In January 2022, the Human Services Alliance of Greater Prince William (The Alliance) collaborated with the Prince William County Government to administer $10 million of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding by 2024. The Human Services Alliance is a nonprofit association of human services providers that aid residents of Prince William County.

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Through the Prince William County ARPA Community Grant Program’s first funding round, the Alliance used more than $6 million to award grants ranging from $10,000 to $300,000 to 33 nonprofit organizations.  More than 70 organizations applied and there was a rigorous vetting process to ensure integrity and fairness among all the applicants. 

 

These funds will address the following COVID-19 recovery efforts: navigation for rent, mortgage, and public benefits assistance; utility assistance; access to mental and behavioral health assistance to include preventative medicine; employment support; childcare costs; emergency shelter; and administration for hunger relief programs.

 

The Alliance awarded St. Thomas UMC $238,646 to provide direct assistance to Prince William County residents through three of our specific outreach projects: 1) Local Relief, 2) the Community Clothing Closet, and 3) the Food Pantry.  Funds will help us automate our process and capture key information efficiently, improve infrastructure such as adding water, lights and security, a forklift and more refrigeration to the Food Pantry, and enable us to serve more clients through Local Relief each week.  These funds will also enable us to begin offering a mid-week evening distribution on Wednesday starting May 25.  These programs started, and have continued for years, with the goal of helping our local community experience healing and new life through Christ in very tangible ways.

 

For more information or to volunteer with any of these programs, please contact the church’s main office, Monday – Friday during business hours, at (703) 368-5161.

 

Check out The Patch Article here!