Ruffing Scholarship
Baker Hasan, a 2023 graduate of Justice High School, has been awarded a Ruffing Scholarship. In honor and memory of ACCA founders Emily and Fred Ruffing, ACCA awards a scholarship each July to graduating high school seniors who have overcome disabilities.
Baker moved to the US from Iraq in 2013 and participated in cross-country, robotics, and multiple hackathons in high school while working on a service project to improve technology in schools. He also started the Computer Science Honor Society at Justice and developed a website for a nonprofit that provides help to families in Iraq.
Congratulations and best wishes to Baker as he continues his studies this fall at Virginia Tech.
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A New Truck for the Furniture Ministry
Many thanks to the Annandale Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) for their work in providing a beautiful truck to ACCA for use with our furniture ministry. The truck will be used to pick up donated furniture and deliver to local families in need and for other ACCA programs as required. The new truck was driven across the country to Annandale from Salt Lake City by a retired couple from the LDS in Washington and will be an essential tool for our ministries. Pictured above: ACCA volunteers and LDS supporters welcomed the truck after its long journey.
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New Development Director
ACCA is excited to welcome Jon Kozesky to the organization!! He brings over 19 years of experience in development and fundraising in both the public and private sector. Jon's experience includes domestic projects such as: the Multiple Sclerosis Society; OPEN M Ministries which provides clothing, food and medical care in the heart of Akron, Ohio; and The Littlest Heroes Pediatric Cancer Foundation which provides emergency utility and mortgage payments for families battling childhood cancer. In addition, Jon's international work has included: Precious Project, an orphanage and primary school in Arusha, Tanzania; World Health Dental, a free medical clinic in the Maasai Mara region of Kenya; and The Desai Foundation, a menstrual equity initiative in rural India.
We welcome Jon's expertise in helping ACCA to meet its goals for serving the Annandale community.
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ACCA Child Development Center
The ACCA Child Development center needs teachers! We are looking for educators who genuinely enjoy building nurturing relationships with children by helping them play, explore, learn, and grow. We employ more than 50 professionals in a variety of full-time and part-time roles. Our staff members are highly regarded in our field and passionate about our mission. For us, every person is essential.
Interested applicants may email a cover letter (specifying desired position) and resume to: jobs@accacdc.org. Please share this information with your friends and neighbors. Pictured: Youth from St. Alban's Episcopal Church spent the day with children at the CDC in June.
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Donations for Food Pantry
As families across the country struggle with reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, we have seen an increase in demand for food from our food pantry here in Annandale. Can you help? We need:
1) Cash to purchase fresh foods. Donate online through the Catalogue for Philanthropy
2) Nonperishable foods - We will be collecting food donations Tuesday-Friday afternoons from 1:30 pm - 4 pm, with the exception of County Holidays and other scheduled closings. The ACCA food pantry is located at 7200 Columbia Pike (trailer separate from the day care center) in Annandale (next to the fire station). Please do not drop off food if a volunteer is not available. What we need.
Please share this information with your family, friends, and neighbors.
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Donations Needed for School Supplies
Interfaith Communities for Dialogue (ICD) and Neighbor2Neighbor (N2N), an ACCA-supported initiative created to support Afghan families resettling in this area, will hold a picnic and provide backpacks and school supplies on August 13 for a group of N2N families with school-age children (22 children!). Little River United Church of Christ has generously donated the backpacks again this year. However, we need to raise funds (approximately $2500) to cover the cost of the school supplies and other items essential for the picnic.
Can you help? Please send a check, by Aug 7, made out to:
INTERFAITH COMMUNITIES FOR DIALOGUE (ICD)
P.O. BOX 1016
5242 PORT ROYAL ROAD
SPRINGFIELD, VA 22151
ATTENTION : MARIE MONSEN
Please specify N2N school supplies on the memo line. Note that ICD is a 501.c.3 organization, so your donation is tax deductible. Manjit Taneja, the ICD Treasurer, will send you or your organization (as applicable) a formal receipt by mail. Please contact Marie Monsen for more information (mamonsen@verizon.net).
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* Due to the continued need of low income families and individuals in our community and now that federal funds are all but expended, we are struggling to provide adequate amounts of assistance sufficient to keep people housed in the new fiscal year which began July 1. The high volume of clients expected this year has made us cautious with lower levels of funding to make donors' dollars stretch through the next 12 months. Levels of assistance are considerably lower than in the past few years. If you'd like to help, donate to ACCA. | |
Save the Date
Please save Saturday October 14 for the Annandale CROP Hunger Walk. The walk will be at Lake Accotink Park, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The walk raises funds for Church World Service hunger relief and poverty-fighting programs around the world and for ACCA.
An organizational meeting will be held on August 15 at 7:30 p.m. For more information contact Camille Mittelholtz kcmittelholtz@gmail.com or accacrop@gmail.com .
See all of our upcoming events.
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Support ACCA Child Development Center, Shelter House & Kisima Academy
What: Race or Volunteer at the Charity Triathlon Family Event
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Sunday August 27
The race is at Sleepy Hollow Recreation Association and parking is at Sleepy Hollow Bath and Racquet (The 2 side by side pools on Sleepy Hollow Road).
Sign up at this FTKICharityTri registration.
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BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters)
We are fortunate to have many supportive partners and one of those is BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters). BRAWS provides free menstrual supplies and undergarments to women and girls of all ages throughout VA, who do not have access to critical, basic needs. Since 2015, through partnerships with local shelters, schools, food pantries, and community organizations, BRAWS has distributed over four million pads, tampons, new bras and underwear to women and girls in crisis.
BRAWS, located in Vienna, VA, provides 100 packages of menstrual supplies per month to ACCA for delivery to our food pantry clients. Thank you to BRAWS for their continuing support. Find out more about BRAWS.
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Storage Space Needed
Our current furniture warehouse is full! The ACCA Furniture Program needs storage space for the gently used furniture that is donated and then delivered to our neighbors in need. We need help locating storage space. Please share with your friends and neighbors! Email furniture@accacares.org. More info:
Other Volunteer Needs
Our critical needs right now are for drivers delivering groceries, food captains, and furniture delivery team members. Please share these needs with your family, friends, and neighbors! Please contact us and we'll give you the details.
Furniture Delivery - Can you help deliver furniture and household goods to families in the ACCA service area? We will resume pickups and deliveries on September 9. . Register online or contact furniture@accacares.org if you're able to help.
Food Delivery Drivers and Captains - 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. We also need volunteer Food Captains who work remotely to coordinate the requests for food with the drivers schedule. Complete the volunteer interest form.
Contact us at volunteers@accacares.org for more information.
Find out more about volunteering with ACCA.
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Annandale Christian Community for Action
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