Gum Springs Community Center
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NEW GUM SPRINGS CIVIC ASSOCIATION (NGSCA)
NGSCA is a 501(c)(4) IRS tax exempt community organization that represents the residents of Gum Springs, which is the oldest African American community in Fairfax County, VA.
Gum Springs is within walking distance of shopping, Sherwood Regional Library, INOVA Mount Vernon Hospital, Mount Vernon Governmental Center that houses the Mount Vernon Police Station and the Mount Vernon Magisterial District Supervisor Office and churches of various denominations to include Bethlehem Baptist Church, Harvest Assembly Baptist Church, St. John Baptist Church, Woodlawn-Faith UMC, Cornerstone Church of Christ, Greater Morning Star Apostolic Church and Mt. Vernon Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. |
Gum Springs
Established 1833
The oldest African American community in Fairfax County
Things Get Solved
When You Get Involved!
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Note: Although NGSCA is a 501(c)(4) IRS tax exempt organization, your donation is not deductible. However, your donation will be greatly appreciated! All funds are used for solely to support and communicate with the community led by a cadre of volunteers. So, please consider making a donation.
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Support Gum Springs by Paying your dues or Donate today! It's safe and easy via PayPal. Click on the Donate button! |
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Scroll to end of page for Upcoming Calendar of Events and to post YOUR event! |
Do You Know What To Do If Stopped By Police?
The New Gum Springs Civic Association has partnered with the Mount Vernon Police and Harvest Assembly Baptist Church to host a Police-Citizen Interaction event aka What To Do If Stopped By Police: What Should Be the Attitude of the Police Event on Tuesday, July 21at from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Harvest Assembly Baptist Church parking lot. Deadline for pre-registration is July 15th.
This event is to provide participants real life encounters and experience for being stopped by police. Experience how both you and the police may de-escalate the stop to include how an officer's behavior controls the stop and how controlling passengers in your vehicle may result in a safe encounter and outcome for you and the officer.
Event is for youths, adults, and parents/guardians. You may participate as a pedestrian, on a bicycle or driver of a vehicle.
Although registration is not required, interested participants are encouraged to register in advance. Walk-ons will be welcomed but pre-registered participants will have priority.
Complete and submit the simple online registration form below. Contact information is requested for notification purposes only. You will only be contacted if the event is cancelled because of inclement weather or an emergency.
This event is to provide participants real life encounters and experience for being stopped by police. Experience how both you and the police may de-escalate the stop to include how an officer's behavior controls the stop and how controlling passengers in your vehicle may result in a safe encounter and outcome for you and the officer.
Event is for youths, adults, and parents/guardians. You may participate as a pedestrian, on a bicycle or driver of a vehicle.
Although registration is not required, interested participants are encouraged to register in advance. Walk-ons will be welcomed but pre-registered participants will have priority.
Complete and submit the simple online registration form below. Contact information is requested for notification purposes only. You will only be contacted if the event is cancelled because of inclement weather or an emergency.
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Click on the pdf file to download the flyer to share within your network
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What To Do If Stopped By Police -- Registration Form
FOX5 & NBC4 News Interviews w/ Rev. Johnnie Abram, Pastor, Harvest Assembly BC and Queenie Cox, President, New Gum Springs Civic Association
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The Civic Association is forwarding the following letter from Mount Vernon Police Station Commander Captain Brian Ruck to the Gum Springs community.
NEW! Got something on your mind? Visit the "What's On Your Mind" page to leave a comment on selected topics of discussion.
NATIONAL POLICE WEEK - RECOGNIZING MOUNT VERNON'S FINEST!
Citizens Watch aka Window Watchers for a Safer Community
There is an ad hoc Citizens Watch Group in Gum Springs. The Group would like to extend their "Watch" by having residents record any suspicious activity in their area of the community.
Extending the Watch provides a safer perimeter within the community. It's simple, easy and you can remain anonymous.
The Group records the activity and the information is provided to the Mount Vernon Police. Citizen involvement is welcomed by the police. Police visibility has had an impact in the area of this particular citizens watch group. The window watchers were so thankful they sent the police a bowl of "sweets". The police responded with a letter of thanks. Click on the pdf below to read the Letter of Thanks from the Mount Vernon Police. This is truly a great relationship between community and police.
The President, NGSCA is the liaison between the residents and police. Citizens may remain anonymous, which has been successful for the current citizen watch group.
If you would like to be a part of the "window" citizen watch group, complete the online form below or send an email to president@ngsca.org. Your information will be considered confidential and will not be shared.
Extending the Watch provides a safer perimeter within the community. It's simple, easy and you can remain anonymous.
The Group records the activity and the information is provided to the Mount Vernon Police. Citizen involvement is welcomed by the police. Police visibility has had an impact in the area of this particular citizens watch group. The window watchers were so thankful they sent the police a bowl of "sweets". The police responded with a letter of thanks. Click on the pdf below to read the Letter of Thanks from the Mount Vernon Police. This is truly a great relationship between community and police.
The President, NGSCA is the liaison between the residents and police. Citizens may remain anonymous, which has been successful for the current citizen watch group.
If you would like to be a part of the "window" citizen watch group, complete the online form below or send an email to president@ngsca.org. Your information will be considered confidential and will not be shared.
| letter_of_thanks_from_police.pdf |
Window Watcher Form for a Safer Community
COVID-19 Information
Information about coronavirus is constantly changing. Click here for Fairfax County COVID-19 information.
Slow the Spread of COVID-19: Click here for information about available COVID-19 testing in Fairfax County and surrounding jurisdictions. Information includes how to get tested, where and cost; particularly if you do not have a doctor or insurance. There are at least four testing sites within a 5-mile radius of Mount Vernon to include two testing sites along the Route One Corridor and one on Sherwood Hall Lane.
UPDATE: IRS postpones the due date for making Federal income tax payments from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. Click here to read IR-2020-58 dated March 21, 2020.
The Mount Vernon Site Specific Plan Amendment Task Force meetings have been scheduled as follows:
-- July 28th Planning 101 and SSPA 101 presentation and questions
--August 11th Nominations review, preliminary votes
--September 1st Nominations review, preliminary votes
--September 15th Final votes
All meetings will be held via Webex on a Tuesday. The July 28th Kick-off meeting will start at 6:00 p.m. All other meetings will start at 6:30 p.m. Click here to track the nomination opposed by Gum Springs - PC-19-MV-004. Information is also posted below.
Update on Developer/Nominator of Property in Gum Springs
During the December 10, 2019 community meeting, a developer/nominator provided a presentation on property he nominated in Gum Springs under Fairfax County Site Specific Plan Amendment process that closed on December 3, 2019. The nominations were not supported by the community.
On January 8, 2020, the developer/nominator revised the footprint and removed the properties objected by the homeowners but not the density and type and resubmitted his nomination. The nomination now includes 12 parcels for 11.24 acres or 489,614 sq. ft. for 190 residential units. The current zoning category is for no more than 3-to-4 dwelling units per acre. The developer/nominator is proposing 30 units at 8-to-12 dwelling units per acre and 160 units at 16-to-20 dwelling units per acre. Do the math!
On February 11th, the Gum Springs community opposed the proposed development nomination.
On January 8, 2020, the developer/nominator revised the footprint and removed the properties objected by the homeowners but not the density and type and resubmitted his nomination. The nomination now includes 12 parcels for 11.24 acres or 489,614 sq. ft. for 190 residential units. The current zoning category is for no more than 3-to-4 dwelling units per acre. The developer/nominator is proposing 30 units at 8-to-12 dwelling units per acre and 160 units at 16-to-20 dwelling units per acre. Do the math!
On February 11th, the Gum Springs community opposed the proposed development nomination.
Click on the pdf file below to view the Gum Springs resolution opposing PC-19-MV-004.
| resolution_on_gum_springs_property_for_pc19-mv-004.pdf |
Be Proud You Live in Gum Springs!
Know who speaks and represents the Gum Springs community. It's not your Condo or HOA!!!
NOTE: When developers and certain Fairfax County agencies/organizations/staff solicit support from HOAs in the Gum Springs community and not the official organization representing Gum Springs--The New Gum Springs Civic Association, it's an old trick to create divisiveness within the community. HOAs should read their covenants carefully because HOAs have no authority to represent Gum Springs unless sanctioned by the Civic Association. No HOA has been given such authority or sanctioned by the Civic Association. The Civic Association represents the HOAs in matters that affects the Gum Springs community. For more about who represents Gum Springs, click here.
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Click here to view the draft Gum Springs Conservation Plan submitted to Fairfax County during August 2015. As of today, Gum Springs is still waiting for a response from Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority and Fairfax County Department of Planning & Zoning.
Click here to view the Gum Springs Redevelopment Plan which is a guiding document for proposed development/redevelopment projects in Gum Springs.
Gum Springs was not transformed from a “muddy hole” to a diverse community overnight. The Gum Springs Conservation Plan and Neighborhood Improvement Plan were instrumental in what you see as Gum Springs today.
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To read articles about Gum Springs, click on the document name: The UCM connection to Gum Springs A Place in Virginia Called Gum Springs printed in the New York Times on November 8, 1985 Gum Springs Working to Balance Past, Future printed in the Washington Post on September 10, 1988 The Price of Progress in Gum Springs printed in the Washington Post on December 19, 1994 Founded with Links to the Founding Fathers On Land Bought by a Washington Slave, the Roots Run Deep printed in the Washington Post on October 27, 2007 Faces of Gum Springs published in the Connection Newspapers (Mount Vernon Gazette) on February 19, 2015 Click here to view the video "A Certain Pride" and Click here to view the video "A Slave's Legacy." There are four parts to A Slave's Legacy. Click here to view a short video by Fairfax County Celebrating its 275th spotlighting Gum Springs. |
To list your community event on the community calendar, click on Suggest an Event link below.