While it can take months or even years to come to terms with the loss of a loved one, most people realize that time doesn’t pause during that period. Life and responsibilities go on and require attention. While some people find returning to a regular routine helpful, it can be extremely challenging for others. This can be a tricky situation for a manager when a volunteer suffers a loss. But with a little planning, you can make the transition easier for your returning volunteer. Why It’s Hard Whether it’s working or volunteering, everyone knows that the first day back with an organization can be a bit of a challenge. Especially when one expects colleagues to react with sympathy and questions. It’s typical for people to have the same automatic, though well-intentioned, reaction of, “I’m sorry.”  They may ask how the volunteer is doing or what happened. Try to anticipate some of...

We can’t wait for Saturday’s 7th Annual IWALK for ACTS. There’s still time to register for the 5K! Following the 5K, the community at large is invited to join us for a FREE family festival from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center (14900 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge). We will be filling the main street with activities and entertainment for the entire family. You won’t want to miss this fun, fall Saturday! We have a few vendor spots still available. Interested in partnering with us? Learn more here. Here is a look at what to expect at the festival: Minecraft activities by Animated ChildBounce House and Bounce House Slide from Castle Bounce LLC Virginia Party RentalsCharacter appearances by: McGruff the Crime Dog, Star Wars characters, Superheroes, Sparky the Fire Dog and moreMeet and Greet with Queen Elsa Science experiments with Chemistry for KidsCrafts hosted by Girls on the RunPainting by Edgemoor Art StudioFace painting by Hope Hill...

Welcome all ACTS employees, volunteers and prospects to the Volunteer Program Blog! My name is Tamika Martin, I am the Volunteer Coordinator. My job is volunteer: engagement, recruitment, placement, development, recognition and retention. This blog will feature: ACTS at events and volunteer days, recognition of excellent service from current volunteers by staff and information about programs that have immediate needs or are season specific (like Operation Turkey). With the year winding down and the weather cooling; we know the holidays are right around the corner. This is the time where collectively we think outside ourselves and give to those around us. ACTS can be a great  vehicle for you and you loved ones to make a difference in the community. Here are some of programs available for single or ongoing terms:  Adopt-A-Day Program - Provide breakfast, lunch or dinner and after-school snacks for children staying at the Beverly Warren shelter.Administration - For those...

It is amazing to me that whoever calls and whatever time it is, there is always room for compassion, even at 3:00 a.m.  Sometimes the callers at this hour are lonely and cannot sleep, other times the caller is in emotional distress.                                               We have a diverse background for our Crisis Listener team.  Many of my coworkers have past experience with working in the mental health field, serving as an encyclopedia of knowledge and resources.  One of them in particular, who has a calm spirit and years of experience, ended up talking to me about an active suicide I took. He was able to assess the call with me and gave me hope that the caller was talking about the future, so there is a chance the caller did not...

Photo Credit: vlanka, Pixabay Losing a spouse is unimaginable. It’s one of the hardest things that an individual can go through in life, and watching your loved one suffer with the grief of losing his or her spouse isn’t easy either. If your senior loved one has recently become a widow or widower, your support is important. You can help with paperwork and other tasks. Your loved one will also need your support as he or she goes through each state of grief. When a person dies, there are certain tasks that must be taken care of, such as planning the funeral, contacting the insurance company, obtaining death certificates, and more. While you should offer to help, don’t try to take control of the situation. Handling the planning gives many people in grief a sense of control and a source of distraction. Instead, sit down with your loved one to figure...

I love Soundgarden, it was one of the first bands I was exposed to. My mom would blast her tape of Superunknown on the way to bringing me to school every day in her 1992 Festiva (I never really figured what the cover was supposed to be of). Chris Cornell’s voice could go from a low growl to a high crescendo in a matter of seconds without missing a beat. My mind was completely blown when he and Tom Morello teamed up when I was 11. When Chris Cornell killed himself a few months ago, it was something you couldn’t ignore. Especially after Chester Bennington killed himself a few weeks ago. It underscored how no amount of money, fame, talent, or power makes you immune from depression and mental health problems. How someone with so much success in their life could still die. Social media was quick to echo this idea,...

Compton & Duling recently launched a Community Champion project in support of ACTS, which offers counseling and education for community members experiencing crisis. Through its involvement with ACTS, the Prince William-based law firm is bolstering services offered to families affected by domestic abuse. Compton & Duling Partner Maryse Allen recently did a presentation for ACTS' Adult Victim Group, helping group members to better understand the divorce process in Virginia. “While I am unable to give specific legal advice during a presentation, I can provide insight into preventing common pitfalls,” said Allen, who heads Compton & Duling’s family law practice. “Another goal is to demystify the court process. We never want anybody to feel that they are trapped in a domestic violence situation due to lack of information or resources.” Many of those in attendance had questions about their own situations. Often, Allen’s advice was to seek legal counsel. “The laws are...

“Thank you for sharing your story.” “You are so brave.” “You are helping other people by letting them know that they are not alone.” These are some of the most common statements heard from people who have just listened to a survivor tell their emotional story of sexual abuse or assault. In fact, helping others is a huge reason why survivors decide to open up. However, telling your trauma story can be one of the most effective coping strategies for dealing with trauma related stress and a significant step in the healing process. With the support of a professional, shaping and sharing your story helps organize memories and feelings into a more manageable and understandable narrative. Plus, the process of creating the story is in itself beneficial.  Additionally, listeners provide much needed interaction and support with their willingness to hear what the survivor has to say. Not everyone has to tell...

With the popularity of 13 Reasons Why on Netflix and the announcement of a second impending season, I think talking about self-injury is very relevant. It’s a difficult topic to discuss, but an important one. When we talk about “self-injury”, most people have a stereotypical image come to mind, usually the way Skye Miller talked about. However, this can be an oversimplification of the reality of self-injury. Here are some things to think about (if you aren’t already):   1. It takes a variety of forms  This includes scratching, biting, burning, head banging, and cutting. These things are all done for some form of an emotional release. If you haven’t struggled with something like this yourself, odds are pretty good that you know someone who has. A 2010 study estimated that around 15% of teens engaged in some form of self-injury; this is a conservative estimate at best and is most likely...

AJ Team of Keller Williams Realty, recently featured on an episode of HGTV’s popular show House Hunters, announced viewers helped raise $1,000 for ACTS Emergency Family Shelter in Dumfries, VA. Because one of the team’s Core Values is to “Be A Blessing”, they donated $1 for every social media post viewers tagged to the team’s Facebook or Instagram pages during the 22-minute live show. On July 20th, the AJ Team will present the check to shelter representatives at their office located in Lake Ridge, VA.  The journey which led the AJ Team to HGTV began when CEO Allen Johnson met Makya and Delmar through a network of friends. The couple had almost given up on finding their dream home after a year-long search because they were frustrated with their previous realtor and the home-search process. Johnson convinced them to give his team a chance, and fellow AJ Team Realtor Sam Eligwe...

-Linda Neice, Community Educator, ACTS Domestic Violence Services “Is this really what you want? To leave me?” he shouted. “If you leave me, I will kill myself. You are so cold. How could you be so cruel to me?”  With that he left, slamming the metal front door in my face. I had no idea what he would do, and I was terrified. I was only 21. Little did I know I would hear his threats over and over again, like a horrible song on repeat. It was not always this way. Like other girls, I wanted the love story that people talk about in novels. The kind that sweeps you off your feet, complete with passionate romance and the “happily ever after.” And that is what it was like during the first year. We would go on trips together, have long meaningful conversations, he would buy me extravagant gifts, and he...

Every day begins the same; wishing a “good morning” to the clients in front of the Family Services Center as we open the building, getting ready for the day, loading up the coffee maker, all before 8:30! Emergency Assistance, or “EA” as we affectionately call our home away from home, is bustling with preparation. We cross the “t’s” and dot the “i’s” of yesterday, as well as make copies and primp offices before the day gets busy, and trust me; every day is busy for us. At 9am the day begins, the door is held open and the line of clients is ushered in. Upon entry, each client gets a smile. This is very important; our clients should know we genuinely care they’re here. In too many instances, the people we serve feel forgotten. Financial hardships that deny us our basic human necessities can leave the human spirit quite broken. We respect...

At ACTS, we're always happy to host groups that serve at our warehouse through our Volunteer Program. While there, our volunteers sort the generous donations which members of our community have provided to their neighbors, mainly non-perishables and clothing.  Since February, we have been lucky enough to welcome the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Social Action Committee twice a month.  They show up, rain or shine, with exuberance and excitement at the difference they are making in people’s lives through their relationship with ACTS. The 2017 goal of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Omicron Zeta Sigma Chapter’s Social Action Committee is to ensure we make a tangible, social impact within the DMV area in general, but specifically in Prince William County. In the words of Phi Beta Sigma’s Jermaine Jackson: “Our chapter’s social action volunteerism impact focus includes a partnership with Action in the Community Through Service (ACTS). ACTS provides a...

The woman in this story was a client in our AMAC (Adults Molested As Children) support group at the PWC Adult Detention Center many moons ago.  She was a single mom whose children were living with her parents at the time.  The parents were not very supportive, however she found the support she needed from our group and co-facilitators.  Every week she would ask the facilitators for various help that she was unable to do in jail.  One day the group members laughed when again she asked for help and apologized if she was asking too much.  She turned to them and said “I am serious, this is my life”!  It was then that we knew she had a burning determination to make it and we would do whatever we could to help her.  When she was released from jail, she stayed for awhile at a shelter, found a job, and...

Belly Dancers across North America and beyond have geared up during the past few weeks to make Belly Dance History once again, and all of it was for a great cause. On Saturday, May 13th, “Shimmy Mobs” appeared randomly at various locations from coast to coast to promote World Belly Dance Day and help raise funds for women's shelters. “Flash Mobs” (a group of people organized to meet to perform a specified action and then disperse quickly) are nothing new. What makes Shimmy Mob different from regular flash mobs is the three main goals. The primary goal is to promote belly dance and raise awareness of World Belly Dance Day; the secondary goal is to raise funds for local women’s and children’s shelters in participating communities; the third goal is to acknowledge and promote participating sponsors. Of course, they also aim to entertain! Shimmy Mob represents all styles of Belly Dance and the...

Happy National Volunteer Week! I want to express my deep appreciation for the incredible perseverance and dedication of all ACTS’ volunteers, past and present.  I have seen youth volunteers spend two hours with their friends and family sorting donated items, and I have met volunteers who have spent ten years of their lives preparing food bags in our pantry.  Just this week, Comcast Cares Day brought hundreds out to Dumfries on (a very rainy) Earth Day to work making ACTS’ buildings look better and work better so we can serve the community better. A little rain could never slow down an ACTS volunteer!!  If you have spent any amount if time in your life giving back to our community through ACTS, I want to thank you.  As the Volunteer Coordinator, I am in the enviable position of meeting people as they first come to ACTS and think about what type of volunteer opportunity...

ACTS Helpline responds to a variety of people in crisis throughout the state, country, and the world.  Not only do we receive calls from our neighbors in Prince William County, but also from other parts of the US. We’ve even handled calls from Mexico, Canada and London! Other than a person’s accent, it goes to show that some problems are universal.   The range of subjects we address is staggering. This could include relationship issues with husbands or wives, transitioning to a new chapter in life, or difficulties with employment.  We frequently get calls from people locked in the cycle of domestic violence, looking for a single ray of hope. Depending on how far they want to take it, we can de-escalate, form safety plans, and refer them to direct services in their area. Although we are primarily crisis-oriented, some call because they feel they're alone in the world and have no...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in the United States and the attention generated during this time helps energize and expand ACTS efforts throughout the year. Working alongside volunteers, survivors, advocates, and other allied professionals, ACTS Sexual Assault Services is engaging the Greater Prince William community through special education and outreach activities. Learning about sexual violence is important because more than likely, someone you know has been victimized. In fact, every two minutes an American is sexually assaulted and every eight minutes, child protective services substantiates, or finds evidence for, a claim of child sexual abuse. And, most of the time, the victim knows the perpetrator.  Sexual violence does not discriminate based on race, physical appearance, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, disability or a victim’s background. Adding to the problem, sexual violence doesn’t just affect the victim. Family members, friends, co-workers and anyone close to the...

Teen dating can be both exciting and scary. There are many new feelings that teens will experience during their first few relationships and it can be difficult to determine if what they're feeling is love.  What is love? Love is an amazing feeling, it puts a smile on your face and is an antidote that can provide ultimate healing.So why do some people hurt when they are in love?  Why do relationships sometimes make people feel like they aren't good enough? ACTS Domestic Violence Services is here to say that love is NOT pain, and being in a relationship should NOT make an individual feel like a prisoner. Love is kindness, love is trust, love makes you feel significant and special. Love is gentle, tender touches, not shoves, slaps, or punches, or words that are cutting and hurtful.Love is a breath of fresh air, not a feeling of despair.  1 in 3 teens experience dating violence. Ask yourself,...

Welcome to 2017! I hope you have had a wonderful new year so far. I decided to boycott the whole “New Year's Resolution” because, like many, they have never worked for me in the past. Instead I have "New Day Resolutions!" I approach each day with a specific goal and give it everything I have. Some goals take more than a day and that is okay, but when I fail, there are only a few hours to reset and give it a go again. I started doing this in 2015 and it has worked wonders for me. I would love to hear your ideas. What works for you. Are you a New Year's "Resolutioner?" What are your motivators? I am sure that if we can glean this information together, we will become even more awesome than we already are!  Which reminds me, in our post from last month, we left off...

Over the last year, ACTS Sexual Assault Services has provided services to more than 500 individuals who are survivors of sexual assault and/or sexual abuse in Prince William County. Our team of empathetic specialists works with survivors to heal from their trauma through individual and group support, as well as by providing a 24 hour hotline, accompaniment to court appearances, law enforcement interviews and forensic exams. We are able to provide these services, free of charge, to our neighbors in need thanks in part to funding supported by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).  ACTS Sexual Assault Services receives grant funding from two VAWA grants, V-STOP and SASP. These grants are intended to develop and strengthen the provision of direct services to women who are victims of sexual assault, and other violent crimes. The 2 grants total approximately $50,000, and we use the funds to help support 3 sexual assault specialists, a community...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the ACTS Thrift Store, and I for one am stoked! This is hands down my favorite time of year and I just love giving everyone on my nice list that perfect "thing" that has them written all over it. In the back of my mind though I say to myself " Self? is it just a bit naughty to gift from a thrift?" For this month of sharing I will be giving my top ten reasons thrifting is a go this season. 1. A gift to the community Shop for good! Your purchases help fund charitable causes. Melissa Napora runs our food pantry and deserves a big round of applause for just wrapping up ACTS' largest annual food drive. Operation Turkey ran from November 1st through the 18th this year, and during that time, the Food Pantry served over 700 families. ACTS...

Today in Prince William County, ACTS Domestic Violence Services welcomed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This campaign shines a light of hope on the dark reality of domestic violence in our families, our schools and our communities in Prince William County and across the Commonwealth of Virginia. One in three women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).  In America, one in fifteen children are exposed to domestic violence each year, often as eyewitnesses to violence, causing trauma and ongoing behavioral and emotional problems. The problem of domestic violence is not just national in scope, but affects our local communities. “In Prince William County, the Police Department fields over 9,000 crisis calls from families involved with domestic violence per year,” stated Dotty Larsen, Director of ACTS...

  My first week at ACTS ended with me throwing away over a thousand pounds of produce, most of which was still completely fresh. It had all been donated  the previous Sunday from the VA Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners in partnership with the Dale City Farmers market; and I was instructed to dump it all as we would be receiving thousands of pounds more that coming Sunday. I was given the same instructions the following week. Every job comes with some responsibilities one might not want to do, however throwing away an abundance of perfectly fresh produce was something I refused to continue doing.             There were many reasons I could not bring myself to dump the produce week after week. I have worked on farms and am aware of all of the hard work and resources that go into planting, growing, harvesting, and processing crops. Additionally, the farmers who donated...

Did you know that 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused before they turn 18? On June 1, ACTS’ staff participated in an in-service presentation titled Darkness to Light’s  Stewards of Children through its Sexual Assault Services (SAVAS) department. During the two hour training, which was hosted by director Lydia Teutsch, employees learned five steps to prevent child sexual abuse, which are: "If you're too afraid to talk about child sexual abuse before it happens, you may only get to talk about it after it happens." Learn the FactsMinimize OpportunityTalk About ItRecognize the SignsReact Responsibly By the end of the year, all ACTS employees will take part in this preventative and educational program. If you would like to know more about how to prevent child sexual abuse in your community, ACTS Sexual Assault Services now offers an opportunity to learn about how to keep our children safe. If you are interested in learning more about the Stewards of Children training, please contact Lydia at (703)...

A young Hispanic woman, who was 4 months pregnant, came and filed a protective order at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Intake office and then met with one of the Turning Points court advocates. She disclosed her husband had been physically and verbally abusive towards her. She stated that several months ago her husband had come home drunk and upset. He held a knife and threatened to kill her. He also grabbed her by the neck and began to strangle her. She managed to get away and contact the police. She stated they had been separated for a few months. However he had been threatening via text message to kill her and take the baby away. The court advocate helped her file a preliminary protective order and accompanied her to court that day. She was granted a preliminary protective order and she was provided with resources for immigration agencies that could...

Did you know that ACTS has a Sexual Assault Specialist dedicated to working with Spanish-speaking clients? This is critical, because according to the County 22% of Prince William County residents are of Hispanic origin, and 32% of students enrolled in the county’s public school system identify as Hispanic/Latino.. Of that number, many are immigrants who have come to America to find work and help their families back home. However, life in America, or their journey to America, often takes a terrible turn when sexual predators take advantage of an individual’s immigration status, assaulting adults, teenagers and children. ACTS has heard countless stories of sexual victimization, including tales of sexual assaults by “trusted authorities” who turned out to be impostors; employment-related assaults by co-workers and/or supervisors who tell victims that they will be arrested if they report an assault to police; and other traumatic sexual assaults that occur while crossing the border....

The residents of the Oaks of Wellington, a + 55 community located in Manassas, are an example of those very words of John Wesley. Several of their community members had an arts and crafts fair which provided hand crafted items for the public to purchase. They raised, and generously donated, the $310 dollars, to ACTS! We can only say “Thank You” for caring and being an important part of the service ACTS provides in the Greater Prince William community. Photo Credit: Next Avenue

On February 19, 2016 Prince William County Police officers (Criminal Investigations Division-Violent Crimes Bureau) were recognized for their tireless effort and commitment to support the ACTS Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team. Whenever there is a suicide in Prince William County, law enforcement calls ACTS to mobilize the LOSS Team. Within an hour, our staff or trained volunteers are on site at the family’s home to provide comfort and support. Briana Sewell presented Commendations from the office of Congressman Gerald E. Connolly. The following officers’ names have been entered into the Congressional Record: Dan Carton, Brian Cavanaugh, Brian Coady, Darien Cupka, Dan Downey, Mike Fernald, Ben Grantham, Ray Hyatt, Rob Kasper, Joe Medawar, Juan Pena ( deceased), Gina Pinedo, Astrid Robinson, Caillen Smith, Mike Sullivan, and Gary Van Dyke. During the luncheon, Chief Steve Hudson (Prince William County Police) and Steve Liga, CEO of ACTS, highlighted the benefits of the...

Dear Friends, Let me begin by saying thank you for the outpouring of support I have felt since coming to ACTS one year ago. Starting a new job is always stressful. Moving states to do so is doubly so, as many of my neighbors in the military know so well. This community has made it so much easier than I ever expected. As spring arrives and the weather warms, the wind of change is upon ACTS in the best possible way. I am very fortunate to have such a committed and diverse staff that is able to share their wonderful and creative ideas to make us all grow and make a greater impact on Prince William County. Visit our thrift store or stop by the administrative offices, and you’ll see what I mean. You will be greeted with a genuine smile. ACTS as an organization is really comprised of people from...

Several years ago my life was moving fast and I was a typical American. In our family we spent what we made, putting nothing aside for a rainy day. Our children had numerous activities and I had only recently made the switch from a stay at home mom to a working mom. Little did I know my life was about to undergo a series of unfortunate events worthy of a movie. You never know how quickly you can lose everything. Most Americans are one paycheck away from financial disaster. My downfall began with the untimely and unexpected death of my younger brother. Soon after my mother began to go blind. I made the decision to quit work and care for my mother. Little did I know this was the beginning of losing everything I had but my family.   Over the next couple years I experienced many other personal struggles, however the...

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA—Action in Community Through Service of PWC has received a $20,000 grant from the Stafford Hospital Community Benefit Fund located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The grant period is January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. This grant supports staffing for the ACTS Helpline, which provides services directed toward crisis intervention and suicide prevention. Helpline is a 24/7/365 telephone crisis hotline, which is certified for suicide intervention by the American Association of Suicidology. ACTS Helpline also provides Senior Link, a free call reassurance program providing scheduled phone calls to senior citizens or physically disadvantaged shut-ins. As part of this grant, ACTS is required to: Increase the number of crisis and suicide calls responded to from 54,166 to 56,800.Increase the number of outbound Senior Link calls from 15,188 to 15,947.Participate in 12 outreach activities that will reach a minimum of 150 individuals in Northern Stafford and Southeast Prince William Counties.Collaborate with...

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Local Friends.. Ft. Belvoir Federal Credit Union branches are collecting non- perishables for ACTS, so stop by today and drop your goods in one of these boxes.

Today, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce held a Cuisine de Commerce to showcase restaurants and caterers in the chamber. All attendees were encouraged to bring food for the ACTS food pantry. Thank you so much for all the donations! The event sponsor, Burke & Herbert Bank, also announced that it will be holding a food drive now through Thanksgiving in all of its local branches to support the ... See More