From the beginning, a central focus of St. Anne’s ministry has been outreach to our community, the nation and the world. Our outreach ministries range from programs aimed at the needs of our surrounding neighborhoods to programs in the Dominican Republic and Liberia. In recognition of the Bible’s emphasis on issues of wealth and poverty, concern for children, widows, orphans, refugees and the oppressed, St. Anne’s focuses its outreach efforts and resources on these groups: Finding the stranger, welcoming the outcast and intentionally including those who are excluded or marginalized. We believe it is important to reach out to those in need by offering our time, talent and treasure and have continually worked to increase what we give back to the community. In 2005, the parish decided to retire some of the parish’s debt and free up funds for use in other ways including outreach. Added to monies already allocated in our annual budget, we now give away more than $50,000 to those in need because of the generosity of St. Anne’s parishioners in its capital campaign, June, 2005 – May, 2008. In 2008, the Outreach Committee and Vestry created a grant process to facilitate making decisions concerning the allocation of additional outreach funds resulting from the capital campaign. Decisions are based on a review of our current outreach portfolio, our outreach principles (already adopted by the Vestry), and the Millennium Development Goals. Six grant proposals from St. Anne's members were funded in 2008, and seven were funded in 2009.

Based on a parish survey, focus groups and committee discussion, in 2007 the St. Anne’s Outreach Committee developed a set of principles to guide the selection of ministries we will support as a congregation. “Ministry” refers to any use or expenditure of time, money, talent or other resources from the church and its membership with the intention of outreach to the local and world community. Ministries will be supported by any combination of time, talent and money using the following criteria: * Resources will be concentrated on a limited number of ministries so as to make a real impact in those selected ministries. * Money will be spent in a manner visible to the church and community. * There will be some connection between the ministry and hands-on participation by various groups within the church. * Selected ministries will offer a range of time commitment for volunteer opportunities. * Both long-term and short-term ministries will be considered. * The use of the funds will be transformative to both recipients and the church. * Selected ministries will reflect the Gospel principles of helping those in need or those marginalized by society. * A point-person or task force will be identified within the church to facilitate the ministry work, ensuring there is strong commitment to the work and the required time and energy to support the ministry. In short, the Outreach Committee will select ministries that are transformative, inclusive, hands-on and visible. For additional information on St. Anne’s outreach programs, or if you would like to offer your ideas on outreach, please contact the Outreach Committee at outreach@stannes-reston.org.

Annually, the Outreach Committee solicits grant proposals from members of the congregation to identify local projects or programs that focus on improving the lives of children, alleviating hunger, and/or focus on supporting systems which have tangible and sustainable impact on the lives of those served. In addition, international projects that support the Millennium Development Goals are also considered.

Grants awarded in 2010 include:

Graceful Spaces: $1200

Graceful Spaces is a volunteer organization that supports families who are in Reston Interfaith's Transitional Housing Program. The organization locates furniture, bedding and other items through private donations and local thrift stores. They assist new residents in organizing kitchens, baths, closets, laundry and financial paperwork. In addition, the volunteers assist with furniture placement and decorative elements to transform empty spaces into warm, functioning homes. 28 families (including 73 children) have been helped since 2008. Clients are often single mothers with children, and the grant will help support independence, security and stability for these women and their children. The grant will be allocated $100 per month to purchase items such as bedding that cannot be collected through donations.

How to help:

Gently used furniture and other household items are needed. Pick up and delivery can be arranged when a specific family is in need. Assistance with moving furniture is needed periodically. Teens may be able to assist in this way.

Welcome Kits for Needy Newborns: $2000

InovaCares Clinic for Women provides prenatal and gynecological charity care for residents of Fairfax County in collaboration with the Fairfax County Health Department. The clinic is staffed with OB/GYN physicians, resident physicians, certified nurse midwives and nurse practitioners. InovaCares Clinic coordinates with Inova Health System hospitals for the delivery and required referrals for postpartum and other specialty care services such as surgery, oncology and urogynecology. Fairfax County residents with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty line (FPL) are eligible for care in the clinic. The funds from the grant will be used to purchase requested medicines and supplies for individualized kits, provided to needy mothers to take home with newborn babies identified by hospital and clinic social workers.

How to help:

Parish collection of baby clothes and supplies will be held in fall, to include involvement by young children. Collection may be shared with Reston Interfaith if beyond InovaCares storage capacity.

Jennifer Mitchell Memorial Fund: $500

St. Anne's was one of the founding congregations when the fund was established in 1990 to provide financial aid for college to students from South Lakes and Herndon High School. Recipients of the scholarships show a solid record of academic accomplishments in the face of special challenges in their lives. The awards, though small, have an enormous impact on students' ability to continue their education. Funds from the grant will be added to St. Anne's annual donation of  $1000, to increase funds available to the student.  

How to help:

Parish mentors are needed to write to the recipients throughout the coming school year, to share encouragement and advice as needed.

Our Daily Bread: $4000

Our Daily Bread is in its 26th year. Our Daily Bread identifies and addresses the unmet fundamental needs of Fairfax area residents and empowers the community to help our neighbors maintain self-sufficiency. It provides food, emergency financial assistance, financial literacy training, holiday gifts, backpacks and school supplies to the working poor in Fairfax County. One of the main goals is to help working families avoid homelessness and hunger. Many of the clients are on the brink of homelessness or do not have enough money for groceries because of low paying jobs or recent layoffs.

How to help:

Volunteers are needed to mentor and teach basic budgeting skills to families in crisis. Teachers will be asked to teach 1.5 hour classes once a month at various locations around Fairfax County. Mentors will be matched as soon as possible. Training will be provided. There is a special need for Spanish speakers and for volunteers to participate in a new partnership with OAR of Fairfax.

Habitat for Humanity: St. Anne's Sponsorship-$5000

Sponsor construction of the Perry Hall Condominiums in south Arlington. This project will renovate an existing 3-story building to provide twelve condo units for low-income families. The project will take approximately 2 years to complete, with multiple opportunities for direct St. Anne's community participation at this site, and any additional sites Habitat may open in the Northern Virginia area during this time period. This is the second time St. Anne's has been a sponsor of a Habitat project (Maple Ridge in 2008-2009), with a team of 10 from St. Anne's working at on a Saturday in October 2009.

How to help:

Sponsorship includes one volunteer Saturday when members of the church (16 years and older) will participate as a group to help with demolition, construction or painting, as assigned. Additional opportunities to volunteer are available on Wednesdays throughout the year and will include the opportunity to volunteer at additional sites in Fairfax County.

Project Rebuild: $2000

The grant was initially requested to help support an urgent need to raise $60,000 to complete eight homes in New Orleans which were currently under construction, including homes that St. Anne's members had worked on during the last two mission trips to New Orleans. During the grants process, members of the Outreach Committee were notified that the funds to meet this need had been raised. In addition, current information indicates that Project Rebuild of the Episcopal Diocese may need to close for the summer, until an additional state grant is received. The Outreach Committee recommended earmarking the funds, pending verification that Project Rebuild will be restarted. If it appears that this will not be the case, the Outreach Committee recommends that the funds be used to fund rebuilding efforts with another partner, or at another natural disaster site as determined by Vestry.

How to help:

Ongoing opportunities exist for cleanup and rebuilding of communities in New Orleans and other sites hit by natural disasters.

Cristo Salvador Children's Center: $5000 (MDG)

The shelter, run by Fr. Hipolito Fernandez and Cristo Salvador, opened in 2007 using the second level of the church. Currently, the shelter is run by a director, three teachers and a cook. The director accepts no payment for her services and the teachers and cook are each paid about $200 per month. Forty-five children, ranging in age from 2-9 years, receive care at the shelter. Two meals per day are served to these children, plus the children of the workers and several elderly residents of the neighborhood. Approximately 70 people are fed each day.

Over 80 individuals from St. Anne's have participated on mission teams to this parish since 2004, and worked with this priest since 2001. A 2009 grant from the Episcopal Women's United Thank Offering has enabled the church to plan explore the possibility of purchasing and renovating the house across the street, to expand the shelter and better serve the community (negotiations regarding this purchase are ongoing. This grant is allocated to pay for operating expenses (food, staff costs and supplies) for 3 months.

How to help:

Volunteers are planning a summer mission trip in July, with related collection of school supplies and Vacation Bible School "treats" provide opportunities for hands on involvement by church members.

Liberian Mission Exploration: $3000

As Liberia emerges from years of civil war and violence, the Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Virginia has designated support of immediate needs and reconstruction of infrastructure of the country as one of the highest priorities for overseas work. St. Anne's missions would like to start a new mission focus on a partnership with the Anglican community in Harper, Liberia. Harper is the original home of many of the members of the St. Anne's community. Located in the south western part of the country, far from Monrovia, little has been done to date to provide safe water, education, or basic nutrition to the people of this area.

The grant will fund expenses for Fr. Jim to travel to Harper to meet with Finley Middleton, Episcopal Church Mission Leader, to gather information about ways money and/or supplies from St. Anne's might support existing projects. Other members of St. Anne's will also participate in the trip, including Mr. Paul Jones and Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, providing connections to friends in Liberia and the logistical support of people who know the area. The trip will also serve to establish congregational ties to St. Mark's Parish in Harper.

How to help:

St. Anne's will establish a long distance partnership with a Liberian congregation and support projects in the Harper area. Cost of travel and infrastructure limitations in Liberia make sending a mission team unlikely at the current time. The possibility of internet communication will be explored. Exchange of letters, photos, etc. by youth from each parish will be encouraged.