IS   … an effort to bring together diverse parts of the community surrounding the Church to do direct service projects to benefit the most vulnerable in our area. Although we frequently partner with AFAC, Arlington’s Food Bank, we can also work with any helping hands agency in the area. If you have a project idea, contact the Church of the Brethren or the CSP Volunteers 703.524.4100. And come out for some fun and service whenever a project is announced!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the recent Community Shredding Event sponsored by Ann Wilson in support of AFAC! We have scheduled another one for the 2nd Saturday, Sept. 2015.

Ann WilsonFOR 

Thank You

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If you would like to make a gift to the Community Service Project consider using the PayPal donate  button below. Beyond that, please read about our past project below.
Thank you!

Past Monthly Service Projects Include:

Shredding to Support AFAC. was on Sept. 20, 2014 and Sept. 14, 2013. We were able to bring to you the big shredding truck through the generosity of :

Thanks to all who contributed to the local homeless school kids food collection (Backpack Buddies Program) that ran through June 22.

Boulevard Manor residents join Brethren Church members.

We also thank the families who turned out on Sat. June 22 for games and stories that told about the experience of being a homeless child, without your own bed, and sometimes with irregular meals, and parents under stress.

Saturday, March 23, 2013: Plant Seeds, Grow Hope   We gathered at the Brethren Church to bundle vegetable seed packages — every kind of tomato, squash, and melon you could imagine.  About 35 volunteers turned out so we made 100 scarves in just over one hour! We had the JV Basketball team from W & L High School, Friends from churches, Boulevard Manor neighborhood, a handsome young man named Adian and his Mom for D.C.  It was so fun and in the end we had a great bunch of scarves for A-SPAN. Many thanks to all and especially to Carole Compton, who delivered the scarves to A-SPAN

October 2012 – Clothing collection & giveaway for Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing. (“Store/Distribution” was held on November 10) Many thanks to everyone and all the churches who participated in the great project!

SATURDAY, September 14,  2o12: Shredding for AFAC
Thanks to the generosity of Ann Wilson of Keller Williams Realty, many boxes and bags of personal papers were shredded in exchange for two boxes of cereal or other non-perishables or a cash donation for Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).40 participants filled four very large overflowing red bins filled with cereal and other non-perishables for a total of 324 pounds of donated food, and more than $300 was donated to AFAC

Summer 2012 (June, July, and August): Fresh Produce Collection for AFAC Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, and Brethren participated.  Thanks to all who brought in fresh squash, tomatoes, corn, green beans, and more. Next summer we hope to engage more congregations.

May 19, 2012: Community Yard Sale to Benefit AFAC  We had participants from Bethel UCC, the Cambodian Church, 2 AFAC volunteers, and the Brethren Church. Together was raised $120 for AFAC and had so much fun. We’ll definitely do this again.

April 28, 2012: Recycled Crafts with Culpepper Garden Residents  We made recycled paper seed starters with the residents of the Assisted Living Center at Culpepper Garden. It was a packed event, and by the end, the residents were bursting out in song and we all sang together as loud as we could. The Culpepper staff reported that they planted the starters with the seeds we laid the week after our project visited.

AFAC Plant-a-Row Outreach: (March 24, 2012):  A small group gathered to assemble seed packets in the morning on March 24 as planned, but rain came just as we finished, and we decided to try to deliver packets the following weekend. 

 Saturday, March 31 was bright and sunny, perfect to visit neighborhood residents to engage them in the Arlington Food Assistance Center’s effort to increase the fresh, local produce available for its clients. A new set of volunteers distributed more than 200 seed packets to homeowners who said they would grow a row for AFAC.     Thank you to all who participated either Saturday!

Scarves for the Homeless ( Jan. 2012) About 30 people gathered to make no- sew fleece scarves for Arlington’s homeless who are sheltered by Arlington Street People’s Network during the cold months.

Food for Local Hungry Children (Nov. 2011)  AFAC began a new initiative to supply at risk children with enough food for a weekend, delivered in an ordinary back-pack. We collected Food Donations for these and other needed items during the month and delivered the packages to AFAC for distribution. Scroll down below the MSP Listserv sign-up box to read more.

CROP WALK (Oct. 2011)  $500 raised for hungry in Arlington and around the world.

Health Kits for El Salvador Clinic (Oct. 22, 2011) Another successful project was held at Arlington Church of the Brethren: 40 kits were assembled. (Thanks to the Young Women’s Professional organization). These kits are destined for the Lighthouse Vision of God Clinic in El Salvador.

Shred for Bread:  (Sept. 17)Neighbors brought their documents for secure shredding and boxes of cereal for AFAC. A van load of cereal and cash was collected.

AFAC – Backpack Buddies:  The Backpack Buddies program provides food to homeless children in the Arlington County Public Schools System.  The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) provides selected food items from food drive donations and from food purchased specifically for this program and provides that food to the schools.  Examples include: fresh fruit, granola bars, microwavable meals, peanut butter & jelly, microwavable soups.

Food for each backpack costs approximately $18.00 per week. Staff at the schools pack the food in backpacks and provide the backpacks to students registered in the program on Fridays prior to the weekend.  The student can then return the backpack to the school on Monday so the cycle can begin anew.Project Suggestions or Questions? Contact Pastor Nancy Fitzgerald.