Join DSANV at Cameron’s Coffee & Chocolates for an informal meet-up with fellow parents of children with Down syndrome. Grab a cup, sit back, and chat! Children are welcome! No registration required.
DSANV is partnering with the St. Lucy Food Project Warehouse for our Career Development Program. All members ages 16+ are welcome!
Stop by Bluemont Park for a relaxed meet-up with fellow DSANV families. All ages welcome!
Independent Living Retreats & Camps
Dave’s Place
Dave’s Place is a transformative independent living retreat experience aimed at improving essential life skills and problem solving. This is an opportunity to learn about:
· Living away from home with other roommates.
· Develop friendships with peers.
· Create skills that will help in the workplace.
· Become a contributing member of the household in which they live.
· Work together as a team, social etiquette, conversation skills, personal boundaries, expressing and identifying emotions, nonverbal communication and stress management.
· Occupy free time, plan social events, enhance time management skills, explore interests, develop hobbies, etc.
· Kitchen management, household chores, safety and emergency training, simple household repairs, and decision-making.
Featuring good food/drinks, conversation, and fun. Come out for the evening and relax with friends- new and old! All dads and male caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome are welcome!
Stop by Fairmont Park for a relaxed meet-up with fellow DSANV families. All ages welcome! 4/21 is a day off for PWCS students.
Join DSANV at BKD Bagels (Fort Evans) for an informal meet-up with fellow parents of children with Down syndrome. Grab a cup, sit back, and chat! Children are welcome! No registration required.
Join us for an educational seminar designed for youths and their families to address the various types of bullying. This session provides a safe space for coaches and participants to share their stories while engaging in an easy-to-learn Martial Arts curriculum.
Toilet training is an incredibly complex and often frustrating process for families. Join us in this virtual information session, Dr. Lina Patel will review the medical, physical, behavioral, emotional, and environmental factors that impact children with Down syndrome more significantly. Participants will learn practical strategies to address these challenges and leave with the tools to create an individualized toilet training plan for their child
DSANV is partnering with the St. Lucy Food Project Warehouse for our Career Development Program. All members ages 16+ are welcome!
Let WDSD Weekend begin! Stop by the park next to South Run Recreation Center for a relaxed meet-up with fellow DSANV families. All ages welcome!
Featuring good food/drinks, conversation, and fun. Come out for the evening and relax with friends- new and old! All dads and male caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome are welcome!
Dine out with DSANV during WDSD Week! Bring your family and friends to The Casual Pint for a meal together — that benefits DSANV!
Dine out with DSANV during WDSD Week! Bring your family and friends to California Pizza Kitchen (Fairfax Corner) for a meal together — that benefits DSANV!
Join DSANV for an informative evening dedicated to navigating the complexities of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. This session features Elizabeth Tuomey and Kaitlynn Fraze, PhD, from the Tuomey Law Firm.
This is a unique opportunity to meet with a legal expert and a dedicated special education advocate to get answers to your specific questions. Whether you are new to the IEP process or looking for guidance on systems-level advocacy and evidence-based educational opportunities, this Q&A is designed to provide you with practical support for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Kick off your St. Patrick’s Day with DSANV’s first Lucky Mama Sip & Stroll! Join DSANV Regional Engagement Coordinators for a beverage at Jirani Coffeehouse followed by a 21-minute walk through Old Town Manassas.
Dine out with DSANV during WDSD Week! Bring your family and friends to Tropical Smoothie Cafe for a meal together — that benefits DSANV! Stop by the One Loudoun big screen afterwards to see our WDSD slideshow (featuring DSANV VIPs).
Inclusion in Action: Empowering our community to shape tomorrow
Join the Virginia Down Syndrome Association for our 2026 Disability Education & Transition Conference. We hope to engage educators, families, and professionals across Virginia with the knowledge, strategies, and connections needed to support individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in their educational journeys and beyond—fostering inclusive, lifelong pathways toward independence and belonging.
Our 12th Disability Education & Transition Conference will make a return visit to J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College - Parham Campus. This year we will be in the Massey Library Technology Center Building.
Join us for an informative session where we will:
Introduce Playtime PT programs, including Biking, Yoga, and Purposeful Play for infants and toddlers.
Discuss how movement is essential for all children—not only for physical development but also for building confidence, connection, learning, and joy.
Focus on the importance of accessible, meaningful movement opportunities specifically for children with Down syndrome.
Highlight how inclusive, play-based approaches can support strength, coordination, participation, and overall development.
Briefly touch on parent advocacy in the context of physical development and therapy.
Join DSANV at SimplyBe Coffee for an informal meet-up with fellow parents of children with Down syndrome. Grab a cup, sit back, and chat! Children are welcome! No registration required.
For years, we have partnered with Porto Charities to bring programming and opportunities for our VIPs. It is our pleasure to invite you to their 2026 conference. Inspired by the truth that all are formed in the image of God and called to share our unique gifts, Porto Charities and the Diocese of Arlington invite you to a day of fellowship and action.
Join parents, educators, catechists, clergy, and religious to explore concrete ways we can cultivate a beautiful life of belonging for individuals with disabilities within our schools and parishes.
Calling all DSANV Chefs! Join Anna Sudha Community Kitchens for this inclusive culinary experience. Practice your cooking skills while preparing a delicious meal of homemade pizza. This class is for teens/adults with Down syndrome (Ages 13+) and their caregiver(s).
Experience the magic of inclusion under the big top! Omnium Circus returns to Washington, DC with an all-new, star-studded production celebrating the power of community, diversity, and belonging.
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational sports program for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities. TOPSoccer provides people with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive.
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer has a free TOPS clinic on Sunday, March 1 inside the gym at Chantilly HS.
Join DSANV at Vita Nova Creatives & Coffee for an informal meet-up with fellow parents of children with Down syndrome. Grab a cup, sit back, and chat! Children are welcome!
DSANV is partnering with the St. Lucy Food Project Warehouse for our Career Development Program. All members ages 16+ are welcome!
Dine out with DSANV! Stop into Pizza NY Margherita in Gainesville for a quick bite alongside DSANV buddies, new & old.
