February 2016 News


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Next Meeting
The next ACCA board meeting will be March 1 Ravensworth Baptist Church 5100 Ravensworth Rd, Annandale, VA 22003 Refreshments and fellowship 7:30 p.m. Meeting 7:45 p.m. Open to all visitors.

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Our Benefactors Include:

Combined Federal Campaign

CFC #58934

United Way

#8058

Commonwealth of Virginia

#8233

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
accacares@verizon.net

ACCA Website www.accacares.org

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

About ACCA

Get our 2015 annual report.

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.

Volunteers Needed February 13

ACCA needs volunteers on Saturday, February 13, to help with the Stuff the Bus food drive at the Giant Food on Columbia Pike in Annandale. This is a great opportunity for families, young adults, and youth who need service hours.

Volunteers will pass out flyers inside the store and collect food purchased by shoppers for the ACCA Food Pantry. Additional volunteers will be needed to unload the bus at the Pantry in the late afternoon.

If you can sign up for a 2-hour shift between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or can help unload the donations at the Pantry, please contact Mary Lee Di Spirito at ddmld@verizon.net, or call 703-256-9513.

"Stuff the Bus" is a joint effort sponsored by the Fairfax County government, Giant Food, Shoppers Food and Pharmacy, Walmart and MV Transportation, Inc.

Winter Clothing Drive This Month

As cold weather grips our area, ACCA will have a second collection of winter outerwear for men and women. Coats, hats, scarves and gloves may be dropped off at the ACCA Furniture Warehouse (on the Annandale United Methodist Church campus) on Saturday February 13 and 20, between 9 and 11 a.m. The next distribution of outerwear will be on February 22. For more information, contact Don or Mary Lee Di Spirito at (703) 256-9513 or ddmld@verizon.net.

ACCA Child Development Center

Handmade Valentine cards by the four-year-old class at the Child Development Center.

Thanks to the generosity of Stride Rite, Wells Fargo Bank, and a donation from a loyal supporter of the CDC, the CDC was able to provide shoes for all of its children in December. This initiative arose out of training for parents of infants and toddlers on "Walking and Talking," and was further spurred by partnership with Dr. Garner of Burke Pediatrics.

CDC Director Isabel Ballivian praised the Child Development Center staff at a recent ACCA meeting for their hard work in keeping the Center open during the January snow storm. The CDC was open on all but two days, while most schools in the area were closed for a full week. This is very beneficial for parents who would otherwise not be able to work and their children.

Update on ACCA Ministries

Meals on Wheels served 21 clients in December with a total of 750 meals, and 23 clients in January, with 548 meals. Operations were suspended for 4 days in January because of the snow.

The Food Pantry made 76 deliveries in December and assisted with 59 Christmas Baskets. In January, volunteers made 67 deliveries serving 181 individuals.

Family Emergency Assistance helped 67 households in December and January, paying more than $37,000 for rent, utilities and other costs. Among those served was a single mother who had not received child support for two months; ACCA paid her outstanding electric bill. ACCA paid the first month's rent for a man who had completed rehabilitation and was moving into transitional housing. ACCA also paid for a tank of gas for a single mother who is studying for a nursing degree and needed to get to a job interview.

The Furniture Program operations were seriously hampered by the snow in January. However, during the two weeks the program operated, it served 20 families, including a single disabled veteran living alone and multiple households with children. Thanks to teams from John Calvin and Providence Presbyterian Churches, St. Alban's and Annandale United Methodist Church.

The Keys for the Homeless Foundation recently gave ACCA 78 bags of comforters and pillows and about a dozen queen-size mattresses. They are a wonderful partner to our Furniture program.

Wanted: Chairs, Dressers

The ACCA Furniture Program is in need of dining room chairs, kitchen chairs, dressers and chests of drawers. These items are currently in short supply. Volunteers will happily come by and pick up your donations. Just contact Don or Mary Lee Di Spirito at (703) 256-9513 or ddmld@verizon.net to schedule a pickup.

CROP Walk Update

As of December 31st, the 2015 Annandale CROP Hunger Walk raised a total of $12,455. Eleven ACCA churches participated in the 2015 walk, including 73 walkers and volunteers. John Calvin Presbyterian Church raised the most funds and was represented by the most walkers. Many thanks to all the participating churches, walkers, volunteers and donors.

Church World Service (CWS) and CROP Hunger Walks raise awareness and funds for international relief and development as well as local efforts to fight poverty. In December 2015, ACCA received a check from CWS for the local share of the 2014 Annandale CROP Hunger walk in the amount of $4,735.

Challenge Campaign Results Coming

Watch this space next month for an update on the 2015-16 annual Challenge Campaign. Our goal was to raise a total of $160,000.

Although the campaign ended on January 31st, ACCA accepts donations to support our work year-round. Checks can be mailed to ACCA, 7200 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003. Donate online through the Catalogue for Philanthropy or via PayPal. Thank you for your support!

Please designate ACCA when you shop on Amazon Smile. Same selection and service, plus Amazon will make a donation to ACCA.