Nickels for Neighbors

ACC congregations are encouraged to collect coins in their Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, or services, primarily as a way to encourage giving among our children. These donations will be collected by ACC’s Peace & Justice Committee in October 2024.

The 2024 ACC Nickels For Neighbors grant will be given to Bridge of Hope – National, which provides comprehensive services to children and their moms facing homelessness, through Whole Family Case Management, rental assistance and supportive Neighboring relationships. Each family in Bridge of Hope is matched with a group of 6-10 Neighboring Volunteers from a local Christian faith community. Neighboring Volunteers provide emotional and tangible support for the family. This means that each child is supported to have their needs met and to feel the care and support of Neighboring Volunteers in their lives.

Without a home, it is extremely challenging for a family to meet life’s basic needs. 1 in 30 children in the US are homeless at some time in their lives. The vision of Bridge of Hope is for communities where no family and no child is homeless. In order for children to thrive, basic necessities like housing and food need to be met.

We have experienced a 284% increase in calls for help over the past few years as children face homelessness at deeper levels than over the past decade. To respond to this need, we are working to serve more children and their parents (primarily single mothers) in Lancaster and implementing innovative solutions to the housing shortage.

Bridge of Hope provides rental assistance on a decreasing basis typically across 6-12 months that encourages the family to assume full responsibility for their housing costs as quickly as possible. Rental assistance schedules are tailored to each family and may change over time as the family’s situation evolves. This project will help children move in to a home, providing first month’s rent for 8 families, approximately 20 children, who are experiencing homelessness in Lancaster County.

Here are some things children in Bridge of Hope have shared they are grateful for after having been homeless before:
–Place to come home to after school
–A closet in my bedroom
–A nurse to help my brother with his asthma
–A house for our family

Bridge of Hope believes that the Church is an essential partner in ending homelessness, and that God calls us to love our neighbors, and transform our communities through our actions and our voices. Ending homelessness and loving our neighbor is a way to walk with Jesus toward peace and reconciliation.

ACC congregations are encouraged to collect coins in their Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, or services, primarily as a way to encourage giving among our children. These donations will be collected by in October 2024.

A check for funds raised should be made out to ACC (memo: N4N) and mailed to ACC, 100 Quarry Road, Leola, PA 17540. Congregations can also arrange for coins to be picked up by emailing BrookM@atlanticcoastconference.net. All funds should be received by October 25 so a final grant can be presented in November.

Resources for promotion:

Slide for Sunday announcement / Mission Moment
Can label
Video links:

Apply for the grant