By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living
Birthdays are a big deal when you are a kid. There is something about having a cake, opening a present, or simply knowing that the day belongs to you for a little while.
For families struggling financially, those celebrations can become one more thing they simply cannot afford. Stephanie Shevitz, founder of Judith’s Light, wants to make sure those children are not forgotten.
Judith’s Light is a new Haymarket-based organization created to help children and families facing financial hardship throughout Prince William County and surrounding communities. The organization provides birthday kits, school supplies, clothing essentials, holiday assistance, emergency necessities, and help giving children access to activities their families might otherwise be unable to afford.
Making Sure Children Feel Remembered
Shevitz nominated Judith’s Light for the 2026 Prince William Living Giving Back Award. As the founder of a brand-new organization, she does not have decades of statistics or years of programs to point to yet. What she does have is a growing network of people willing to help when they learn that a local child needs something.
“Although Judith’s Light is a new organization, our efforts are already helping local children and families feel supported and remembered,” Shevitz said.
Through partnerships with schools, Judith’s Light has already responded to requests for essential items for students experiencing financial hardship. The organization has also created Bright Birthday Kits so children can have something to celebrate when a birthday comes around, even when money is tight at home.
That may sound like a small thing compared with some of the challenges families face, but anyone who remembers being a child knows that small things do not always feel small. A new backpack can mean walking into school without worrying about what the other kids will think. Having the right clothes can help a child feel like they belong. A birthday kit can mean that a difficult year still includes one day when someone makes that child feel special.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Judith’s Light works with schools, social workers, and other trusted community organizations to identify families who need assistance and find practical ways to help. Shevitz said watching community members respond when those needs are shared has reinforced why she wanted to start the organization in the first place.
“Seeing community members come together to support these needs has strengthened my commitment to ensuring that every child feels valued, included, and cared for,” she said.
That community connection will be especially important as Judith’s Light grows. Rather than trying to guess what families need, the organization is building relationships with people who are already working with children and can identify specific needs.
Building Something New
There is still a lot ahead for Judith’s Light. It is just beginning to establish partnerships, reach families, and build the community support that will determine what the organization can become. Shevitz hopes the Giving Back Award nomination will help more people learn about the organization and, in turn, help Judith’s Light reach more children.
“Judith’s Light deserves to win the Giving Back Award because we are a grassroots nonprofit committed to meeting the real, everyday needs of local children and families facing financial hardship,” Shevitz said. “This recognition would help us expand our programs, reach more families, and bring greater awareness to our mission of ensuring every child feels supported, included, and valued.”
A Light for Local Families
It will take time to see how Judith’s Light grows and how many families it ultimately reaches. For now, its beginning is rooted in something simple: paying attention to the everyday things children need and finding people willing to help provide them.
Sometimes that means school supplies or clothing. Sometimes it means helping with an unexpected need when a family does not have anywhere else to turn. And sometimes it means making sure a child has something to open on their birthday and knows somebody remembered.
The Prince William Living Giving Back Awards, presented in partnership with Give Back Prince William, recognize nonprofits making a difference throughout Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
Nominations for the 2026 Giving Back Awards close Aug. 31. Nominate a Prince William nonprofit for a Giving Back Award at princewilliamliving.com/givingbackaward/.
Learn more about Give Back Prince William and its work increasing awareness through education at givebackpw.org.
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