Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC)

Shelters/Food Banks

Arlington Food Assistance Center
Arlington Street Peoples Assistance Network (ASPAN)
Arlington /Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless
Homeless Women’s Dinner Program
For Immediate Sympathetic Help\ (FISH)
Doorways – The Arlington Community Temp. Shelter
Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs (AMEN)

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

AFAC is a non-profit whose mission is to obtain and distribute groceries directly and free of charge to people living in Arlington who cannot afford to purchase sufficient food to meet their basic needs. All clients are referred by private or public social services agencies. Every third Friday of the month, Rock Spring members volunteer and prepare bags of groceries for AFAC clients. (Contact Don Hall to volunteer). On June 9th, 2003, AFAC celebrated its 15th year of service to Arlington’s neighbors in need.

Contact:
P.O. Box 6261
Arlington, VA 22206-0261
Phone 703/845-8486
E-mail: afacchristine@aol.com
Website: www.afacinfo.org

Arlington Street Persons Network (A-SPAN).

A-SPAN is dedicated to serving immediate and long-term needs of homeless people in Arlington County. A-SPAN consists of three programs: Emergency Winter Shelter, an overnight shelter which accommodates 40 persons; Opportunity Place, outreach workers and case managers work with the homeless clients on self-sufficiency goals; and the Homeless Bagged Meal Program which provides bagged lunches to homeless clients.

Contact:
P.O. Box 100731
Arlington, VA 22210-0854
Phone: 703/820-HELP(4357)
E-Mail: aspanexdir@aol.com
Website: www.a-span.org

Arlington Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless (AACH).

AACH was created in 1985 to give homeless people in the City of Alexandria the support, shelter, counseling and employment training the need to regain self-sufficiency. AACH has four components: Sullivan House, a homeless shelter; Adopt-A-Family, a transitional support network; LifeWorks, an employment service; and Support for Kids in Transition (SKIT). Under the Adopt-A-Family program, local churches and others work with families to provide volunteer support, food, clothing, furnishings, and other services for up to two years. AACH provides case management and employment counseling for almost 60 families annually. Lifeworks provides career counseling and employment training and helps clients rebuild their lives through employment. SKIT counsels children exposed to the trauma of displacement by providing activities, case management and advocacy for their health and education.

Contact:
3103 N. 9th Road
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703/525-7177
E-mail: info@aahomeless.org
Website: www.aachhomeless.org

Homeless Women Dinner Program (DPHW)

The Dinner Program for Homeless Women is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving the District of Columbia. Since 1979, the Dinner Program for Homeless Women (DPHW) has continually served hot, nutritious, appetizing meals to the homeless and poor of downtown DC.
The DPHW continues while the First Congregational Church is renovated. It is operating at the First Lutheran Church (4th and E), instead.
Rock Spring volunteers work one Sunday evening a month to help provide a safe, stable, and welcoming environment where clients can receive a hot meal and be given the support and opportunity they need to reach their full potential. Volunteers also bring in donated clothing and toiletries for distribution.

Contact:
Phone: 202-737-9311
Website: www.dphw.org

For Immediate Sympathetic Help (FISH)

FISH provides transportation to those with physical and/or financial needs. Volunteers from local churches furnish rides to medical appointments, the Arlington Food Assistance Center, and social service agencies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The communication coordinator screens requests for service and notifies the team captain of the church on duty. The captain determines the service to be provided and assigns drivers. Contributions from local churches (the Arlington Interfaith Council) cover the operating expenses of FISH. Representatives from participating churches meet regularly to monitor the operation and to set policies.

Contact:

Phone: 703-501-3473
Website: www.arlingtonva-interfaith-council.org/fish.htm

Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs (AMEN)

Programs include: A daily fund, whereby an Arlington resident facing financial difficulties due to housing expenses, medical needs or utility bills contacts a social worker at a qualifying agency. The social work determines the eligibility of the request, then contacts one of the daily volunteers who arranges to have a check ready for pickup that same day. A furniture bank, A dress for success program, Security deposit for families seeking to move into Section-8 rentals Energy share, a program in which AMEN distributes funds donated by Dominion Electric Power customers to help others in hardship with utility bills.

Contact:
E-mail: amen@emergencyneeds.org
Phone: 703-558-0035.
Website: www.emergencyneeds.org