April 15, 2003 -- Sharon Ferraro has joined the Northern Virginia Family Services CARE Awards Advisory Council.

The CARE initiative began in 1992 in response to a growing number of counseling clients who cited workplace stress as a major factor in their family difficulties. In an effort to curb this alarming trend, Northern Virginia Family Service enlisted the support of the business community. The result was the CARE Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee developed the CARE Awards as a mechanism for effecting change where problems often start -in the workplace. Each year the CARE Awards are given to businesses in Northern Virginia that provide exceptionally family-friendly workplace policies and benefits for their employees. The CARE nomination process will culminate with the presentation of awards at the annual CARE Awards breakfast on Thursday, November 20, 2003, at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner. NVFS has helped families since 1924. Serving more than 25,000 children and adults annually, Northern Virginia Family Service provides innovative programs that produce enduring results. As a private, non-profit community resource, Northern Virginia Family Service works to ensure that those in need have access to the resources necessary to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency. The NVFS website is: www.nvfs.org.