ACTS opens bigger building

By Aileen Streng

Published: May 13, 2008

Action in the Community Through Service has a new, much larger home where it can continue to change the lives of those in need.

“I’m humbled by what we see today,” said Chris Caseman, an ACTS board member.

About 100 community members came out Tuesday morning for the dedication of ACTS’ new 7,500-square-foot Family Services Center in Dumfries.

“This building will give back to the community,” said U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-11th District. Davis garnered $100,000 in federal money to get the project under way.

“ACTS changes the community one family at a time,” Davis said. “ACTS works in so many different ways. It takes people at the root and gives them a reason to go on with their lives.”

Thirteen local churches established ACTS in 1969 with the purpose of preventing and alleviating human suffering. They began by addressing the basic human needs of food and shelter. They established Prince William County’s first food bank, set up a used furniture distribution system and developed a homeless shelter in local churches.

As the community grew, the agency’s mission and goals expanded to include addressing domestic violence and providing self-help support.

ACTS’ programs include an emergency assistance program, a homeless shelter, a transitional housing program, child care, helplines, a thrift store and the county’s only domestic violence and intervention program.

About 50,000 people use ACTS services each year.

Federal, county and private donations helped fund most of the $750,000 project.

The building was also a service project of HomeAid Northern Virginia, the charitable arm of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association. Winchester Homes took the lead on the ACT project.

Donations by Winchester and its suppliers of time, supervision and materials — including a $50,000 donation by the Weyerhaeuser Company in lumber and materials — saved ACTS $300,000, said Todd Schermerhorn, Winchester’s vice president of construction.

“The ACTS board is eternally grateful to the many who donations for such a great facility,” said John Donohoe, president of the ACTS board.

“It was those $10, $50 up to $100,000 donations that made this possible,” Caseman said. “It’s a thrill to see this building completed.”

The ACTS Family Services Center will house the emergency assistance programs on the first floor and Turning Points, the domestic violence and intervention program, on the second.

The old ACTS building will be used for administration.

For more information about ACTS or to make a donation, visit its Web site at actspwc.org or call 703-441-8606.