Refugees First Thanksgiving Dinner 2019

The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) hosts an annual Refugees First Thanksgiving Dinner for new arrivals to our country.

About three hundred people, including the refugee guests and many community volunteers, attended.

This year many of the new families were from Afghanistan, though there were attendees from number of other nations. Under pressure from the current national administration, the United States is now settling far fewer refugees than in past years.

Greetings were made by ECDC director Dr. Tsehaye Teffera, Anh Phan of US Senator Mark Warner's office and other community leaders, along with Arlington County Board members Katie Cristol and Matt DeFerranti. Entertainment was provided by a Caribbean steel drummer and the members of the Boyle School of Irish Dance.

Thanks to Yariana Rodriguez, Dr. Teferra, and all the dedicated staff at ECDC for their good work for our community.

Photography by Lloyd Wolf.

Dr. Tsehaye Teffera

Gilliam Place - opening

Gilliam Place, an affordable housing complex built by APAH (Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing) in cooperation with the Arlington Presbyterian Church, recently opened on Columbia Pike.

The project has 173 affordable housing units, and has worship and other space for the church. A training site for culinary students, sponsored by La Cocina VA, will also open there in the near future. Elected elected officials Christian Dorsey, Alfonso Lopez, Matt De Ferrante, Katie Cristol, and Barbara Favola attended, along with church elders and clergy, as well as David Bowers of Enterprise Community Partners Faith-based Development Initiative, and others involved with the planning of the project. The housing complex also features a number of curated artworks by local artists.

The new complex is on the site of the former church structure.