As you know, the AJ Team has worked with closely with ACTS for a few years now.

Today I’m joined by Steve Lega, Chief Executive Officer at ACTS, who is here to talk to us about the role ACTS has in our community.

As CEO, Steve’s passion is working with those who are hungry, homeless or suffering from hidden conditions such as mental illness, addiction, and trauma.

What is ACTS?

ACTS is so much more than a homeless shelter! Our job is to provide hope, relief, and foster self-sufficiency for those in crisis, whether that be people in physical crisis or emotional crisis.

ACTS stands for “Action in Community Through Service of Prince William, Inc.”

When Did ACTS Start?

ACTS was founded in 1969. We’re celebrating the 50th Anniversary of ACTS in just two short years!

What Are the Goals and Visions of ACTS?

Our goal is to be there for anyone that needs us. We want to be a source of hope, relief, and guidance to everyone that walks through our doors. We want the people we help to thrive after getting back on their feet.

“Our goal is to help everyone that needs us.”

How Many Families Do You Serve?

We’ve provided direct service to over 77,000 people last year!

Where do you envision ACTS in Five Years?

Our new hunger prevention center will be up and running, definitely. Beyond that, I envision an entirely different set of circumstances for our homeless and housing programs. With the Hunger Prevention Center, we’re focused on getting the people that come to us focusing on eating healthy.

What Will the $5,000 Be Used For?

The money will be put toward our 24-hour crisis line. Right now, the crisis line is facing a $39,000 shortfall. When people are facing a major life crisis, this is the number they reach out to. We receive around 4,400 phone calls every month, but because of the deficit, we are able to answer only half of the calls we receive. Unfortunately, this means that not everyone gets the help they need, including those who are suicidal.

Here is where the AJ Team would like to encourage everyone to get involved with their local community. Too often, people try to re-create these efforts on their own. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel! We challenge you to visit ACTS to see how you can make an imprint on your community.

A good place to start would be at the IWALK for ACTS event. Registration is open for the 7th annual IWALK for ACTS featuring a 5K walk/run and festival at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. You can also donate, and fundraise as a team.

The event is October 2, 2017. We hope to see you there!