State of Our Community:
Trusted Messengers in Troubled Times
LOCATION: Holy Trinity, 3022 Woodlawn Ave, Falls Church VA
DATE: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
TIME: 7:00PM - 8:30PM EST
At a time when the news can feel overwhelming and the needs in our community seem to be changing by the day, it can be difficult to know what is really happening beyond the headlines.
Join Holy Trinity for State of Our Community: Trusted Messengers in Troubled Times, a candid and timely conversation with four nonprofit leaders who work on the front lines of some of our community’s most pressing challenges.
Our panelists will share what they are seeing across the DC metro area—from food insecurity and homelessness to the needs of immigrants, families, and vulnerable neighbors. They’ll talk about emerging trends, the challenges their organizations are facing, and how recent policy changes are affecting the people and communities they serve.
Join us for an honest conversation about where our community is today—and how we can help shape where it goes next.
Nonprofit Leaders
These are leaders who see the realities behind the statistics every day. They can help us understand not only what is happening, but also where there are opportunities for compassion, collaboration, advocacy, and action.
LSSNCA: Kristyn Peck, CEO
Since joining LSSNCA in 2020, she has led the organization through unprecedented expansion, increasing annual revenue nearly fivefold while growing the workforce from fewer than 70 employees to more than 250. She successfully steered the organization through a sudden 68% reduction in federal revenue in FY25 due to policy shifts, executing a comprehensive operational restructuring to protect core services and maintain fiscal health.
Throughout her career, Kristyn has been an advocate for refugees, immigrants, and vulnerable children. She has testified before Congress, represented organizations at international refugee protection forums, and participated in field missions across Central America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East to assess humanitarian needs and strengthen protection systems. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) Board of Directors.
Food For Others: Deb Haynes, Executive Director
Deb joined Food for Others in August of 2023 after 7 years of serving adults experiencing homelessness in Fairfax. She is passionate about making our community an equitable and healthy place for all, where no one goes hungry. She is a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is called by the church to serve our most vulnerable neighbors with dignity and respect.
The Lamb Center: Tara Ruszkowski, CEO
Tara Ruszkowski comes to the role of executive director following nine years of Lamb Center service as a kitchen and City Jobs volunteer, board member, and board chair. Prior to joining the Lamb Center staff, she operated a strategic communications and public affairs consulting practice specializing in stakeholder engagement, messaging, advocacy, and partnerships. Tara has built a successful record forging public-private collaborations to address systemic inequities through community-driven solutions. She and her husband, Andrew, attend Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church and are blessed with two wonderful sons.
Falls Church Community Service Council: Noël Durman
Noël Durman leads Falls Church Community Service Council (FCS), a coalition of faith communities and human service organizations that has provided emergency food and financial assistance to Falls Church neighbors for more than 50 years. FCS runs on community involvement — volunteers pack and deliver groceries to households across the area, faith community partners stock the pantry and hold food drives, and donors make emergency rent and utility assistance possible.
Under Noël’s leadership, FCS has met a sharp rise in local need while expanding partnerships with schools, faith communities, and county agencies. She also serves as Director of Hospice Giving at the Goodwin Living Foundation and has spent more than 20 years in the nonprofit sector, including work in consumer advocacy, international conflict resolution, and foundation fundraising
Culmore Clinic: Lynette Sappe-Watkins, Executive Director
The Culmore Clinic is a nonprofit healthcare clinic in Falls Church, Virginia that provides medical care at no cost to about 1,000 low-income adults in Fairfax County VA. In her role, Sappe-Watkins provides strategic and operational leadership, overseeing the clinic's operations, financial effectiveness, and strategic goals while monitoring community needs to best serve patients.
Under her leadership, Culmore Clinic has expanded its services and strengthened community partnerships, including investing in the next generation of healthcare providers by launching a precepting program for medical residents and PA students from George Washington University.
Sappe-Watkins has 25 years of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience to her position. Prior to joining Culmore Clinic, she served for eight years as Executive Director of the Physician Associate Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia. Her extensive nonprofit background includes leadership roles with the American Pharmacist Association Foundation, Home Safety Council and Safe Kids Worldwide, and the American Red Cross in Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.
Come listen. Come learn. Come ask questions.
There will be an opportunity for community members to pose their own questions and engage directly with our panelists. Whether you volunteer with a nonprofit, are concerned about your neighbors, want to better understand the challenges facing our region, or simply feel overwhelmed by the current moment, you are invited to be part of the conversation.
Example Questions:
What happens when the need grows faster than the resources available to meet it?
What has changed most dramatically in the past year—and what are people missing about those changes?
What do you know because of the work you do that the rest of us have the luxury of not knowing?
Beyond writing a check or volunteering, what does meaningful community action look like right now?
If we were sitting here one year from now, what would need to be different for you to say, “Our community is moving in the right direction”?
We may not be able to solve every challenge in one evening. But we can listen to the people doing the work, understand what our neighbors are facing, and discover meaningful ways to respond. No RSVP is required but RSVPing through these sources will enable you to receive reminders.