These donations will help fill the ACCA Pantry shelves with many of the items we need to fulfill the huge volume of requests that we've received this year. Thank you! |
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Families in Need
Who benefits from our work? Here are some recent examples:
ACCA provided 4 months rent to a local family who lost jobs due to COVID. With all of their resources gone by May, including a tax refund, unemployment compensation, stimulus checks, and loans from friends, they were unable to pay their rent. ACCA paid their rent using the grant provided through Fairfax County for relief during the pandemic which allowed them to remain in their home.
ACCA paid 3 months rent for a family of six (including twin infants) the breadwinner was quarantined with a COVID issue. The mother was caring for their four children and unable to work. Apart from the infants receiving WIC, the family has no benefits and no income. ACCA paid their rent using the grant provided through Fairfax County for relief during the pandemic.
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Emergency Assistance
As a result of ACCA's strong partnership with Fairfax County Government, we were awarded a $3.1 million grant to help provide support services during the pandemic. This support is primarily in the form of rent to families who have lost jobs and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In September alone, we provided $564,000 in rental assistance to families in Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads. During the first week of October we provided $200,000 in assistance. We are grateful to the county for enabling us to help our neighbors remain in their homes during this unprecedented time. Unfortunately, with trends continuing in this direction, we anticipate a shortfall over the coming winter.
A big thank you to our Family Emergency Assistance volunteers who have been working overtime to keep families in their homes!
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Food Pantry Collections Continue at ACCA
The Food Pantry is also a very busy place. A total of 15,106 lbs. of food were donated at the food pantry in September! These donations were made by many individual donors and churches as well as the following groups:
September 9th: Police Food Drive: 1,287 lbs.
September 12th: Stuff the Bus(1): 1,714 lbs.
September 25th: Capital Area Food Bank : 2,970 lbs.
September 26th: Stuff the Bus(2): 3,117 lbs.
We are in need of food captains and delivery personnel. If you have a few hours to help, please contact the pantry at pantry@accacares.org. Because of the increased need for emergency food supplies, we will continue to collect donations on Saturday mornings from 9 am. – noon two Saturdays per month at the food pantry located at 7200 Columbia Pike (trailer separate from the day care center) in Annandale. Weekday food collections will take place from 1 – 5 p.m. Pantry volunteers are following social distancing guidelines while volunteering at the pantry and we encourage visitors to keep the health and safety of our volunteers in mind while donating.
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The COVID Challenge Campaign
is coming in November. Look for updates in the coming weeks.
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The 2020 Annandale CROP Hunger Walk will be a VIRTUAL CROP Hunger Walk because of the need for social distancing to prevent spread of disease. The Annandale CROP Hunger Walk raises funds for Church World Service (CWS). Walkers collect donations to CWS from sponsors either online or by check. CWS will share part of the funds raised with ACCA. Walkers may walk at a time in October of their choosing and can choose their own routes to walk safely. A send-off for walkers will be held October 17 at 9 a.m.by Zoom call.
While the walk will be virtual, the needs are very real. CWS works with Christian organizations around the world to sponsor programs for hunger, disaster and refugee relief, and sustainable development programs to help improve peoples’ lives. In the U.S., CWS responds to natural disasters, supports refugee resettlement and works with local poverty organizations. Visit the website for information on the Annandale Walk or to donate or contact Camille Mittelholtz at accacrop@gmail.com.
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Homework Club Pivots to Online Learning
The Homework Club is continuing its mission through the pandemic with online classes for adults who are working to improve their English skills. We have held ESOL and English conversation classes over the past six weekends for a dozen people using the Zoom platform for video conferencing. After the pandemic began, we hired two of the Afghani participants to organize two classes online - an ESL class using the Ventures textbooks which Fairfax County uses and a conversation class based on topics suggested by the participants. Volunteers from ACCA churches including John Calvin Presbyterian, Little River Church of Christ, Ravensworth Baptist, and Peace Lutheran had provided incredible support for this program until the pandemic restrictions were established.
We hope to involve more volunteers as the classes progress and the participants are more comfortable with Zoom. We are continuing to adapt to using the best practices for gathering in person and via online methods; this will inform our path going forward in keeping the Homework Club community intact. We are grateful to ACCA for continuing to support this important program.
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Your Vote is Your Voice!
The Ravensworth Baptist Church 2020 Voting Mobilization Team has created a 5 page, simple-to-understand flyer that can help you, your friends and family, and fellow church members answer questions about voting in the November 3 election. The flyer has been developed with the help of the Elections Office so you can count on its accuracy! Access this flyer by going to http://ravensworthbaptist.org/voting-2020/ and if you have more specific questions or would like to share this flyer in your church newsletter or in your community and need help, contact Kay Tarazi at kaytarazi@yahoo.com.
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Contact Your Representatives to Advocate for Quality Child Care
As the ACCA Child Development Center continues to offer quality child care through the pandemic, we need you to advocate for the CDC and other child care centers with the VA General Assembly.
The VA House and Senate are negotiating differences in their budgets now. Both have included priorities for child care stabilization, health, and mental health. Now state elected officials need to hear from you to ensure these funding priorities are included in a final budget!
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Ministries Updates for September |
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Food Ministry - The pantry delivered to 124 individuals and families assisting 409 people. Another 23 families totaling 85 individuals received gift cards.
Family Emergency Assistance - We assisted local families with $544,000 using CARES funding mostly for rent and $18,735 with ACCA funding.
CROP Walk - The Annandale CROP Hunger Walk raises funds for Church World Service (CWS). Walkers collect donations to CWS from sponsors either online or by check. CWS will share part of the funds raised with ACCA. Walkers may walk at a time in October of their choosing and can choose their own routes to walk safely. Visit the website for information on the Annandale Walk
Rebuilding Together - The national work day remains on hold as the nation deals with the coronavirus. However, the Rebuilding Together Express (RT Express) program which operates throughout the year, and which ACCA supports financially, is now working under stringent health and safety protocols, utilizing small crews to perform limited tasks at detached houses or townhouses. Ken Mittelholtz, Woody Woodburn and Jim Dillon continue to volunteer. The big emphasis during the pandemic is making modifications and repairs to prevent falls for those most at risk of falls. Experienced volunteers are performing tasks like installing grab bars in bathrooms, removing tripping hazards, ensuring that homes with stairways have proper lighting and safe railings. We anticipate no change to this situation through the end of 2020.
Transportation - In the month of September, the ACCA-Shepherd's Center joint transportation program has started returning to its pre-covid levels. Luckily we have a lot of young volunteers to provide these rides.
In September, we provided 52 rides and were able to fill all ride requests. We did not have any rides for former ACCA clients. We also provided one food delivery. In the month of August we provided 38 rides, 3 of which were to former ACCA clients. We were able to fill all ride requests and provided one food delivery.
Homework Club - is continuing its mission by providing essential ESOL classes online to local families.
Furniture Ministry - Volunteers from Mt. Pleasant Baptist, Annandale Ward, LDS Providence, and John Calvin Presbyterian made deliveries to 16 households on two Saturdays in September. As a result, 41 clients now enjoy beds, chests of drawers, sofas, end tables, and lamps. October work days will be October 10 and 24. If you are able to volunteer or have others in your circle, please let us know at ddmld@verizon.net if you or someone you know will be able to join the team.
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ACCA remains committed to the challenge of Jesus, as described in Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” |
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