Triangle, VA – April 10, 2018 – ACTS Women’s Empowerment Center can now serve a broader population of women and families in the Prince William County community, following a renovation completed in April by HomeAid Northern Virginia to expand living space and add classrooms, group meeting rooms and offices.
Currently, the Triangle, Va. Center houses two programs: the “Empowering Women in Transition” residential program for women and families, and the ACTS Rapid Re-Housing Program focused on getting homeless individuals and families into permanent housing. The full renovation of the basement into classrooms and offices will enable the Center to offer all programming downstairs, while allowing the first and second floors of the Center to retain a true “home” feeling.
In the upgraded Center, five chronically homeless women and their children, many with physical and mental disabilities, will each have their own one- or two-room units with private bath sharing a spacious kitchen, living room, children’s room, and yard with a deck and new playset. Downstairs, women will receive diverse training provided by ACTS and community partners, as well as comprehensive case management. The vision for the Center is to become a central location for women to find all they need to live on their own and maximize their own potential.
The renovations were completed by HomeAid Northern Virginia, which builds and renovates homeless shelters and supportive housing facilities via the donated expertise, labor and resources of local homebuilders – enabling nonprofit organizations such as ACTS to invest more of their budgets in supportive programs and services rather than building expenses. Van Metre Homes served as the project builder captain, mobilizing 19 construction trade partners and subcontractors on the renovation. Under HANV and Van Metre’s stewardship, 98% of the $80k retail cost of the renovation of the 2,452 sq. ft. basement was covered for ACTS.
“As a core part of our mission, we at ACTS are here to offer a hand when the community reaches out to us, and we reach out to our local communities whenever we can be of service. The renovation of our Women’s Empowerment Center now gives us greater ability to do both, and to forward our work to change lives and create safe and welcoming communities for vulnerable individuals and families in Prince William County and its surrounding areas,” said Steven Liga, chief executive officer of ACTS. “We thank HomeAid Northern Virginia and Van Metre Homes for taking on this project and bringing it to life for ACTS and for the communities we serve.”
See more photos of the renovation and open house here!
About Action in Community Through Service
Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) provides support services for Prince William County and surrounding areas focused on housing and homelessness, domestic abuse, sexual assault, suicide prevention, crisis helplines and food pantries. ACTS fosters hope, provides relief and promotes self-sufficiency for Prince William area residents in crisis.
About HomeAid Northern Virginia
HomeAid Northern Virginia, a chapter of HomeAid America, engages the resources and interests of the homebuilding community and its corporate partners in order to undertake new construction and major renovations to properties owned by homelessness service providers that help homeless individuals and families gain stability and get back on the road to self-sufficiency. The organization was started in 2001 by members of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA), and since then, has completed 120 projects valued at more than $15.7 million, serving more than 112,000 homeless individuals.
Thanks to Van Metre and the construction trade partners that contributed labor and resources to HomeAid Northern Virginia’s project with ACTS:
