ECHO

We are shouting it from the rooftops again!

Thank you to Janelia Research Campus for their support two years in a row at our Sip and Swing Fundraiser. Janelia has been a long standing partner and supporter of ECHO and our participants.

Join us in thanking them today, and everyday for their continued support through sponsorship and job placements. Janelia you help make our community strong and stable!

Fall is in the air and ECHO Barkery is ready!

Head over to their website and check out their newest seasonal flavor - “Perfect Pumpkin”. This perfect blend of peanut butter and pumpkin flavors will have your pup falling all over these tasty treats.

While you are picking up a bag for yourself, don’t forget to send a donation bag over to our partners at Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) and Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation.

Thank you for your support!

www.echobarkery.org

Thank you to Town of Leesburg Economic Development for your visit and for spotlighting all of the good work Inclusive Solutions is doing!

Locally Leesburg - ECHO Inclusive Solutions Inclusive Solutions by ECHO is committed to creating a more inclusive workplace and community while providing valuable services to businesses. Services inclu...

Today, we're thrilled to extend our heartfelt appreciation to United Bank for their incredible commitment to our Blue Elegance participants! 🙌

United Bank, you've gone above and beyond to make a significant impact on our participants by providing valuable customer service training tools that can be used at our newly opened Blue Elegance Retail Shop. These skills will not only set our participants up for success with their sales goals, they are skills that will be carried beyond their work lives.

We believe in the power of collaboration and support, and United Bank has exemplified this in every way. Your investment in our program and participants reflects your genuine commitment to the growth and development of our community.

Let's give United Bank a round of applause and a massive "thank you" for their unwavering support!

Together, we are making a difference, one opportunity at a time. 💪💙

🎉 Shoutout to the Queen of Positivity, and our very own Sunshine - Tasha! 🌟

Tasha is a participant in both of our Inclusive Solutions and Barkery social enterprises. While Tasha always has a smile on her face - you can see her shining brightest when she is on one of our field trips delivering dog biscuits to our partners at Friends of Homeless Animals, working side by side with her friends in Inclusive Solutions, or partaking in one of our famous - and always fun - ECHO dance parties!

Keep shining, Tasha! 🌟 You inspire us all to be better, kinder, and more joyful every day. Here's to many more smiles, laughter, and positivity to come!

Please join us in thanking Curtis and Julie Dent for their generous sponsorship and support of ECHO’s Second Annual Sip and Swing.

All of our funds raised through this event go directly to support ECHO’s mission and participants. We could not continue to serve our community without the support of amazing people like the Dents. Thank you!

🐾🏡 A Paw-sitive Field Trip: ECHO Barkery Visits Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) ! 🏡🐾

We're thrilled to share our latest adventure with you all. Last weekend, the ECHO Barkery team embarked on an unforgettable field trip to Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA), and it was paws-itively heartwarming! 🐕💕

FOHA's incredible facility is a safe haven for dogs and cats in need. We were deeply moved by the dedication of their staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to provide love, care, and shelter to animals awaiting their forever homes.

And of course, we couldn't visit empty-handed! The highlight of our day was presenting FOHA with a generous donation of our handmade ECHO Barkery dog biscuits. 🍪

We're so grateful for the opportunity to give back to our community and support such an important cause and we are so grateful for this partnership. Thank you to Loudoun County Economic Development and Marcus Lemonis for making these donations possible.

👏 Join us in showing some love to Friends of Homeless Animals, who are doing incredible work in giving these fur babies a second chance at a happy life. Consider adopting, volunteering, or donating to support their mission. Together, we can make a difference! 💖🐾

ECHO sends a huge THANK YOU out to TTM Technologies, Inc. for their generous support of our second annual Sip and Swing at Top Golf Loudoun.

TTM Technologies is a leading global RF and specialty components, advanced technology, and PCB fabrication solutions supplier.

To learn more about TTM and how they serve the community, please visit their website at https://www.ttm.com/en and join us again in thanking them for their continued support of ECHO and our mission!

1 Million Cups Loudoun (1MC) is a national, licensed entrepreneur support program that provides community connections and a peer-to-peer forum in which people can help get their business problems solved.

ECHO is so grateful for the opportunity to present this Wednesday, September 13th at Venture X Loudoun - Ashburn at 9:00.

We would love for you to attend and learn more about our programs and how you can support.

We hope to see you!

Inclusive Solutions is a social enterprise of ECHO that was founded on the idea of partnering with local businesses to provide outsourced business solutions.

Our participants excel at a multitude of different tasks that allows our partners to optimize their own production and manufacturing processes.

Why should your business consider partnering with Inclusive Solutions?
- Our participants love doing many of the essential tasks that are often critical to an organization’s manufacturing process. Great pride is placed in performing these job duties.
- Partnering with Inclusive Solutions strengthens your company’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity.
- Hiring Inclusive Solutions helps each participant in the program to earn their own paycheck and to experience the dignity and sense of pride that goes along with a successful employment program.

Reach out to us today to learn how Inclusive Solutions can become an integral part of your business. [email protected]

🌟PARTICIPANT SPOTLIGHT 🌟

Meet Debbie!

Debbie is a part of ECHO’s Employment program and works in Inclusive Solutions.

Debbie loves coming to ECHO everyday not only to work, but to see her friends, especially Mayra! Debbie also loves the variety of jobs Inclusive Solutions provides from building boxes to putting the stickers and dots on boards.

We love seeing Debbie’s smile everyday and she brightens up every room she is in.

ECHO wants to thank United Bank for their generous bay sponsorship of our Second Annual Sip & Swing on October 18th at Top Golf Loudoun.

United Bank has two locations in Leesburg on 531-A E Market St and 20 Catoctin Cir SE.

To learn more about United Bank and their services they offer the community, please visit their website → https://www.bankwithunited.com

And please join us in saying another big THANK YOU to them!

It takes a village - and we are so grateful for ours.

We are extending a HUGE THANK YOU to Mike Carducci of KOVAR for their generous $8,840 grant that was used to upgrade the lighting system in our LIFE+ program.

It is people like Mike and organizations like KOVAR that allow us to keep serving our participants to the fullest extent in a safe and comfortable way.

📣 STAFF SHOUT OUT! 📣

Meet Chrystal!

Chrystal is one of our rock star employees who works side by side with our participants in our Employment program - more specifically our Inclusive Solutions social enterprise.

Chrystal’s love and commitment to all things ECHO can be seen everyday from the way she interacts and supports all participants and by the laughs that they share together. Ask any of our participants why they love coming to work at ECHO and Ms. Chrystal’s name is almost always a part of their “why”.

Thank you Chrystal for all you do - not only for ECHO but for our participants. It is easy to see why they are so happy when they are with you!

🌟 Enhancing Lives, One Participant at a Time! 🌟

At ECHO, our mission goes beyond providing lifelong support for adults with disabilities. We're all about creating a lasting social impact on the lives of our participants!

Every day, we witness incredible transformations within our participants. From newfound skills and increased confidence to a stronger sense of purpose, ECHO is a place where lives are positively changed.

We provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. We foster a sense of belonging and support. We empower individuals to realize their full potential.

Through all of our programs, participants are gaining valuable experiences and making meaningful connections which can be seen through all of the smiles. 🤗

ECHO wants to thankBackflow Technology LLC for their generous bay sponsorship of our Second Annual Sip & Swing on October 18th at Top Golf Loudoun One.

Backflow Technology is a full-service backflow company based in Ashburn, Virginia serving the DMV area for over 26 years, solely specializing in testing, repairing, installation, and consulting of backflow prevention assemblies for commercial, residential, industrial, medical, government and state facilities. The company employs full-time state licensed backflow prevention professionals who are also licensed as master plumbers and journeyman plumbers, with extensive knowledge and significant field testing and repair experience on all sizes and models of backflow assemblies and are current in all regulations and specifications when they are modified or changed. Backflow has over 60 years of combined experience solely in backflow prevention and cross connection control.

To learn more about Backflow Technology please visit their website at https://www.backflowtechnology.com

And please join us in saying another big THANK YOU to them!

🌟 Participant Spotlight: Meet Sara! 🌟

Today, we're shining a well-deserved spotlight on one of our incredible participants, Sara! 🌼

Sara is a participant in our Employment program and she brings a heart full of kindness in with her everyday. When asked why she loves ECHO and her job at Inclusive Solutions, an ECHO social enterprise, she said

“It is warm here. The atmosphere makes me happy. There are people here who want to be my friend."

We certainly agree, Sara, and we are so glad you are here!

Get Ready to Swing into Fun! 🏌️‍♂️
Mark your calendars because ECHO's Second Annual Sip and Swing networking fundraiser is back, and it's going to be bigger and better than ever!
🗓️ Save the Date: October 18th
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Where: Top Golf Loudoun
Join us for an unforgettable evening of networking, golfing, and all-around good times. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or a complete novice, Top Golf Loudoun offers a fantastic experience for everyone. 🏌️‍♀️⛳
Here's what you can look forward to:
🍷 Sip: Enjoy a selection of beer and wine while having a great meal.
🏌️‍♂️ Swing: Show off your golfing skills or learn something new.
🤝 Network: Connect with like-minded professionals and community leaders while learning more about ECHO.
🎁 Win: Amazing prizes and surprises await
But that's not all! By attending, you're not just having a blast; you're also supporting ECHO's mission to create positive social change and enhance the lives of our participants.
So, grab your colleagues, friends, and business cards, and let's make this an evening to remember! Together, we can make a difference while having a great time. Grab your ticket or secure your sponsorship here → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/685230160857?aff=oddtdtcreator
Don't miss out on the most fun networking event of the year!

At the end of August, we were thrilled to host Loudoun County Department of Economic Development for a tour of ECHO!

At ECHO, our mission has always been to make a positive impact on the lives of our participants through our social enterprises while providing them the dignity of earning a paycheck. With the incredible support and guidance from Loudoun County's Department of Economic Development, we are even more motivated and confident about growing and expanding our initiatives right here in Loudoun County!

Their visit was not just a chance to showcase our work, but also an opportunity to build a partnership that will help us reach new heights. Together, we're committed to making a difference, empowering our participants, and creating a brighter future for all.

Stay tuned for some exciting developments as we embark on this journey of growth and social impact. 🌱 Thank you, Loudoun County's Department of Economic Development, for believing in our vision! 🤝

Meet Christine!

Christine is one of our Individual Supported Employment (ISE) clients who happens to work with our Blue Elegance team!

Christine loves to design pieces that are showcased in the new Blue Elegance retail shop.

We hope to see you at this year’s Sip & Swing.

Last year our guest said it was one of their favorite events of the whole year. Between Topgolf, good food, and a night spend networking and fundraising to support ECHO’s missions, we can't blame them!

Reserve your space or secure your sponsorship here → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/685230160857?aff=oddtdtcreator

🌟 Dear Greater Loudoun Community, 🌟

We are truly overwhelmed with gratitude for your incredible support and warm presence at our Blue Elegance Ribbon Cutting event. It was an evening of celebration, unity, and shared dreams that couldn't have been more special, thanks to all of you!

✨ Your presence at this milestone event meant the world to us. Your smiles, your words of encouragement, and your enthusiasm lit up the room and filled our hearts with joy. We felt your energy and positivity, and it was infectious!

💙 "Blue Elegance" represents not just a business but a dream, a vision, and a labor of love. Your presence made our dream even more vivid and real. We couldn't have asked for a better community to launch this venture in, and we are committed to serving and contributing to this wonderful community in every possible way.

Special thank-you’s to Delegate David Reid, Kelly Burk, Leesburg, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development, Town of Leesburg Economic Development,Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, Visit Loudoun, and The Social Collectives for all your support of our event.

📣 PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT 📣

LIFE (LEARNING. INDEPENDENCE. FRIENDSHIP. EMPOWERMENT.)

The ECHO LIFE Day Support Program offers skills training to individuals who are not currently pursuing or interested in employment as the main focus of their day. Through a combination of structured group and individual activities, participants enhance skills in daily living, safety, communication, decision-making, self-advocacy, and other areas. In-house skills training is reinforced through community trips for music therapy, libraries, volunteer opportunities, and various physical and recreational activities. Person-centered service plans are developed in conjunction with support teams to build on the interests and choices of each individual.

Inclusive Solutions by ECHO is proud to work with our partners for their business outsourcing needs.

Today our participants are working on two job assignments: box assembly for EIT LLC and kitting for REHAU Americas presentation boards.

To learn more about how your business can partner with Inclusive Solutions for your outsourced needs, visit our website → https://www.echoinclusivesolutions.org/contact-8

🏌️‍♂️ Calling all golf enthusiasts and community supporters! 🏌️‍♀️

🌟 Join us in making a difference at the "Opportunities Open" Golf Tournament! 🌟

27 Years of Creating Opportunities!

Come play a round of golf with us at Raspberry Falls Golf and Hunt Club on Monday, September 18th for the 27th Annual Opportunities Open golf tournament. Celebrate over a quarter century of helping those in need, hosted by the Rotary Club of Dulles International Airport!

Enjoy the chance to get out and support our community’s most vulnerable citizens while enjoying a great day on the links. All proceeds benefit individuals with disabilities through the Arc of Northern Virginia, ECHO, the Arc of Loudoun, and ServiceSource; at-risk children through the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 69’s Cops and Kids event; and student scholars through the Rotary Club of Dulles International Airport Scholarship Program.

You’ll enjoy the unique opportunity to play a beautiful course, a chance at winning many prizes, opportunities at our silent auction, and competitions on the course like the “golf ball cannon launcher”—while benefiting our community. We invite you to be a part of this far-reaching charitable initiative, while at the same time enjoying some of the best golfing available.

Let's come together as a community and drive positive change through the power of golf. 🌐⛳ Your participation can turn swings into opportunities, and put smiles on the faces of those who need them most.

Ready to make a swing for a brighter future? RSVP today and let's make the "Opportunities Open" tournament an unforgettable success! 🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♀️

For registration visit www.opportunitiesopen.org

See you on the fairway! 🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♀️🏆

🌟 Participant Spotlight 🌟

Meet Tim! 🤗 We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of the incredible participants of ECHO!

Tim always has a welcoming smile to everyone who walks into to ECHO or The Barkery - so much so, that he was named Employee of the Month! One of Tim’s favorite hobbies is taking photos and can be seen with his camera at every ECHO outing. Between that and his love for sports, conversations with Tim are always fun and will make you smile!

ECHO is proud to have Tim as one of our participants.

ECHO wants to thank Cortney Heykoop, Financial Advisor, Clover Leaf Wealth Strategies for their generous bay sponsorship of our Second Annual Sip & Swing on October 18th at Topgolf Loudoun.

Cortney Heykoop is the owner of Clover Leaf Wealth Strategies and also a Chartered Special Needs Consultant that focuses on financial planning for families in Loudoun County Virginia with a passion for the special needs community. This passion grew after adopting a special needs child 16 years ago. With the arrival of her daughter she experienced first hand, the isolation and lack of support parents can feel as they struggle with daily challenges and complex issues. The importance of a trusted advisor has never been more evident. Cortney works daily to be that trusted advisor and a resource for the families she works with in the community.

To learn more about Clover Leaf and their services they offer the community, please visit their website → https://cloverleafwealth.com

And please join us in saying another big THANK YOU to them!

Community is everything!

Our ECHO community is so grateful to all of the people that make up ours - from our participants, to our staff, and to our community partners.

Today’s thank you goes out to The Conche in Leesburg andThe Conche Chocolate & Cake Studio . They graciously made this beautiful cake to help us celebrate one of our ECHO employee’s growing family.

Please join us in thanking The Conche for their continued support of all of Loudoun County, of ECHO, and of Tommy Sibert and his family.

And while we are at it - join us in sending biggest congratulations and well wishes to the Sibert family on the upcoming arrival of your baby girl.

🙌 Community Collaboration 🙌

Mike Lo Presti is the founder and CEO of & Tire Saver Systems Company (FTS) based in Sterling. FTS uses a patented tire evaluation system to determine tire health of a fleet and also inflates the tires with nitrogen to optimize performance. This patented system has recently enabled FTS to win the Loudoun Innovation Challenge Clean Energy Award.

Mike and his team have been donating their services for ECHO’s 31 vehicles for over a year now and we are grateful. Our transportation department is the backbone of ECHO and Mike has helped us keep it going. His services have improved our gas mileage and have enabled our tires to last longer.

Thank you for supporting ECHO with your service Mike!

A day at ECHO -

To all our incredible ECHO staff members, thank you for your unwavering dedication and the love you pour into your work every day. You truly make a difference in the lives of our participants, and your impact extends far beyond the programs you lead.

Join us in celebrating and appreciating the incredible ECHO staff who enrich the lives of our participants and create a community where everyone can shine and thrive! 🌟🌟

ECHO is proud to announce that it has been awarded $25,000 as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) 2023 1st Cycle Direct Effect Quality of Life grants. The Quality of Life Grants Program supports nonprofit organizations that empower individuals living with paralysis.

The Direct Effect Quality of Life grants program funds organizations up to $25,000 to support a wide range of projects and activities that will impact individuals living with paralysis and their families. ECHO was awarded funding for our Transportation Program, specifically the transportation expenses associated with our LIFE+ Program.

ECHO would like to thank the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Quality of Life Grants Program for providing funding to our organization, which helps give greater independence to individuals living with paralysis. This grant will help to provide our community with essential services that will truly enhance the lives of the people that we support. Thank you!

ECHO’s Second Annual Sip and Swing is shaping up to be another wonderful night.

We hope that you can join us!

Register and reserve your space here → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/685230160857?aff=oddtdtcreator

Blue Elegance is an ECHO Social Enterprise that focuses on artisan, handmade goods. While they started making jewelry, they quickly evolved into making wax melts, candles, and now goat milk soaps!

Check out all the beautiful creations our participants create at:

https://blueelegance.org

🌟 Participant Spotlight 🌟

Meet John! 🤗 We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of the incredible participants of ECHO!

John is always one of the first to great you upon walking in to ECHO. His vibrant personality can't help but make you smile. When we asked John why he loves coming to ECHO he said, "I love my job and I am proud to be here with my friends. I like to be a leader”.

Thanks, John! We are proud to have you here too!

Our participants, staff, volunteers, and guests are still talking about how much fun ECHO’S BIG DAY OUT was!

One of the best parts of the day was the most epic dance party ever. Dance parties are a part of our participants fun and our culture here. We love to take some time, let loose, and just dance!

Why should your business partner with ECHO?
ECHO Provides Our Business Partners With:
A flexible, skilled and reliable workforce. Choose from a range of contract services to meet your company’s needs at a cost effective and fair market price.
On-site or off-site business support. Our experienced work teams include supervisors/trainers who can function as an extension of your own workforce and operate like a business within your business.
Lean, efficient production lines. Scale your workforce to your business needs.
Hiring and training. Free up HR staff by having us select, train and manage your contract workforce.
Quality control and inspection. ECHO monitors productivity, quality and deadlines to meet your needs.
Central location with an extensive, reliable transportation system. Our team arrives when you need them.

🐶🐾 Special Offer Alert 🐾🐶

ECHO supporters - we have an exclusive treat just for you! Visit www.echobarkery.org and sign up for our newsletter to receive a fantastic 20% OFF on your next purchase!

By signing up for our newsletter, you'll be the first to know about our latest limited edition releases, where we are in the community, and see our participants doing what they love.

Hear what David Faliskie - President & Chief Executive Officer, EIT LLC has to say about partnering with Inclusive Solution’s -

“Over the years we have developed a partnership with ECHO’s Inclusive Solutions and we are extremely pleased with the results. In our industry business can be unpredictable, but with each change, Inclusive Solutions has met our needs, and performed outstanding work day in and day out. Great employees and a great support staff make this a successful partnership.”

Thank you David! Inclusive Solutions is proud to be your partner and for your support.

ECHO wants to thank First Citizens Bank for their generous bay sponsorship of our Second Annual Sip & Swing on October 18th at Topgolf Loudoun.

First Citizens Bank is located on 40 Catoctin Circle NE in Leesburg.

To learn more about First Citizens and their services they offer the community, please visit their website → https://locations.firstcitizens.com/va/leesburg/40-catoctin-circle-ne

And please join us in saying another big THANK YOU to them!

Kinta Carter is ECHO’s Director of Transportation. He oversees the overall safety of our participants who utilize our transportation services as well as the maintenance of our fleet.

Did you know ECHO now has 31 vans and small buses, many of which are wheelchair accessible, that in total average 34,000 miles per month while transporting approximately 160 program participants to and from their homes and worksites?

Thank you to Kinta and the rest of our transportation team that makes all of this possible!