Port City Mothers and Daughters Kick Off a New Year of Service With Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Girls in grades seven through 12 and their mothers gathered Sunday, Sept. 20, at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School Upper Campus to launch another year of community service with the National Charity League, Inc., Port City Chapter.

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins joined the annual kickoff as guest speaker and brought her young daughter, Eliana. Together, they reinforced a theme at the heart of the organization: mothers and daughters serving their community side by side.

Gaskins: “You Are Never Too Young”

Gaskins spoke about Alexandria’s needs and urged young people to recognize that they can make a difference now. In particular, she highlighted several challenges facing local families.

“We are a city where there is opportunity, but we are also a city where there is great need for affordable housing, food, child care,” Gaskins told the gathering.

With these needs in mind, community partners attended the kickoff to share their missions and volunteer opportunities. In addition, Gaskins encouraged the girls to listen, ask questions, and find causes that matter to them.

Ten community partner organizations attended the kickoff. The event gave the girls and their mothers an opportunity to learn about volunteer needs across Alexandria. Among those represented were ALIVE!, Meals on Wheels/Senior Services of Alexandria, the Miracle League of Alexandria, the Breast Cancer Collective, and InspireLit. Together, the organizations reflected the chapter’s broad service focus, from addressing hunger and supporting older adults to helping children, families and residents in need.

“As you meet with your partners tonight and learn how you can help, know you are never too young to get started,” Gaskins added.

Gaskins also pointed to her own family. She and Eliana volunteer with Meals on Wheels, giving them an opportunity to serve together.

Port City members have already put that spirit into action. During the past year, chapter mothers and daughters contributed a combined 2,650 hours of volunteer service.

Finding a Passion for Service

For Port City Chapter President Cori Woods, volunteering has long played an important role in her life. Her daughters, Zoe and Camille, participate in NCL with her.

“I feel that volunteering and being involved in the community in which we live is just a very important thing,” Woods said. “It’s something that I have tried to do since I was in college.”

After moving to Northern Virginia, Woods looked for local organizations where she could volunteer regularly and work directly with people. NCL gave her another benefit: she could serve alongside her daughters.

“This is a great opportunity for me to work with my girls,” she said.

Port City partners with more than 20 community organizations. As a result, girls can explore different causes and discover where they most want to contribute their time.

“It’s an opportunity to introduce them to a bunch of different organizations, so they can figure out what they’re passionate about and where they might want to volunteer their time,” Woods said.

Building Friendships Across Schools

Chapter Vice President Christine Friedberg sees another benefit. NCL connects mothers and daughters from schools and neighborhoods throughout the area.

Friedberg initially encouraged her daughter, Madison, to join.

“I think I was the initial driver to say, ‘Hey, we should go do this,’ but she really loves it,” Friedberg said.

Madison, a sophomore at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes, was out of town for Sunday’s kickoff. However, Friedberg stressed that the chapter reaches far beyond one school.

“Most of the girls are in the Alexandria area,” she said, adding that members also come from Arlington and Washington, D.C. “It’s all schools.”

That mix gives girls a chance to build friendships outside their usual school circles while working toward a common goal.

Six Years of Mothers and Daughters Serving Together

The six-year NCL program begins in seventh grade and continues through 12th grade. The organization calls mothers Patronesses and daughters Ticktockers.

Community service remains central to the experience. However, the program also focuses on leadership development and cultural experiences. As the girls move through each grade, they take on greater responsibilities.

Each year, the chapter celebrates that journey with a mother-daughter tea. During the event, graduating seniors receive a special send-off. Mothers write letters to their daughters, while daughters write letters to their mothers.

Meanwhile, families interested in joining can visit the National Charity League website, search by ZIP code, and locate the Port City Chapter.

2,650 Hours — and Counting

Gaskins closed her remarks by returning to the message that shaped the evening: communities become stronger when residents step forward to serve.

“Thank you,” she told the volunteers. “We are a city that thrives. We show up, and we serve.”

For the mothers and daughters of the Port City Chapter, those words already have a measurable meaning.

Their 2,650 hours of service show what can happen when two generations volunteer together.