For families who struggle monthly to make rental payments or buy groceries, purchasing back-to-school supplies can be quite a stretch. So Kids R First steps in. Participating Fairfax and Loudoun County schools submit custom orders; supplies are purchased wholesale from corporate partners; volunteers unload trucks and sort bulk orders to fill backpacks and school kits for 32,000 kids at 110 schools – all by the first bell. Each child receives a dozen grade-appropriate items required by their school, eliminating waste and reassuring students that they are ready for class. Education can be the road out of poverty, and Kids R First is determined to ensure that all students can participate fully in their educational experiences. Thanks to leadership and support from dedicated volunteers, faith-based groups, and community and corporate partners, 98% of all donations go to support kids in need.

Headquarters: VA-Fairfax County

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; MD-Prince George's County; VA-Fairfax County; VA-Loudoun County; VA-Prince William County; VA-City of Alexandria; VA-City of Fairfax; VA-City of Falls Church; The communities of:; Alexandria, VA; Annandale, VA; Ashburn, VA; Centerville, VA; Chantilly, VA; Falls Church, VA; Fort Belvoir, VA; Herndon. VA; Leesburg, VA; Manassas, VA; Reston, VA; South Riding, VA; Springfield, VA; Sterling, VA; Woodbridge, VA; Laurel, MD

Population(s) Served: Students

Schools They Work In: Fairfax County, VA; Alexandria, VA; Hybla Valley Elementary; Mount Vernon Woods Elementary; Riverside Elementary; Weyanoke Elementary; Woodley Hills Elementary; Annandale, VA; Graham Road Elementary; Timber Lane Elementary; Westgate Elementary; Westlawn Elementary; Centreville, VA; Bull Run Elementary; Centre Ridge Elementary; Centreville Elementary; Colin Powell Elementary; Deer Park Elementary; Liberty Middle; London Towne Elementary; Mountain View ALC; Mountain View High; Stone Middle; Virginia Run Elementary; Chantilly, VA; Chantilly High; Franklin Middle; Greenbriar East Elementary; Lee's Corner Elementary; Rocky Run Middle; Westfield High; Greenbriar West Elementary; Falls Church, VA; Falls Church High (Second Story) ; Graham Road Elementary; Timber Lane Elementary; Westgate Elementary; Westlawn Elementary; Falls Church High; Fort Belvoir, VA; Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary; Fort Belvoir Upper Elementary; Herndon, VA; Clearview Elementary; Dranesville Elementary; Hutchison Elementary; McNair Primary Elementary; McNair Upper Elementary; Reston, VA; Hunters Woods Elementary; Langston Hughes Middle; Sunrise Valley Elementary; Terraset Elementary; Springfield, VA; Lynbrook Elementary; Loudoun County; Ashburn, VA; Blue Ridge Middle; Briar Woods High; Dominion Trail Elementary; Stone Bridge High; Leesburg, VA; Frederick Douglass Elementary; Heritage High; Leesburg Elementary; Simpson Middle; South Riding, VA; Hutchison Farm Elementary; Sterling, VA; Countryside Elementary; Dominion High; Forest Grove Elementary; Guilford Elementary; Meadowland Elementary; Park View High; Rolling Ridge Elementary; Seneca Ridge Middle; Sterling Elementary; Sterling Middle; Sully Elementary; Prince George's County, MD; Laurel Elementary; Dwight David Eisenhower Middle; Laurel High


  • Number of children we prepare for success in school annually:   25,100
  • Number of books (textbooks, school supplies) distributed/donated annually:   212,000
  • Total number of underprivileged children assisted through Kids R First since 1998:   432,000
  • Total number of school supplies Kids R First has provided to underprivileged children since 1998:   3,894,500
  • Number of public schools in VA, DC, and MD participating in the Kids R First school supply program:   94

Awards & Recognition

2017-2018: Best Non-Profits by the Greater Washington Catalogue for Philanthropy

2016: Outstanding Community Partner by Fairfax County Public Schools

2013-2014: Best Non-Profits by the Greater Washington Catalogue for Philanthropy

2012: "Most Influential Women of Virginia" by Virginia Lawyers Media

2011: Citizen of the Year by Fairfax County, Times Community Newspaper

2011 Summer: Reston Association Publication, p. 26-28

2008: "Visionaries In Our Midst" by Allison Silberberg features chapter on Kids R First (book).

2005: Best of Reston Award

2005: Martin Luther King Jr Award, Community of Reston


Press

  • No stories found

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • The current budget for Kids R First is: Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

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