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March 2013 News   


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Contact Information 
Mailing Address
7200 Columbia Pike
Annandale, VA 22003

 
Information
 
703-256-0100

 
Emergency
Assistance

(Fairfax County)
703-222-0880

 
Donations
(except furniture)
703-256-0100

 
Furniture Donations 
703-256-9513


Email
[email protected]

ACCA Website www.accacares.org

ACCA's Mission  
The Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA), is a non-profit coaltion of 26 Annandale-area churches which has been helping the needy in our community for more than 44 years. To learn more about ACCA, visit our website at www.accacares.org.  

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on April 2 at
Holy Spirit Catholic Church,
5121 Woodland Way,
Annandale, VA 22003  

Refreshments and fellowship - 7:30 p.m.
Meeting - 7:45 p.m.  Open to all visitors.  


Help Wanted

The ACCA Food Pantry needs additional food captains. These volunteers receive referrals from social workers and arrange for food deliveries by volunteer drivers. A list of drivers will be provided. Food Captains serve for one week at a time about 4 times per year. 

If you can help out or for more information, please contact Jean at
[email protected].


ACCA Members
Annandale United Methodist

AUMC - Immanuel Campus

Braddock Baptist

Calvary Church of the Nazarene

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Annandale Ward
and
Little River Ward

Cornerstone Evangelical Free

Culmore United Methodist

First Presbyterian

Friendship United Methodist

Holy Spirit Catholic

Hope Lutheran

John Calvin Presbyterian

Lincolnia United Methodist 

Mt. Pleasant Baptist

Peace Lutheran

Providence Presbyterian

Queen of the Apostles Catholic

Ravenworth Baptist

Sleepy Hollow United Methodist

St. Alban's Episcopal

St. Anthony Catholic

St. Barnabas Episcopal

St. Michael's Catholic

St. Paul's Episcopal

United Baptist

Warner Baptist    

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Pinwheels for Prevention

If you are interested in learning more about the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign or in planting a pinwheel garden, please contact Bootsie Humenansky, (703) 444 3839 or [email protected].
 


Volunteers Make Major CDC Improvements  

Thank you to Hilton Worldwide, Home Depot, HITT, IPC, The Business Bank, Walgreens and parent volunteers for refurbishing the children's bathrooms at the Child Development Center (CDC) on March 22. See photos of the volunteers in action here. The children now have bathrooms with faucets that are automatic and hands-free!

The CDC Board welcomes Mr. John Shortall as its newest member.  

ACCA Receives CFNV Grant
Good news from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNV) - ACCA was selected to receive a grant of $7,750 to support enrollment of children in the Child Development Center. ACCA was one of 30 local nonprofits selected for funding out of 131 applications received. The funds will be used to for tuition for children whose families lose their eligibility for public childcare subsidies. Often this is a result of job loss or a reduction in hours. The grant will enable young children to remain enrolled in the childcare program while parents look for work. Congratulation to the ACCA team who put  together a successful grant application.

Updated ACCA Brochure

Acca brochure Eng
The updated ACCA brochure lists the ACCA member churches, describes the organization's history, and lists available services. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. Copies are available at the Child Development Center.

Free Health Fair March 30 

health fair Eng The Lions District 24-A, Lions of Bailey's Crossroads, and Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services are sponsoring a free health fair on Saturday, March 30, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the Lincolnia Senior Center, 4710 N. Chambliss St., Alexandria. Various screenings will be offered including blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar, and diabetic retinopathy. Resources and community information will be available, including how to obtain drug discount cards. Flyers are available in English and Spanish.

Family Emergency Assistance

During the month of February, ACCA served 39 households, including 25 with children under age 18, five with persons with a disability and nine with a person 55 and older. ACAA provided $26,417 for rent, utilities and medical expenses. Among those served by ACCA this month were:

  • a single mother who lost her job while caring for a hospitalized son who had no insurance - ACCA paid for needed medications;
  • a pregnant mother on bed rest and whose husband has left the country - ACCA paid the February rent; and
  • A family of four in which the father is a construction worker whose work has slowed down and the mother is a childcare provider - ACCA helped by paying rent due for February.
Rebuilding Together - April 27    
rebuild 2012
Volunteers refurbished a porch last year during the ACCA Rebuild Together event.

ACCA has pledged to fix up two homes during the 2013 Rebuilding Together event on Saturday, April 27. Approximately 40 - 60 volunteers and $7,000 cash are needed to sponsor the homes. ACCA's Rebuilding Together Chair Marie Monsen says, "Rebuilding Together is the most rewarding thing I have ever done." 

 

Rebuilding Together is the largest volunteer housing repair program in the United States. Since 1990, ACCA has repaired and rehabilitated 111 homes and non-profit housing facilities enabling low-income seniors, persons with disabilities, and families with children to have a safe and decent place to live.  

 

If you are willing to wield a paintbrush, learn to fix a broken toilet or install a kitchen cabinet, you can help. Skilled house captains and volunteers will guide the beginners. Tasks range from cleaning, moving furniture and doing yard work to making electrical and plumbing repairs. Volunteers will install grab bars, build ramps, even garden sheds - each year brings new challenges. To get more information, volunteer or make a donation, please contact Marie Monsen at 703-354-9408 or [email protected].

Food Pantry    

food pantry The Food Pantry needs additional drivers to pick up items from the food pantry and deliver them to local families. You need to be available once every several months, and you can opt out at any time. Diane McEldowney, who serves as a food captain, says volunteering is never onerous, and always very satisfying. "You always understand when you get a request from a social worker that you have a family in need," she said. "Sometimes they need something today; sometimes they need something within the week, but you know that you need to match them up with someone who can do the delivery."

 

In February, volunteers made 51 deliveries to 182 individuals. According to Jean Rackowski, a one-week snapshot of those served showed an increase in older people needing assistance. Only one in five families had children under age 18. There were instances of grandparents taking care of their grandchildren, older grandchildren taking care of their parents or grandparents, and in one case, a 19-year-old girl taking care of her grandmother who had suffered a stroke. Several clients were older couples in their seventies.   

 

If you would like to volunteer with the Food Pantry, please contact Jean Rackowski.

Furniture Ministry

During February, ACCA volunteers made deliveries to 25 households, of which 19 had children under age 18, three included persons with disabilities, and four were single parent households. We completed 19 pickups of donated furniture. Thanks to volunteers from Providence Presbyterian, John Calvin Presbyterian, St. Anthony Catholic, the Rotary Club, St. Barnabas' Episcopal, and Cornerstone Evangelical.

 

Mechanical issues continue to plague the 25-year-old ACCA delivery truck; the search is on for a good used vehicle to replace it.

The Crib Fund

ACCA volunteers delivered the last available baby crib to a new born in February. The furniture program cannot accept cribs and crib mattresses as donations because of new safety regulations that took effect in June 2011. The waiting list for cribs is forming with several families and their babies waiting until more cribs are available.

 

The Crib Fund was activated when a furniture donor sent $20 in appreciation for the work of the volunteers who picked up her donations. ACCA hopes to raise $6,500 to purchase 30 to 50 new cribs and mattresses. Contributions to the Crib Fund can be sent to ACCA, 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003, or donate online and indicate "Crib Fund."

Second Winter Coat Distribution  
coat distribution - workers
Workers lined up to receive outer wear during the December 2012 coat distribution in Annandale.
On February 27, ACCA volunteers distributed outerwear to day laborers. Volunteers from Providence Presbyterian, Ravensworth Baptist and the ACCA furniture team were assisted by the Legal Aid Justice Center of Falls Church. This was the second outerwear distribution this winter. The donated coats are much appreciated by the recipients.

Transportation and Meals on Wheels   

In February, ACCA volunteers made 375 deliveries (750 meals) to elderly and shut-ins in our community. Transportation volunteers provided 31 rides to medical appointments for 16 clients. Way to go, volunteers!

English & Citizenship Instruction  

St. Mark's English as a Second Language (ESL) Program for adults will conduct registration for the spring term on Tuesday, April 9 and Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m.  There are seven proficiency levels, from Beginner 1 to Advanced 2. All students must be registered and tested. The cost is $25 (cash only) for the 9-week term. A Citizenship Preparation Class will be available to students eligible to apply for citizenship who have attained at least an intermediate proficiency level (6:30 - 8 p.m., $25). 
 
New for Spring 2013: an optional English conversation group (7:00 - 7:45 p.m.) will be offered to registered intermediate and advanced students for an additional $10 (cash). All classes will take place on the second floor of the St. Mark Christian Formation Center, 9972 Vale Road, Vienna, VA 22181 and meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning Tuesday, April 16th.  Flyers are available in Spanish and Korean.