National Rebuilding Day

ACCA partnered with Rebuilding Together/ Arlington-Fairfax-Falls Church (Rebuilding Together-AFF) on April 27 to participate in the National Rebuilding Day. Rebuilding Together-AFF worked with area partners to repair sixteen homes owned by individual lower-income homeowners or nonprofit organizations that serve the community. ACCA churches repaired two houses in Springfield owned and operated by the Hartwood Foundation, which develops and operates residential service programs for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Virginia.

At one house, 16 volunteers from Ravensworth Baptist, John Calvin Presbyterian, and Providence Presbyterian churches were led by Brian Meli, with assistance from Laurie and Jim Lewis, and Paul Krumhaus. Karen Barnoski led volunteers from Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in making lunches for the work teams, and Linda Hernandez-Giblin led volunteers from Ravensworth Baptist Church in providing breakfast. The team designed and built a 12 x 16-foot free-standing cover for the patio, built raised planter boxes, and power-washed the patio. Inside, volunteers painted the dining room and family room.

Thirteen volunteers from St. Barnabas’ Episcopal and Annandale United Methodist churches and friends worked at the second house to design and build a large platform at the end of the carport for trash can storage- this platform will make it easier to take the trash out of the house and to move the trash cans to the curb. The team also installed sections of split rail fence along the driveway, power washed the deck and entry siding, painted the siding and a fence, sealed the deck, and built stairs from the deck to the back yard. Marlene Dakita led Lincolnia United Methodist Church volunteers who made lunches for the team.

The work by ACCA volunteers will make the group homes safer and improve the enjoyment of the homes for the men who live in the two houses. Since 1990, ACCA volunteers have given nearly 4200 hours of service and rehabilitated 132 houses and group homes in our community. View a slideshow of highlights.

Submitted by Camille and Ken Mittelholtz

Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

ACCA's annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic will be Sunday, May 19 at Mason District Park Picnic Shelter A, at 12:30 p.m. All Volunteers are welcome! If you haven't received your invitation, contact volunteers@accacares.org.

Donate Now

Pictured above: Volunteers Edwin Wuni Issah, Larry Lefbom, Leith Tubbaji transported food from the Annandale Post Office to the pantry during the annual Stamp Out Hunger event on May 11. Not pictured Jean Rackowski

Food Donations

Thank you for the great community support for the food pantry including:

Stamp out Hunger food drive at the Annandale Post Office brought in 3 truckloads of food on May 11.

During the past few months, ACCA has benefited from a regular weekly donation from Whole Foods and from the collection box at the office of Mason District Supervisor Jimenez.

We continue to collect food donations

at the Mason District Government Center on weekdays between 9 and 5. Many thanks to Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez and his staff for their support.
at the pantry on Tuesday-Friday from 1:30-4 pm, except for County Holidays and other scheduled closings. The ACCA food pantry is located at 7200 Columbia Pike (trailer separate from the daycare center) in Annandale. Please do not drop off food if a volunteer is not available.

Here is a list of what we need.

April Impact Report

	Individuals	Households	Amount
Family emergency assistance	170	51	$51,221
Food and Nutrition	331	104
Furniture	25	10
Transportation	28	28
Total	554	193	$51,221

Volunteer Opportunities

Furniture Volunteers

The ACCA furniture team needs volunteers on Friday mornings twice a month.

Volunteers will be loading the furniture trucks with items to be delivered on Saturdays. Items include bedding (mattresses and box springs), dressers, tables and chairs, end tables, coffee tables, sofas, and assorted small items including linens. Work begins at 10:30 on Friday mornings and is usually completed by noon. Send an email to furniture@accacares.org or complete the form here.

Financial Analyst

ACCA is looking for a volunteer with a finance background to analyze a provided set of best practices for nonprofit financial management and then provide advice on areas for improvement and growth. This would involve meeting with current finance committee members and participating in a short series of nonprofit finance management best practices webinars. The role can be done remotely. A basic understanding of Quickbooks, MIP, or other accounting systems is helpful. Respond to volunteers@accacares.org or complete the form here.

Drivers needed

Do you have a driver's license, a vehicle, and a few hours per month to help with one of these programs? Schedules are flexible and the commitment is just an hour or two.

1) Drivers for Medical Appointments

Can you help by driving someone to and from a medical appointment? Drivers are needed to provide rides to medical and therapy appointments for persons age 50 or older who cannot drive themselves. If interested, please contact the Shepherd's Center at 703-941-1419 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday or shepherdscas@vacoxmail.com. This program is a joint effort between Shepherd's Center of Annandale Springfield and ACCA.

2) Food Delivery Drivers

ACCA is looking for food delivery drivers to deliver food to needy clients within the Annandale/Bailey's Crossroads area. There is no fixed commitment. Drivers can work weekly or every few weeks or less as it fits their schedules each week. Deliveries are between 1:30 and about 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Drivers receive food referrals from the food captain, contact the client to ensure they will be home, pick up pre-packed food at the pantry, and drive to the client’s residence. The time involved is usually less than an hour. Complete the volunteer interest form.

Upoming Events

Eileen Garnett Civic Space

Mark your calendars for some fun events. Upcoming events planned for the civic space between the Child Development Center and the fire station include:

May 25^th – Asian Heritage Month

June 29^th – Fitness

July 13^th – Food trucks and movie night

July 27^th – Dog Days of Summer

August 17^th – Art Appreciation

September 21^st – Taste of Annandale

October 19^th – Fall Festival

November/December – Winter Celebration/Winter Lights

Fall Food Drives

Mark your calendar for the fall ACCA Food Pantry Drives scheduled on September 6, October 4, and November 8 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Annandale Giant Foods, 7137 Columbia Pike, Annandale.

Upon entering the Giant Food location, shoppers will be offered a list of items the ACCA pantry needs most. Once purchased, shoppers can deposit their donations directly to the waiting Mason District Police cruiser parked conveniently at the curb by the store exit. Those donations from your home pantry or not purchased at Giant Food can also be dropped at the police cruiser by the Giant Foods exit. These drives are sponsored by the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) and the Mason District Police Station with support from Giant Food.

CROP Walk

Please save Saturday October 19 for the Annandale CROP Hunger Walk. The walk raises funds for Church World Service hunger relief and poverty-fighting programs around the world and for ACCA. For more information contact Camille Mittelholtz kcmittelholtz@gmail.com or accacrop@gmail.com

ACCA is a community-based organization providing day care, food, rental assistance, furniture, and other services to low-income families in the Annandale/Bailey’s Crossroads area. What counts most in ACCA is serving those in need.

Please consider dropping off food at the pantry on Tuesday-Friday afternoons between 1:30 and 4 p.m. or at the Mason District Government Center on weekdays form 9 - 5 and at many local churches. At the pantry, be sure to deliver your donations to a volunteer, please don't leave food unattended.

Can you help? ACCA needs volunteers to help with the increased demand for food by accepting donations and also for delivery drivers.Complete the volunteer interest form.