Every day across Loudoun, our heroic First Responders answer the call whenever anyone of our neighbors or family members is in a crisis.

But who answers the call when our First Responders or their families need help?

That answer is the Loudoun First Responders Foundation.

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation is a 100% volunteer-led organization that provides financial assistance to career or volunteer members of Loudoun’s public safety agencies who experience an injury, hospitalization, or other crisis.

But the Loudoun First Responders Foundation can’t do this without your help.

Next week marks the start of GiveChoose, the annual online campaign to raise funds for Loudoun’s nonprofit community, including the Loudoun First Responders Foundation. This annual day of giving is your opportunity to say “Thank You” to the heroic women and men who serve and protect our Loudoun community. 

Mark Your Calendar – Early Giving Opens: March 10, 2026

GiveChoose: March 24, 2026. Make donations any time between March 10 and March 24.

The First Responders Foundation is setting a bold goal for GiveChoose 2026: $10,000.

This goal reflects the growing needs within our first responder community and the strength of the network that surrounds them. Your donation will be used to:

• Provide rapid emergency financial assistance, often within 24 hours.
• Support first responders and their families during times of injury, illness, or loss.
• Award scholarships to Loudoun’s first responders and their children.

As a 100 percent volunteer-run organization funded entirely through donations and partnerships, every contribution goes directly toward making a meaningful difference.

Lansdowne, VA — The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 41st  Annual Loudoun County Valor Awards, taking place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at The National Conference Center in Lansdowne.

This long-standing community tradition honors Loudoun’s real-life heroes — public safety personnel and everyday citizens — whose courageous, often lifesaving actions clearly meet the standard of “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.”

The event brings together Loudoun’s top business and community leaders to celebrate our honorees for their selfless acts of heroism and service.

“The annual Valor Awards remind us all that Loudoun’s security, prosperity, and world-class quality of life are built on the service and sacrifice of our heroic First Responders. The Loudoun Chamber is honored to have the opportunity to celebrate these real-life heroes for all they do to protect our families, neighbors, and communities,” said Tony Howard, President of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce.

For more information or to register for the 41st Annual Loudoun Valor Awards, please visit loudounchamber.org/events/valorawards/

Get ready for a fun and family-friendly event on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Purcellville Safety Center! Pedal Purcellville kicks off the day with a free family bike ride and bike decorating contest — just be sure to register by May 8 to participate and compete for prizes. 

In addition to the ride, the Bike Safety Rodeo will teach kids key bicycle safety skills. 

Public Safety Day will feature first responder meet-and-greets, demonstrations, apparatus displays, and activities like painting the police cruiser and a scavenger hunt. Bring your family for a day of learning, safety, and community celebration with treats and lunch available for purchase! (purcellvilleva.gov)

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation is best known for delivering immediate financial support whenever one of Loudoun’s heroic First Responders are injured, hospitalized or sick. 

• When a First Responder’s HVAC system failed and financial pressures made repairs impossible, the First Responders Foundation arranged to install a new HVAC system.
• When a First Responder suffered a severe leg injury while on vacation overseas, LFRF coordinated a business-class return flight so the leg could be properly supported and elevated during travel.
• On multiple occasions, LFRF has covered housing expenses for parents who needed to stay close to their children during hospital treatment.

Our mission includes the words “in their time of need,” and we commit to the meaning of that mission as much as our First Responders commit to our community’s safety.

Join us on Friday, May 22 for the First Responder Service Appreciation Day at the Valley Vipers Basketball Game!

Patrick Henry College, Purcellville

Come out to celebrate our dedicated first responders while enjoying an exciting night of basketball. Bring your family, friends, and community spirit as we show our appreciation for those who serve and protect us every day.

Visit the Virginia Valley Vipers website for more details.

Mark your calendar for June 4 and join us at Honor Brewing
42604 Trade West Drive, Sterling, VA.

From 4:00 – 8:00 PM, 15% of all sales from the Charity Tap will benefit LFRF.

Plus, throughout the month, 10% of Classic Lager sales will be donated to LFRF as part of the Charity Tap Line program.

Enjoy great beer, gather with friends, and give back to a great cause. We hope to see you there!

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation awarded $51,000 in scholarships to 26 exceptional high school seniors who are the children of Loudoun first responders, or first responders themselves.

This includes the inaugural Trevor Brown Memorial Scholarship, valued at $10,000, which was awarded to Rhys Castel, a volunteer with the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad.

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation will award the Trevor Brown Memorial Scholarship annually to honor the memory of Sterling Volunteer Firefighter Trevor Brown, who lost his life in a February 2023 house explosion.

In addition, one student received a $5,000 scholarship, and 24 students were awarded $1,500 scholarships.

Celebrating Our Future Leaders

This year’s scholarship recipients are a diverse and accomplished group. Of the 26 seniors:

20 are children of Loudoun First Responders.

5 are Fire & Rescue Volunteers themselves.

1 student is a Fire & Rescue Volunteer with a Loudoun first responder parent.

This year’s recipients come from 20 high schools in and outside Loudoun County, and two home-schooled students.

Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System Assistant Chief of Operations James Williams has been selected to serve as the system’s new chief, replacing retiring Chief Keith Johnson, Virginia’s 2024 Fire Chief of the Year.

Williams was chosen by Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet after an extensive national search. Chief Johnson served as chief of the system since 2018. 

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation has started a new public awareness campaign to celebrate our local public safety personnel called “Meet Our First Responders.”

This profile highlights both the professional and personal aspects of our first responder community, which allows us the opportunity to get to know the woman or man behind the uniform. 

Make sure to follow and like the Loudoun First Responders Foundation Facebook page and check out the upcoming “Meet the First Responder” profiles.

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) continues its tradition of recognizing the bravery of local first responders through its annual First Responders Appreciation Lunch.

Now in its fourth year, this event, brings together schools, businesses, and local organizations to say a collective “thank you” to those who keep our students, staff, and neighborhoods safe.

A Community United in Gratitude

What began as a simple gesture of gratitude has grown into a cherished annual event.

Produced in partnership with the Loudoun First Responders Foundation, the Loudoun School-Business Partnership and the Loudoun Education Foundation, and local businesses, this special luncheon honors the tireless efforts of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel.

More Than a Meal

While the lunch itself is a highlight, the true purpose of the event is to express sincere gratitude. It’s a moment for students, educators, and community members to come together and recognize the vital role first responders play in ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone in Loudoun County.

The Loudoun First Responders Foundation can do the important work we do of supporting our First Responders in their times of need only because of the generous support of our donors and partners.

These outstanding Loudoun County businesses deserve our gratitude and support. Please remember them as you look for local businesses to work with. Here are just a few of our Foundation’s very generous Partners.

The First Responders Foundation is accepting applications for scholarships supporting the cost of college and other post-secondary education for the children of Loudoun’s First Responders.

Graduating seniors from a public, private or home school, who are the children of first responders from every public safety agency in Loudoun County, are eligible to apply for a scholarship, as are students who are  volunteer first responders.

The Foundation awarded $34,000 in scholarships in 2024. Click here to access the scholarship application! Applications are due by March 31^st.

The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Johnson was named the 2024 Fire Chief of the Year, and his department took home two other top honors at the recent Governor’s Fire Service Awards.

Loudoun’s Combined Fire & Rescue System also earned the Excellence in Virginia Career Fire Service Training, and a shared award with the Fairfax County for Outstanding Career Fire Department Response.