Rector’s Update: Serving our (new) neighbors
a late afternoon update for an imminent opportunity to serve…
Please respond soon if you are interested!
Dear Restoration,
Furniture Donation Drive:
Hundreds of Afghan families are currently resettling in our area. Many of these families have been living at US Army bases since evacuating Afghanistan in August. While they are finally able to resettle into more permanent homes, they are starting from scratch. Arlington Neighbors Welcoming Afghans (ANWA) is a local volunteer and donation-based group of neighbors working to fill the gaps where resettlement agencies are unable. Local resettlement agencies often refer these families to groups such as AWNA where each new family is matched with a volunteer. We have been assigned ‘Family #63’. A team of folks from Restoration, led by Hannah Royal, is helping to resettle this family with three kids under 7 and a 4th child on the way any day now!
There are three ways you can help.
1) Donate and drop off one of the following items
2) Buy something off the Amazon Wish List
3) Help delivering items to the family this Saturday – Contact Hannah to sign up.
Food Delivery Drive
Additionally, Lauren Kuykendall and Karen McNeilley set up a food delivery program to deliver groceries and meals to over 300 families who have recently resettled in the area. Lutheran Social Services wrote about their incredible work and named them February Heroes of the Month!
We will have an opportunity each month to serve our Afghan neighbors. The next opportunity to deliver meals is Saturday morning, Feb. 19. Please sign up here to participate. Children are welcome to join with their parents. Volunteers meet at the Willston Multicultural Center (6131 Willston Drive Falls Church, VA, 22044) and deliver groceries in pairs to four or five families in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, or Tysons. Volunteers must sign up in advance because they are required to clear a background check with LSS.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to show your faith with a demonstration of love through your works. Hope you had a great week studying that in small group!
-David
