A Message from the Team:

After five and a half meaningful years of service, our nonprofit is officially closing its doors.

Since our founding, we’ve been honored to walk alongside aged-out foster youth and under-resourced individuals, providing housing support, employment readiness, community events, and personalized case management. Together with our incredible volunteers, donors, partners, and advocates, we built something that mattered. And we are proud of every moment of impact, big and small.

This decision was made with care, integrity, and the recognition that seasons shift. While our formal programming is coming to an end, the heart of this mission—building dignity, community, and opportunity—lives on in the young people we’ve supported and the many lives touched along the way.

To everyone who gave, served, partnered, or cheered us on: thank you. Your belief made the work possible.

Though this chapter is ending, our commitment to the foster youth and communities we served remains. If you’d like to stay in touch or connect with our former Managing Director, you’re welcome to reach out at:

📧 jpool@vandft.org (through July 31st, 2025)
💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn

Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re grateful—for the work, the people, and the impact we created together.

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 Our Mission

Cultivating thriving workplaces and opportunities for all people through vocation and community development. 

Vine & Fig Tree is a nonprofit organization that seeks to heal social and economic inequalities. Through consulting with companies, supporting community programs, and training the unemployed and underemployed in job readiness, Vine & Fig seeks to bring Belonging and Community to the community and workplaces..

 Our Values

Belonging intentionally creating spaces where each person is valued and needed.

Community uniting people who support one another through shared purpose and mutual care.

We strengthen Belonging and Community by empowering individuals facing systemic barriers and social marginalization. Our commitment extends to workplaces, where we foster environments where all people can contribute meaningfully and connect authentically.

Our STAFF

The people behind the magic

Jen Pool

managing director

Jen is a Northern Virginia native. She spent the first 10 years of her career in the telecommunications industry and the last 10 in the non-profit sector. She is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Arlington and Alexandria Counties, ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Certified Trainer and is Mental Health First Aid certified.

In her free time, she serves on the board for two other non-profits. She’s a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a mom of two, and an avid reader.

 Our board of directors

Acting President of the Board:

Jen Pool
Director, Vine & Fig Tree

ADVISORY BOARD

Financial Advisor:

Gavin Long

Treasurer:

Mike Clark
Chief Strategy Officer, BTI360

Secretary:

Steven Garber
Senior Fellow, The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Foster Care Advisor:

Adrianna Boyer