The Meeting House has a long history of supporting mission programs.
We build community in Christ through service. We help the most vulnerable and educate and create awareness to build a more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and just world.
If you have questions or would like to volunteer,
please contact our Service and Justice Moderators to be connected.
Justice
Health / Education / Family Support
Hunger Relief
Global Partnerships
Justice
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) is a coalition of over 40 faith communities, including OPMH, and civic organizations in Northern Virginia working to build power in middle- and low-income communities. VOICE advocates for issues such as affordable housing,mental health, education, criminal justice, and immigrant rights.
- Watch a brief video by clicking here.
- VOICE is working to create better ways to respond to and care for people in mental health crisis, and to increase the number of affordable and livable homes for low and moderate income people in our community.
Dismantling Racism Team (DRT), part of the The Old Presbyterian Meeting House Service and Justice Ministry, was created to help inform and advance the work of racial harmony and social justice in Alexandria and beyond.
The Team promotes opportunities for education and awareness, and encourages OPMH members to get involved in efforts to call out and reverse systemic discrimination and injustice in our community.
Health / Education / Family
The Alexandria Tutoring Consortium has the mission of “Helping Alexandria City Public School students read on or above grade level by the end of kindergarten, first grade and second grade.” The consortium provides one-on-one tutoring for struggling readers in all 14 Alexandria City Public Elementary Schools. Once or twice each week, volunteer tutors help kindergarten and first-grade students learn to read using personalized lesson plans in 30–40 minute sessions. The demand at the schools for ATC tutoring services continues to grow and we need new tutors to add to the many who return year after year to help the children.
The Inmate Family Video Visitation Program connects prison inmates with loved ones by teleconference visits. Meeting House volunteers partner with the Virginia Department of Corrections, and host friends and families every Saturday in a confidential visitation room for pre-scheduled teleconferencing.
Family to Family has provided emergency financial assistance to individuals and families referred from local social workers since 1970. The Meeting House provides funds to assist with rent, utility bills, medical care and prescriptions, and job searches. Trained Meeting House volunteers process the referrals.
ALIVE! Inc. provides local assistance with food, shelter, emergency help, and education. Meeting House volunteers participate in the ALIVE! Walkathon and food drives. Volunteer opportunities for the food distributions are posted on the ALIVE! website.
Holiday Sharing Every year, members sponsor several hundred families, foster teens, seniors, and disabled adults by providing toys, clothes, gift and grocery cards to people receiving support through the City of Alexandria’s Department of Community and Human Services. Registration for donors typically occurs in October, with donations collected in early December.
Neighborhood Health (NH) provides primary health care to more than 34,000 low-income, uninsured patients regardless of ability to pay. NH provides regular care to children, pregnant women, and to adults with chronic medical conditions.
Food
The Bag Lunch Program provides lunches for 35–70 individuals each weekday at Meade Memorial Church in Old Town.
Meeting House volunteers prepare sandwiches, make cookies, and pack/serve the lunches. Lunches are delivered and served at Meade Memorial. The Meeting House volunteers work 2-3 days each month.
Meals on Wheels is a national program offering two meals daily to homebound people, primarily seniors. The Meeting House delivers meals on the fourth Friday of each month. This is a very rewarding and easy way to help seniors stay in their own homes.
Open Table is just that, an open table for anyone in the community seeking breakfast and fellowship on Thursday mornings. We served our first breakfast in August 2013 with food prepared and served by volunteers and have welcomed guests every week since then from 6:00–8:00 AM indoors in Heritage Hall. Donated time, food, and supplies support our program.
Global Partnerships
Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger-relief agency that distributes food and other lifesaving aid to children and families in countries all over the world. Meeting House hosts two meal-packing events annually after worship services assembling 10,000 meals for distribution worldwide.
Kenya: Moi’s Bridge United Orphanage & Academy
The Meeting House supports two partnerships in Kenya. The first, Moi’s Bridge United Orphanage & Academy, cares for orphaned and vulnerable children. The Meeting House provides financial support for secondary school and college, career counseling, construction and maintenance of dormitories, food, and clothes. Learn more about the Moi’s Bridge United Orphanage & Academy through this video.
The Meeting House supports this project through its service and justice mission budget.
Kenya: Njoro Presbyterian Children’s Program
The second program is the Presbyterian Children’s Program in the village of Njoro. The Meeting House supports the Saturday program for orphans and vulnerable children, which provides tutoring, school supplies, food for children to take home, career counseling, and financial support for secondary education and college.
The Meeting House supports this project through its service and justice mission budget.
Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan provides quality education rooted in Christian values to all children and youth regardless of race or religion at an affordable cost. The Meeting House supports this project through its service and justice mission budget.
Community Coalition for Haiti and the Meeting House have partnered in service projects in Haiti for three decades. Volunteer efforts have included training in Cholera prevention and mentoring teachers and principals in their schools. The Meeting House supports this project through its service and justice mission budget.
We're Glad You're Here
Next Worship Services: Sunday 8:30 AM or 11:00 AM