Our church will be hosting the women of PACEM from February 8 to 14, 2020. Each Sunday from now until January 26 we will have sign up sheets in the social hall after the service for church members to contribute food or offer to help serve dinner. If you would prefer to sign up for food offerings online, please go to the Sign up Genius to contribute a dish or offer to host the ladies for dinner. Sign up sheets for overnight or to help with set up or clean up or small jobs are only available on the sheets on Sundays. Questions: Elizabeth brs@cstone.net
PACEM is the latin word for “peace” and also an acronym for “People And Congregations Engaged in Ministry.”
What is PACEM?
By Dawn Grzegorczyk, Executive Director
September’s social action collection will support PACEM, a local nonprofit that provides shelter, food and compassionate support during the coldest months of the year to folks who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets of Charlottesville.
We rely heavily on the local faith community, those congregations willing to open their doors and their hearts to shelter and feed our homeless neighbors.
PACEM works collaboratively with other nonprofits as well. We assist in application for more stable and permanent housing, connect folks with necessary social services, and remove barriers to both housing and job stability. PACEM is a low barrier shelter of last resort, serving those who do not meet the eligibility criteria for other shelters. We have served more than 200 individuals each season since 2008.
PACEM was founded in 2004 when representatives from Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church and a number of other faith congregations came together to address the needs of those found sleeping in the doorways of local churches.
The visible suffering of these individuals, punctuated by an occasional death from exposure was disturbing to the community, a starkly visible symptom of larger societal problems. The need for an emergency shelter of last resort was and is clear, and our shelter is a critical component of our community’s safety net.
PACEM provides an opportunity to meet basic needs for warmth and food, and along the way, creates real community among people of many faiths, prevents possible acts of desperation and gives homeless individuals hope. With the possibility of physical safety, individuals are better able to sustain employment, and to access health services and educational opportunities as appropriate and desired. Because their survival needs are being met, people are able to devote resources to applying for assistance in other areas of their lives.
With this social action collection, you have an opportunity to support our homeless neighbors not only with shelter and hospitality (which you do so well) but with the financial support PACEM needs to coordinate our 70+ congregations and 3,000+ volunteers.
Your financial support allows us to hire, train and pay the 27 seasonal staff (often highly skilled workers from other service organizations) that keep our program safe and peaceful during the long winter months. And, your financial support enables us to support a case manager dedicated to assisting our homeless neighbors in accessing other necessary resources.
Thank you for all you do!