The Unity of Fairfax Compassionate Community Service team is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax as they open their doors to provide food and shelter through the Hypothermia Prevention Project. Opportunities include making and serving food, setting up, cleaning up, volunteering to stay overnight, serving breakfast, and transportation. In addition, you can donate money which will be used to purchase gas cards or metro passes for the clients.
UUCF is one of the original locations of the program and is operated by Facets, a nonprofit based in Fairfax County. Our volunteers will provide a meal on one day that week, and will work with volunteers from other churches to assist with food preparation, staffing, and cleanup from February 10 to 17, when the shelter operates at UUCF. This year, the Compassionate Community Service Team from Unity of Fairfax is also coordinating all the food for the week.
New this year is the opportunity for congregants to make monetary donations to help cover the costs of the program and purchase gas cards and metro cards for the clients. Clothing and personal care item donations will also be accepted at Unity of Fairfax, and they will be taken to the shelter.
Unity of Fairfax will be providing dinner for up to 45 guests and volunteers on Saturday, February 15. We will need volunteers to cook, drop off food and supplies, set up at UUCF and clean up after dinner. Please sign up for helping with the dinner in the atrium after services, or by emailing Laurie Warhol.
Sign up to help with the meal on Saturday, February 15.
There is also a great need for other assistance that week. Van drivers, co-pilots, shelter captains, overnighters, and other assistance will be needed that week to ensure that the week of sheltering homeless individuals is successful. Please go to the UUCF signup website for more information about the assistance needed and to sign up. You will find most of the needs listed in the last 2 tabs (labeled “Drivers and Copilots”, and “Other Tasks”).
Sign up to help at the shelter February 9 to 16.
The Hypothermia Prevention Program
The Hypothermia Prevention Program is one of the county’s most successful public–private partnerships, run by Fairfax County government in conjunction with nonprofit and faith-based community partners. With a life-saving mission to give our most vulnerable neighbors a safe place stay from the cold, the hypothermia shelters operate from November through March, with a “no turn-away” policy during freezing temperatures at all emergency homeless shelters.
For more information, visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/hypothermia-prevention-program.
Facets
Facets is a nonprofit organization that touches and improves the lives of thousands of families and individuals every year by helping people meet their needs for emergency shelter, food, and medical needs. In addition, Facets helps them gain safe, sustainable and permanent housing and works with them to end the cycle of poverty through educational, life skills and career counseling programs.
Learn more at http://facetscares.org.