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November 2014 News   


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Reminder -   support ACCA through your workplace:   
CFC_2011
Combined Federal Campaign
CFC #58934


United Way NCA
United Way
#8058


Commonwealth of Virginia
#8233

Or Give Online:
Catalogue for philanthropy
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

About ACCA
ACCA is a church-related voluntary organization providing day care,  financial assistance, food, furniture, and other support to needy families in the Annandale/Bailey's Crossroads area, regardless of religion, race or ethnicity. Except for the child development center, all ACCA services are provided by volunteers. To learn more about ACCA, visit our website at www.accacares.org.  

Next Meeting
The next meeting will be 

December 2  

at Warner Baptist

3613 Lacy Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22041

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

ACCA Members
Annandale United Methodist

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    

Boy Scouts Lead Successful Food Drive

scouting for food The annual Boy Scouts "Scouting for Food" campaign on Nov. 8 yielded 2,147 bags of food for the ACCA Food Pantry. That's more than 15,000 lbs. of food! We are especially grateful to all the Scouts who participated, to Brent Carey for his leadership, and to all who donated food items for the Pantry.  

 

We would like to showcase the Scouts in action on the ACCA Facebook page. If you took pictures and would like to share them, please send them to  [email protected].

Challenge Grant Campaign 

donate button ACCA is seeking to raise over $172,000 in our annual Challenge Grant Campaign, which ends January 31. The Washington Forrest Foundation and several anonymous donors have kicked off the campaign with a starting base of $43,000. Our challenge is to raise at least $3 in additional donations for every $1 of our starting base, or an additional $129,000. The funds will be used to provide emergency assistance and other critical services for struggling households here in our community. ACCA also provides high-quality developmental child care for infants and preschool children, enabling their parents to work and to give their young ones a fair start in school and in life.

 

Our annual Challenge Grant Campaign is a critical source of funding. This year, it is easier than ever to make a donation online or by check. 

 

Donate online through the ACCA website or through the Catalogue for Philanthropy. If your prefer to donate by check, write "Challenge Grant" in the memo line and mail your check to ACCA, 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003. In this 47th year of service, please help ACCA continue to serve our needy neighbors.

Outerwear Clothing Drive

coat ACCA will once again be collecting useable outerwear garments, including winter jackets, sweaters, hooded sweatshirts, gloves and warm wool hats. These items will be distributed to day laborers, residents of the Bailey's Crossroads Community Shelter, and children at the ACCA Child Development Center whose parents cannot afford warm winter outerwear for them. This will be the seventh annual clothing drive to help the needy in our community to safely get through the winter months ahead.

 

Volunteers will pickup donated winter outerwear from ACCA member churches. See the flyer for additional information and details on how to arrange a pickup at your church. All items will be distributed on Friday, Dec. 12.   

 

A second collection is planned for February.

Shop Amazon Smile and Support ACCA

amazon smile Each year, consumers seem to do more holiday shopping online. Now you can enjoy the convenience of shopping online while supporting ACCA through the Amazon Smile program. When you sign up for Amazon Smile, the Amazon Foundation donates .5% of your eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. You have the same great shopping experience, including Black Friday specials and free shipping with your Amazon Prime membership. Enroll in Amazon Smile today and designate ACCA as your charity.

Help Us Fill the Empty Pantry Shelves

ACCA is participating in the United Way's "Give Where You Live" event at the ACCA Food Pantry on Saturday, Dec. 13 between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. You are invited to drop off non-perishable items to fill the empty pantry shelves. The wish list includes canned fruits and meats (no tuna), Jell-O and Jell-O pudding mix (all flavors), cereals, soups, crackers, juice, tea and coffee. No green beans, spaghetti or noodles are needed at this time.

 

The pantry is located at 7200 Columbia Pike in Annandale, VA 22003.

Workplace Giving Campaigns

Many friends of ACCA will be hearing about workplace giving campaigns in the next few weeks, including the United Way and the Combined Federal Campaign. Both provide an excellent opportunity to give back to your local community through ACCA. Your donations help ACCA continue to meet requests for emergency food and financial assistance, furniture and high quality, affordable child care.

 

To support ACCA through the United Way, use code #8508. For the Combined Federal Campaign use code #58934. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Furniture Ministry
donated chairs
Dining chairs donated by Goodwin House Bailey's Crossroads.

The furniture program completed deliveries to 35 households and made 21 furniture pickups during October. Among those served were two families formerly living in shelters who are now able to live in their own apartment furnished by ACCA. That is a significant improvement in quality of for life for these families, which was made possible by our volunteers and generous furniture donors.

 

In October, the KEYS Foundation shared 20 mahogany desk tables given to them by a D.C. hotel. They are the perfect size for the small, two-bedroom apartments we serve in the Culmore area. We also received a generous gift of dining chairs, dressers and other miscellaneous furniture from Goodwin House Bailey's Crossroads.  

 

If you have gently used furniture to donate, please contact Mary Lee DiSpirito at [email protected].

Family Emergency Assistance 

Thirty-seven households were served this month with payments of $20,665 in assistance for rent, utilities and miscellaneous expenses. We helped a single mother of two children whose work hours were reduced due to her employer going on vacation. As a result of the shortfall in her monthly income, she was unable to pay her full rent. We helped a single woman who has been in and out of the hospital several times over the past year. She was unable to pay her storage fees and was at risk of losing her belongings. And we helped pay a portion of the utility bill of a family whose primary income is the father's taxi business. Business is slowing and he is seeking another driving job.

 

On behalf of all who were served, thank you for your generosity to ACCA for making this assistance possible!

Meals on Wheels and Transportation 

During the month of October 2014, Annandale Meals on Wheels delivered 840 meals to 25 clients. Thanks to the Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild for providing Halloween treat bags filled with candy and crafts for Meals on Wheels clients.

 

Transportation volunteers provided rides for 7 clients in October.

Mark Your Calendar   

Benefit Concert to support the fight against Ebola on Sunday, Nov. 23, 4 p.m., St. Paul's Bailey's Crossroads, 3439 Payne St, Bailey's Crossroads, VA 22041. The concert will raise money for those in West Africa fighting the Ebola epidemic.  

 

Give Where You Live Food Collection - drop off food donations to the ACCA Food Pantry on Saturday, Dec. 13 between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  

 

Alternative Gift Market, Sunday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at John Calvin Presbyterian Church, 6531 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003.