January 16, 2015 (Reston, Virginia) – With temperatures dropping to the low teens this winter, the Hunter Mill Coat Closet has too many empty hangers. The Winter Coat Closet, sponsored by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Cornerstones, distributed approximately 5,000 donated warm coats last winter season to children and families in need. Ranked as the third wealthiest county in the United States, it’s surprising to learn that there are 1,700 children, women and men that face homelessness in Fairfax.[1] Add that to the 64,600 living in poverty in Fairfax County,[2] and the number of coats donated doesn’t seem to be nearly enough.

Recognizing Forward-Thinking Employers for Outstanding Employee Development Programs RESTON, VA, December 14, 2014 – Helios HR today announced the welcoming of nominations for the 2015 Helios Apollo Awards™, which recognizes Greater Washington employers who focus on the growth and development of their people. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, February 13, 2015.

Studies show that a healthy work environment help lead to both the overall health and well-being of individuals and higher engagement of your employees in the workplace. A respectful workplace can be defined by a number of qualities within your organization; example qualities include:

The mission of Homestretch is to empower homeless families with children in Virginia to attain permanent housing and self-sufficiency by giving them the skills, knowledge, and hope they need to become productive participants in the community.   Homestretch families are enrolled in a two year program and provided transitional housing and access to education, financial, and life skills services to help them become self-sufficient.

"Use Your Feet to Lend a Hand" is the theme of the 2014 Help the Homeless Community Walk, hosted by Pathway Homes, a 2014 Apollo finalist. Pathways has hosted this fall event for 14 years, raising nearly $400,000 in that time to directly fund the critical housing needs of people with mental illness.  Bring your friends and family and in just one morning, you can make a real impact on the lives of men and women who are homeless in the region. 100% of registration fees and donations in support of our walkers go directly to support residents of Pathway’s homes and consumers of Pathway’s supportive service!

As a government contractor, there are what seem like endless and ever changing requirements that you must comply with.  The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) serves as a guidebook to government contractors and outlines the rules, regulations, and processes that must be followed by government contractors throughout the acquisition planning, contract formation, and contract administration processes when the government is purchasing (acquiring) goods and services. The FAR is easy to overlook as an HR professional as many of the regulations pertain to the contracts and finance departments within your organization; however, one aspect of the FAR that pertains to the Human Resource department of government contractors is the Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct[1].