Arlington Community Church has an active Missions and Social Justice presence in the community.  Our Mission work includes the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP), where we continue to make sandwiches and serve lunch once a month at their “Souper Center,” and support a monthly family dinner for Shelter residents.

As a founding congregation of GRIP, we participated in providing a winter shelter in our church for several years and raised funds to help build the Emergency Family Shelter on 23rd Street in Richmond.  Our congregation is also a strong regular supporter of the Richmond Emergency Food Pantry (REFP) and the Contra Costa-Solano Food Bank.  Through the Food Bank, two of our members were trained in Cal Fresh Outreach (assistance for people applying for Calfresh/Food Stamps), and set up a twice monthly outreach program at the REFP.

New volunteers are always welcome.  Through our partnership with Neighborhood House of North Richmond Senior Center, we have for many years supported a Christmas giving program that helps with gifts and holiday meals for families in that area.  This work puts ACC members in direct contact with our neighbors in Richmond and helps us develop a better understanding of their realities.

Our Justice work has recently focused on the efforts of Jubilee USA to address the root causes of poverty.   Jubilee USA Networkis a non-profit financial reform organization based in Washington D.C.  Jubilee’s focus is on creating a just economy that protects the most vulnerable people.  Jubilee works internationally to help restructure crushing debts that prevent developing countries from providing basic needs for their citizens.  Jubilee works in the U.S. to address local issues such as the predatory practices of PayDay loans, and incorporation laws that allow formation in the U.S. of anonymous companies that hide assets and criminal activity and permit tax avoidance.  We believe that tax avoidance depletes resources that could be used to empower the poor.