 each season!

  • Aquatics
  • Pilates
  • Gymnastics
  • Ice & Roller Skating
  • Art Classes
  • Music and Movement
  • Fishing for Fun
  • Many Others

Adaptive ice skating.Each of these programs is led by an instructor and is individualized to meet the varying needs of participants with support from trained volunteers who get in the pool and work one-on-one with swimmers. The program provides a supportive and encouraging environment to teach individuals with disabilities basic swimming and water safety skills.

Your tax-deductible gift will help pay for scholarships and adaptive equipment like wheelchairs and water lifts for our students with disabilities.

Learning to swim is a life skill that is important for everyone to learn. But the Adapted Swimming Program also provides the opportunities to experience success and maintain an active leisure lifestyle. One parent remarked that, “By challenging [the swimmers] to work hard at something they enjoy, they will improve as swimmers and grow as people.”

Ruthanne G. Lodato Music Scholarship

This life-long resident of Alexandria brought the gift and joy of music to thousands of our area’s children for almost 40 years. She taught music at elementary schools, piano at her family home, and early childhood music and movement as the Center Director of Music Together Alexandria. Ruthanne didn’t just teach piano and music lessons to her students; she fostered creativity, confidence and personal growth and instilled a lasting love of music. Sharing this gift of music is her legacy, and her students both young and old are a living tribute to her spirit and generosity.

Unfortunately, Ruthanne’s life was tragically taken on February 6, 2014. Her family, in concert with the Fairfax County Park Foundation, set up a special scholarship in her honor to allow children without means to receive music classes through the Fairfax County Park system. Contributions are being accepted in her memory.

Arts class scholarships have been awarded to more than a dozen children to date thanks to memorial gifts honoring the life of Ruthanne Lodato. Piano lessons were selected by each of the awardees!

Springfield Art Guild

Art students.Springfield Art Guild. The Springfield Art Guild board members were inspired by the Ruthanne G. Lodato Music Scholarship. SAG’s generous contributions provide scholarships for income-eligible individuals to experience visual or fine arts classes. More than 55 fine arts classes are listed in Parktakes Magazine. The Park Authority and Foundation are committed to helping all Fairfax County residents improve their lives. Philanthropic support of donors such as SAG help us to reach more people each year.