NOVA’S SOCIAL JUSTICE REGULAR COMMITMENT PROJECTS
OTHER COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS INVOLVING MONEY
COMMUNITY MEMBER COMMITMENTS OF TIME AND RESOURCES
2020
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NOVA’S SOCIAL JUSTICE REGULAR COMMITMENTS 2020
COMMITMENT SPONSOR
ACTION AFRICA Marie Keefe
Action Africa provides services in the vital areas of health, education, micro-enterprise development, and human rights for African children and families in rural villages, currently in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and for immigrants in the Washington, D.C., area. www.actionafrica.org
AFAC Dianne Carroll
AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center) distributes groceries to over 2,400 families every week. More than 35% of the people served are children. https://afac.org
A-SPAN Meg Tuccillo
A-SPAN, Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, continues working toward its goal of achieving permanent supportive housing for all our friends in Arlington. Through job training, street outreach, bagged meals, shelter and medical care, the staff and volunteers work to help our friends feel they are treated with respect and dignity on their road to housing. http://www.a-span.org
BETHANY HOUSE Judy Christofferson
Bethany House of Northern Virginia serves women and their children who have suffered from domestic violence by providing crisis intervention, temporary shelter, counseling, and follow-up services that include ongoing support as needed. www.bhnv.org
BREAD FOR THE WORLD Peggy Meyer
Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world’s hungry people by lobbying our nation’s decision makers. BFW Institute seeks justice for hungry people by engaging in research and education on policies related to hunger and development. http://www.bread.org/
BRIDGES TO INDEPENDENCE Kopp Michelotti
Bridges helps homeless families get back on their feet by providing emergency shelter, counseling, employment readiness and financial literacy training; Bridges also provides rapid rehousing services to nearly 100 families (over 200 individuals) each year. https://bridges2.org
BRYANT ALTERNATIVE CENTER FOOD PANTRY Carolyn Miller
Teacher Nancy Chang will need $400 in January, April, June and September. Those are the months she’ll be stocking up the pantry. She is planning to open it one day a week during the summer to help those families who are food-challenged. The Millers will continue to request donations from the community, which they will supplement, and take to the school every couple of weeks.
CO-PARTNERS OF CAMPESINAS Archer Heinzen
CoC backs women-run projects in rural towns in El Salvador and Guatemala. Last year, NOVA continued an annual donation of $1,800 and, in addition, gave $1,500 to fund training on industrial sewing machines donated by the Rotary Club of DC. At a minimum, we ask for a continuation of the $1,800 grant. Expanding funding to an organization like Co-partners that develops rural employment is an effective way of helping stem the flood of desperate immigrants. Additional support would allow us to expand our efforts. www.copartners.org
DREAM PROJECT Emma Violand-Sanchez
The Dream Project empowers students whose immigration status creates barriers to education by working with them to access and succeed in college through scholarships, mentoring, family engagement and advocacy; this year we plan to award 100 scholarships for $2,000. The mentoring program serves 25 high school students, and families participate in several events; this year scholars and parents will participate in Dream Project Summit workshops on career planning, financial aid, legal advice, advocacy and community resources. www.dreamproject-va.org
EDUCATE THE GIRLS Nancy Veldhuis
NOVA’s financial contribution to ETG, a 501(c)(3), enables girls in the rural village of Kanoni, Uganda, to obtain primary and secondary education by providing for their school fees, school supplies, and helping them to overcome obstacles, i.e. shoes, feminine hygiene products, etc. that would keep them from school. A year’s school fees in a Ugandan primary school are roughly $350 U.S. dollars; and secondary, $800 U.S. dollars, depending on the exchange rate and the school the student chooses to attend. Requesting an increase of $50 a month to meet increased costs as 19 of the current 20 students are at the more costly secondary level. https://www.facebook.com/EducateTheGirls/?fref=ts
EMMAH’S GARDEN – KENYA Clyde Christofferson
This financial support will pay for purchase, delivery, and maintenance for a year of 2 Berkey water purification systems in Kenya. Emmah’s Garden is helping a village in Kenya develop and test a community managed water supply and usage methodology which can serve as a model for other water limited villages in Africa. https://emmahsgarden.com/
GREENWELL John Tarrant
The Greenwell Foundation provides therapeutic riding for children and wounded veterans in Greenwell State Park in Hollywood, MD. Additional programs include housing a homeless veteran in the park. Inclusive summer camp continues. The foundation is now fundraising for a covered arena to allow the therapeutic riding to take place in the evenings and inclement weather. http://greenwellfoundation.org/
HOMELESS RETREAT PROJECT John Mooney
Eight men volunteers lead four retreats/year for Washington-area homeless men in recovery from addiction. The retreats are at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Faulkner, MD, with about 12 new retreatants per retreat. The volunteers also provide spiritual accompaniment on a monthly and weekly basis to alumni from all previous retreats. The contribution requested from NOVA covers most of the $2,550 needed for one of the four retreats. www.ignatianspiritualityproject.org
JOE KENNA FUND Joe Kenna/Marie Keefe
Joe Kenna counsels the most marginalized folks in Baltimore. This fund allows him to assist them with immediate life emergencies such as food, rent and health issues until they can get social services.
MALAWI JESUIT SCHOOL Eric Carroll
This project, sponsored by Fr. Pete Henriot, former NOVA padre, provides infrastructure support for the school which is now graduating students. http://loyola-malawi.org/
MY FRIENDS HOUSE, INC. Teddi Ahrens
Founder Eve Birch is grateful to NOVA for its monthly financial support, but asked us to waive those payments in favor of NOVA’s other commitments. She asks for us to continue to send food and other supplies, however, and welcomes outside advice and physical help of all kinds. Teddi asks that NOVA set aside an emergency fund of $500 for unforeseen crises. http://myfriendshouse.org
NETWORK LOBBY FOR CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE Pat Sodo
We are fortunate to have the NETWORK office right here in Washington, representing our interests (as individuals and as a faith community) by acting as a voice for economic and social transformation, educating, organizing, and lobbying around issues affecting families, workers, and immigrants https://networklobby.org
NOVA FOOD PROJECT Eric Carroll
This project provides fresh produce to needy families in Arlington, at two shelters, and to the families at the Gunston Food Distribution. This will be ended in June 1, 2020 when the Gunston site will be moved to the new low income apartment building, The Apex, managed by AHC near Gunston. The numbers served will increase from 25 to over 100.
OAXACA SCHOOL PROJECT Raquel Pastor
in Quiegolani MX Teachers at the school go out into the remote local mountainous villages to train parents how to detect disabilities and how to value and care for their children with disabilities, which is considered a curse or at a minimum shameful. Nearest medical facilities are hours away and the poverty level is so severe that families cannot pay for medicines, so the training is essential.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS Dianne Carroll
The NOVA program provides rental assistance on a one-time, emergency basis for those in need in the Arlington Public Schools community. School social workers screen the requests and send the request on a form designed by NOVA. Twenty-nine families were helped in 2019 with $21,000.
SALOMON KLEIN ORPHANAGE Emma Violand-Sanchez
Salomon Klein Orphanage in Cochabamba, Bolivia, serves as a loving, safe haven for abandoned or 180 orphaned and abused children from newborns to age six.. The Bolivian government provides enough funding to care for 30% of the children; that means that 60% of the orphanage budget, which represents almost 100 children, needs to be raised from the generosity of individual, Nova Catholic Community and group donors, mostly from abroad. www.salomonkleinkidsfund.org
STREET SENSE MEDIA Brian Carome
Street Sense Media’s mission is to end homelessness in the Washington, D.C., area by empowering people in need with the skills, tools and confidence to succeed. Together we use a range of media platforms to raise awareness and spotlight solutions to homelessness in our community. Our case management program helps the men and women we work with navigate the often complex bureaucracies toward permanent housing, employment and physical and mental health care. Funds from NOVA go toward direct client assistance, which includes transportation to appointments, household items for vendors transitioning into housing, our emergency loan fund and survival items for outreach clients who live outside. www.streetsensemedia.org
V.O.I.C.E. Nancy Veldhuis
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (V.O.I.C.E.) is a nonpartisan citizens’ organization of almost 50 interfaith and civic institutions in Northern Virginia. VOICE organizes to build power and do justice in middle- and low-income communities in Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties and Alexandria City; unites and empowers people through relationships across lines of race, class, religion, political party and geography to take effective action on key issues including immigrant rights, foreclosure accountability, schools, criminal justice reform, affordable housing preservation/development, and youth investment; and takes on powerful interests that stand in the way. http://www.voice-iaf.org/
WEEKEND FOOD PACKS 4 KIDS Cathy Showalter
Crossroads Connection bags of nonperishable nutritious food and drinks are sent home on Fridays with “food insecure” students in Prince William County public schools, many of whose parents are not working. In September when we reached out to school counselors to conduct our annual needs assessment, we discovered that the numbers of students in need had significantly increased.
WOMEN’S ORDINATION FUND Nancy Veldhuis
The Women’s Ordination Conference is a U.S.-based Catholic organization working locally and nationally in collaboration with the worldwide movement for women’s ordination. WOC works to renew church governance to be inclusive, accountable and transparent; bring about justice and equality for Catholic women; and incorporate women-centered theologies into everyday Catholicism. https://www.womensordination.org
ZIMBABWE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS Pat and Don Sodo
Education is not free in Zimbabwe. Funds are provided to a Zimbabwe based charity, Children in the Wilderness. This Emergency Contingency Fund would be available to CITW to help the families of one or several children. It could provide unexpected costs that arise during the school year.
OTHER COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS INVOLVING MONEY
A-SPAN HOMELESS WALK-A-THON Meg Tuccillo
NOVA members participate in a mini walk in October to benefit the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network.
KEN CHAISON FAMILY EMERGENCY FUND Dianne Carroll
Presently funded by Marie Pinho bequest
This provides funds for an emergency need of a family that cannot be met in any other way. School social workers screen the requests and send the request on a form designed by NOVA. Thirty-one families were helped in 2019 with a variety of requests -- cab vouchers, electric bill help, food cards, summer school, etc.
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND Bob O’Toole/committee
Funded by Marie Pinho bequest
The LDF was created and funded to provide legal representation to individuals who are facing deportation.
*The Fund has received 10 applications for assistance. Nine applicants were referred to our legal aid partners for processing. All applicants have received a delay in the hearing dates for their cases. The lawyers believe this is the best outcome. All our cases are open, pending further processing.
* Currently we have $8350 remaining in our allocation. We understand that additional funds are available if needed. * So far we have directly helped 9 individuals to avoid deportation.
NOVA MARIE PINHO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Linda Christie/committee
Funded by Marie Pinho bequest
This project provides $300 a month during the academic year (works out to nine months per year) to those who are granted the scholarship. Thus far we have had three scholars graduate from college; they have jobs! Three more are currently receiving this (one college senior and two juniors) and one about-to-be high school graduate who has applied, plus one more request. We are expecting another applicant shortly.
VILLA CANDELARIA SCHOOL, Cochabamba Bolivia Dianne Carroll
Twenty-seven NOVA members have provided $120 a year to sponsor students at this school, which serves age 2 through 6th grade. They get a quality education, and low-income families are provided school materials. Some children who live in prison with their mothers are able to leave the prison and attend school
COMMUNITY MEMBER COMMITMENTS OF TIME AND RESOURCES
AFAC GUNSTON FOOD DISTRIBUTION Dianne Carroll
Every Thursday for the last nearly 30 years NOVA volunteers distribute food at the Gunston Rec Center for AFAC. One person drives the truck from the warehouse to Gunston, one helps distribute, one checks families in on the computer. Clients help unload the truck.
The Gunston site will move to The Apex with 256 low income apartments managed by Arlington Housing Corporation. NOVA will no longer manage the volunteers for this distribution.
BOOK GROUPS:
Watch the NOVA Sunday announcements for the groups that are meeting.
BRYANT ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER Carolyn Miller
Ted and Carolyn Miller and John Veldhuis go to Bryant School weekly for 50 minutes to work with the students. Teacher Chang identifies the students who need help with assignments. We help them as we can, but also spend time just listening and talking to them one-on-one, something they need. They are a somewhat traumatized group. We hope maybe more NOVA members will be able to join us.
CARE FOR CREATION Gloria Mog & team members: Kathy Scheimer, Richard Urban, Carmela Ormando, Rosemarie Annunziata, Scott Spaine, Ted & Carolyn Miller, Tim White, David Mog, Jeanne Clarkson, Cathy Showalter.
The Team was formed in March 2019 in response to the climate crisis and the growing realization that people of faith are playing an increasingly critical role in the worldwide response to this crisis. The Mission of the Team is:
CHRIST HOUSE EVENING MEAL Tim White
It opens the doors to serve an evening meal to those who are hungry. NOVA members prepare meatloaves and scalloped potatoes, which together with other items are served at Christ House by a team of NOVA volunteers on the 3rd Monday of every other month. Thanks to the generosity of many NOVA folks, we serve one of the best and most popular meals of any organization. http://www.ccda.net/programs_christhouse.php
CHRISTMAS GIFTS PROJECT Cathy Goldschmidt
NOVA members sign up to prepare gifts for a child for Christmas.
L’ARCHE COMMUNITY Carmela Ormando
NOVA members are invited once a month to join this community for dinner.
MY FRIENDS HOUSE, INC. Teddi Ahrens
Teddi collects needed items for those Eve Birch serves in West Virginia including fresh food, blankets, clothes, building materials, sewing materials, paint, craft materials. http://myfriendshouse.org
NOVA MEN’S GROUP CONVERSATIONS Tom Clarkson
Once a month men of NOVA are invited to gather with Fr. Quinn Conners, facilitator. All men welcome on the last Friday of the month. Men are invited to speak about what they would like to do in their life. Helpful ground rules have been established.
PAPER PRODUCTS FOR DOORWAYS Cece/Kopp Michelotti
NOVA members bring paper towels, toilet paper, napkins on the first Sunday of each month for the women’s and family shelter in Arlington.
PRAYER GROUP Bill Meyer
NOVA members meet together to pray for intentions. A Prayer Book is available at liturgy for people to record an intention.
RAMADAN BASKETS OF KINDNESS Dianne Carroll/Marie Keefe
In cooperation with the Muslim Women’s Coalition and the director Uzma Farooq, NOVA has provided items for 11 families to be delivered to the shelter in Arlington during Ramadan. MWC provides the instructions for what is needed in the baskets, and NOVA members sign up to bring them. We are able to get the number and age of the children in each family so we can provide something for each of them. During Ramadan, Muslims are called to fast from dawn to dusk and to give food/alms to the needy so they consider this project a labor of love.
ST. CLEMENT’S HYPOTHERMIA SHELTER Dianne Carroll
Two from NOVA volunteer for each of three Mondays in January/February at Carpenter Shelter, which brings overflow guests to the church to spend the night in a warm safe environment. Up to 13-14 guests are served. The volunteers greet the guests, show them where to sleep, offer snacks and TV room, lights out at 10, wake the guests and offer McDonald’s cards, and the van picks them up.
TRINITY EPISCOPAL-NOVA PARTNERSHIP ON RACE Carmela Ormando
This group is engaged in learning about the history of race and racism. Currently we are studying Sacred Ground, a film and reading-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith.
WOMEN’S PRISON BOOK PROJECT Pat Sodo
NOVA members support this project by donating used books.
COMMITMENT SPONSOR
ACTION AFRICA Marie Keefe
Action Africa provides services in the vital areas of health, education, micro-enterprise development, and human rights for African children and families in rural villages, currently in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and for immigrants in the Washington, D.C., area. www.actionafrica.org
AFAC Dianne Carroll
AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Center) distributes groceries to over 2,400 families every week. More than 35% of the people served are children. https://afac.org
A-SPAN Meg Tuccillo
A-SPAN, Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network, continues working toward its goal of achieving permanent supportive housing for all our friends in Arlington. Through job training, street outreach, bagged meals, shelter and medical care, the staff and volunteers work to help our friends feel they are treated with respect and dignity on their road to housing. http://www.a-span.org
BETHANY HOUSE Judy Christofferson
Bethany House of Northern Virginia serves women and their children who have suffered from domestic violence by providing crisis intervention, temporary shelter, counseling, and follow-up services that include ongoing support as needed. www.bhnv.org
BREAD FOR THE WORLD Peggy Meyer
Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world’s hungry people by lobbying our nation’s decision makers. BFW Institute seeks justice for hungry people by engaging in research and education on policies related to hunger and development. http://www.bread.org/
BRIDGES TO INDEPENDENCE Kopp Michelotti
Bridges helps homeless families get back on their feet by providing emergency shelter, counseling, employment readiness and financial literacy training; Bridges also provides rapid rehousing services to nearly 100 families (over 200 individuals) each year. https://bridges2.org
BRYANT ALTERNATIVE CENTER FOOD PANTRY Carolyn Miller
Teacher Nancy Chang will need $400 in January, April, June and September. Those are the months she’ll be stocking up the pantry. She is planning to open it one day a week during the summer to help those families who are food-challenged. The Millers will continue to request donations from the community, which they will supplement, and take to the school every couple of weeks.
CO-PARTNERS OF CAMPESINAS Archer Heinzen
CoC backs women-run projects in rural towns in El Salvador and Guatemala. Last year, NOVA continued an annual donation of $1,800 and, in addition, gave $1,500 to fund training on industrial sewing machines donated by the Rotary Club of DC. At a minimum, we ask for a continuation of the $1,800 grant. Expanding funding to an organization like Co-partners that develops rural employment is an effective way of helping stem the flood of desperate immigrants. Additional support would allow us to expand our efforts. www.copartners.org
DREAM PROJECT Emma Violand-Sanchez
The Dream Project empowers students whose immigration status creates barriers to education by working with them to access and succeed in college through scholarships, mentoring, family engagement and advocacy; this year we plan to award 100 scholarships for $2,000. The mentoring program serves 25 high school students, and families participate in several events; this year scholars and parents will participate in Dream Project Summit workshops on career planning, financial aid, legal advice, advocacy and community resources. www.dreamproject-va.org
EDUCATE THE GIRLS Nancy Veldhuis
NOVA’s financial contribution to ETG, a 501(c)(3), enables girls in the rural village of Kanoni, Uganda, to obtain primary and secondary education by providing for their school fees, school supplies, and helping them to overcome obstacles, i.e. shoes, feminine hygiene products, etc. that would keep them from school. A year’s school fees in a Ugandan primary school are roughly $350 U.S. dollars; and secondary, $800 U.S. dollars, depending on the exchange rate and the school the student chooses to attend. Requesting an increase of $50 a month to meet increased costs as 19 of the current 20 students are at the more costly secondary level. https://www.facebook.com/EducateTheGirls/?fref=ts
EMMAH’S GARDEN – KENYA Clyde Christofferson
This financial support will pay for purchase, delivery, and maintenance for a year of 2 Berkey water purification systems in Kenya. Emmah’s Garden is helping a village in Kenya develop and test a community managed water supply and usage methodology which can serve as a model for other water limited villages in Africa. https://emmahsgarden.com/
GREENWELL John Tarrant
The Greenwell Foundation provides therapeutic riding for children and wounded veterans in Greenwell State Park in Hollywood, MD. Additional programs include housing a homeless veteran in the park. Inclusive summer camp continues. The foundation is now fundraising for a covered arena to allow the therapeutic riding to take place in the evenings and inclement weather. http://greenwellfoundation.org/
HOMELESS RETREAT PROJECT John Mooney
Eight men volunteers lead four retreats/year for Washington-area homeless men in recovery from addiction. The retreats are at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Faulkner, MD, with about 12 new retreatants per retreat. The volunteers also provide spiritual accompaniment on a monthly and weekly basis to alumni from all previous retreats. The contribution requested from NOVA covers most of the $2,550 needed for one of the four retreats. www.ignatianspiritualityproject.org
JOE KENNA FUND Joe Kenna/Marie Keefe
Joe Kenna counsels the most marginalized folks in Baltimore. This fund allows him to assist them with immediate life emergencies such as food, rent and health issues until they can get social services.
MALAWI JESUIT SCHOOL Eric Carroll
This project, sponsored by Fr. Pete Henriot, former NOVA padre, provides infrastructure support for the school which is now graduating students. http://loyola-malawi.org/
MY FRIENDS HOUSE, INC. Teddi Ahrens
Founder Eve Birch is grateful to NOVA for its monthly financial support, but asked us to waive those payments in favor of NOVA’s other commitments. She asks for us to continue to send food and other supplies, however, and welcomes outside advice and physical help of all kinds. Teddi asks that NOVA set aside an emergency fund of $500 for unforeseen crises. http://myfriendshouse.org
NETWORK LOBBY FOR CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE Pat Sodo
We are fortunate to have the NETWORK office right here in Washington, representing our interests (as individuals and as a faith community) by acting as a voice for economic and social transformation, educating, organizing, and lobbying around issues affecting families, workers, and immigrants https://networklobby.org
NOVA FOOD PROJECT Eric Carroll
This project provides fresh produce to needy families in Arlington, at two shelters, and to the families at the Gunston Food Distribution. This will be ended in June 1, 2020 when the Gunston site will be moved to the new low income apartment building, The Apex, managed by AHC near Gunston. The numbers served will increase from 25 to over 100.
OAXACA SCHOOL PROJECT Raquel Pastor
in Quiegolani MX Teachers at the school go out into the remote local mountainous villages to train parents how to detect disabilities and how to value and care for their children with disabilities, which is considered a curse or at a minimum shameful. Nearest medical facilities are hours away and the poverty level is so severe that families cannot pay for medicines, so the training is essential.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS Dianne Carroll
The NOVA program provides rental assistance on a one-time, emergency basis for those in need in the Arlington Public Schools community. School social workers screen the requests and send the request on a form designed by NOVA. Twenty-nine families were helped in 2019 with $21,000.
SALOMON KLEIN ORPHANAGE Emma Violand-Sanchez
Salomon Klein Orphanage in Cochabamba, Bolivia, serves as a loving, safe haven for abandoned or 180 orphaned and abused children from newborns to age six.. The Bolivian government provides enough funding to care for 30% of the children; that means that 60% of the orphanage budget, which represents almost 100 children, needs to be raised from the generosity of individual, Nova Catholic Community and group donors, mostly from abroad. www.salomonkleinkidsfund.org
STREET SENSE MEDIA Brian Carome
Street Sense Media’s mission is to end homelessness in the Washington, D.C., area by empowering people in need with the skills, tools and confidence to succeed. Together we use a range of media platforms to raise awareness and spotlight solutions to homelessness in our community. Our case management program helps the men and women we work with navigate the often complex bureaucracies toward permanent housing, employment and physical and mental health care. Funds from NOVA go toward direct client assistance, which includes transportation to appointments, household items for vendors transitioning into housing, our emergency loan fund and survival items for outreach clients who live outside. www.streetsensemedia.org
V.O.I.C.E. Nancy Veldhuis
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (V.O.I.C.E.) is a nonpartisan citizens’ organization of almost 50 interfaith and civic institutions in Northern Virginia. VOICE organizes to build power and do justice in middle- and low-income communities in Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties and Alexandria City; unites and empowers people through relationships across lines of race, class, religion, political party and geography to take effective action on key issues including immigrant rights, foreclosure accountability, schools, criminal justice reform, affordable housing preservation/development, and youth investment; and takes on powerful interests that stand in the way. http://www.voice-iaf.org/
WEEKEND FOOD PACKS 4 KIDS Cathy Showalter
Crossroads Connection bags of nonperishable nutritious food and drinks are sent home on Fridays with “food insecure” students in Prince William County public schools, many of whose parents are not working. In September when we reached out to school counselors to conduct our annual needs assessment, we discovered that the numbers of students in need had significantly increased.
WOMEN’S ORDINATION FUND Nancy Veldhuis
The Women’s Ordination Conference is a U.S.-based Catholic organization working locally and nationally in collaboration with the worldwide movement for women’s ordination. WOC works to renew church governance to be inclusive, accountable and transparent; bring about justice and equality for Catholic women; and incorporate women-centered theologies into everyday Catholicism. https://www.womensordination.org
ZIMBABWE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS Pat and Don Sodo
Education is not free in Zimbabwe. Funds are provided to a Zimbabwe based charity, Children in the Wilderness. This Emergency Contingency Fund would be available to CITW to help the families of one or several children. It could provide unexpected costs that arise during the school year.
OTHER COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS INVOLVING MONEY
A-SPAN HOMELESS WALK-A-THON Meg Tuccillo
NOVA members participate in a mini walk in October to benefit the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network.
KEN CHAISON FAMILY EMERGENCY FUND Dianne Carroll
Presently funded by Marie Pinho bequest
This provides funds for an emergency need of a family that cannot be met in any other way. School social workers screen the requests and send the request on a form designed by NOVA. Thirty-one families were helped in 2019 with a variety of requests -- cab vouchers, electric bill help, food cards, summer school, etc.
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND Bob O’Toole/committee
Funded by Marie Pinho bequest
The LDF was created and funded to provide legal representation to individuals who are facing deportation.
*The Fund has received 10 applications for assistance. Nine applicants were referred to our legal aid partners for processing. All applicants have received a delay in the hearing dates for their cases. The lawyers believe this is the best outcome. All our cases are open, pending further processing.
* Currently we have $8350 remaining in our allocation. We understand that additional funds are available if needed. * So far we have directly helped 9 individuals to avoid deportation.
NOVA MARIE PINHO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Linda Christie/committee
Funded by Marie Pinho bequest
This project provides $300 a month during the academic year (works out to nine months per year) to those who are granted the scholarship. Thus far we have had three scholars graduate from college; they have jobs! Three more are currently receiving this (one college senior and two juniors) and one about-to-be high school graduate who has applied, plus one more request. We are expecting another applicant shortly.
VILLA CANDELARIA SCHOOL, Cochabamba Bolivia Dianne Carroll
Twenty-seven NOVA members have provided $120 a year to sponsor students at this school, which serves age 2 through 6th grade. They get a quality education, and low-income families are provided school materials. Some children who live in prison with their mothers are able to leave the prison and attend school
COMMUNITY MEMBER COMMITMENTS OF TIME AND RESOURCES
AFAC GUNSTON FOOD DISTRIBUTION Dianne Carroll
Every Thursday for the last nearly 30 years NOVA volunteers distribute food at the Gunston Rec Center for AFAC. One person drives the truck from the warehouse to Gunston, one helps distribute, one checks families in on the computer. Clients help unload the truck.
The Gunston site will move to The Apex with 256 low income apartments managed by Arlington Housing Corporation. NOVA will no longer manage the volunteers for this distribution.
BOOK GROUPS:
Watch the NOVA Sunday announcements for the groups that are meeting.
BRYANT ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER Carolyn Miller
Ted and Carolyn Miller and John Veldhuis go to Bryant School weekly for 50 minutes to work with the students. Teacher Chang identifies the students who need help with assignments. We help them as we can, but also spend time just listening and talking to them one-on-one, something they need. They are a somewhat traumatized group. We hope maybe more NOVA members will be able to join us.
CARE FOR CREATION Gloria Mog & team members: Kathy Scheimer, Richard Urban, Carmela Ormando, Rosemarie Annunziata, Scott Spaine, Ted & Carolyn Miller, Tim White, David Mog, Jeanne Clarkson, Cathy Showalter.
The Team was formed in March 2019 in response to the climate crisis and the growing realization that people of faith are playing an increasingly critical role in the worldwide response to this crisis. The Mission of the Team is:
- Provide education in the NOVA Community around environmental issues and actions needed to make progress on this problem.
- Take leadership in developing concrete personal and communal actions that members can take.
- Integrate Care for Creation themes in the liturgical and prayer life of the community
- Advocate for legislative progress locally, statewide and nationally.
- Engender hope and motivation by reporting on progress being made.
CHRIST HOUSE EVENING MEAL Tim White
It opens the doors to serve an evening meal to those who are hungry. NOVA members prepare meatloaves and scalloped potatoes, which together with other items are served at Christ House by a team of NOVA volunteers on the 3rd Monday of every other month. Thanks to the generosity of many NOVA folks, we serve one of the best and most popular meals of any organization. http://www.ccda.net/programs_christhouse.php
CHRISTMAS GIFTS PROJECT Cathy Goldschmidt
NOVA members sign up to prepare gifts for a child for Christmas.
L’ARCHE COMMUNITY Carmela Ormando
NOVA members are invited once a month to join this community for dinner.
MY FRIENDS HOUSE, INC. Teddi Ahrens
Teddi collects needed items for those Eve Birch serves in West Virginia including fresh food, blankets, clothes, building materials, sewing materials, paint, craft materials. http://myfriendshouse.org
NOVA MEN’S GROUP CONVERSATIONS Tom Clarkson
Once a month men of NOVA are invited to gather with Fr. Quinn Conners, facilitator. All men welcome on the last Friday of the month. Men are invited to speak about what they would like to do in their life. Helpful ground rules have been established.
PAPER PRODUCTS FOR DOORWAYS Cece/Kopp Michelotti
NOVA members bring paper towels, toilet paper, napkins on the first Sunday of each month for the women’s and family shelter in Arlington.
PRAYER GROUP Bill Meyer
NOVA members meet together to pray for intentions. A Prayer Book is available at liturgy for people to record an intention.
RAMADAN BASKETS OF KINDNESS Dianne Carroll/Marie Keefe
In cooperation with the Muslim Women’s Coalition and the director Uzma Farooq, NOVA has provided items for 11 families to be delivered to the shelter in Arlington during Ramadan. MWC provides the instructions for what is needed in the baskets, and NOVA members sign up to bring them. We are able to get the number and age of the children in each family so we can provide something for each of them. During Ramadan, Muslims are called to fast from dawn to dusk and to give food/alms to the needy so they consider this project a labor of love.
ST. CLEMENT’S HYPOTHERMIA SHELTER Dianne Carroll
Two from NOVA volunteer for each of three Mondays in January/February at Carpenter Shelter, which brings overflow guests to the church to spend the night in a warm safe environment. Up to 13-14 guests are served. The volunteers greet the guests, show them where to sleep, offer snacks and TV room, lights out at 10, wake the guests and offer McDonald’s cards, and the van picks them up.
TRINITY EPISCOPAL-NOVA PARTNERSHIP ON RACE Carmela Ormando
This group is engaged in learning about the history of race and racism. Currently we are studying Sacred Ground, a film and reading-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith.
WOMEN’S PRISON BOOK PROJECT Pat Sodo
NOVA members support this project by donating used books.