A thoughtful parishioner spotted a local grant opportunity in January to provide COVD-19 relief and flagged it for St. Francis of Assisi Church in Triangle, which runs a well-regarded community outreach program. Few knew if the application would go anywhere.
Approximately three months later, St. Francis House received a whopping $300,000 from Prince William County to support the charity’s work helping those in need to pay their utility bills. Francis House, as it is known, also maintains a food pantry and provides a wide array of aid programs, including rent, transportation and school supplies. It serves clients in Dumfries, Quantico and Triangle in the Franciscan spirit of the Holy Name Province friars who minister to the parish.
The grant was part of a $6 million disbursement by the county, in partnership with the Human Services Alliance of Greater Prince William, to 33 nonprofit organizations. The funding stemmed from COVID-19 relief legislation enacted last year by Congress. The county expects to distribute another $4 million early next year.
Father John O’Connor, pastor, established the community outreach program in 1992 during his first stint as pastor there. Over the years, it has grown and was recognized last year as one of the top outreach programs in Northern Virginia. In announcing the grant to parishioners, he noted that the funds will be spent over the next two years and that need for assistance continues to grow.
“We are thankful to continue and greatly increase our ability to put our faith into action,” he said. “In line with our Franciscan ideals of service to others and our responsibility as Catholic Christians to live the Gospel, Francis House is proud to administer this substantial extra funding.”
The grant, he said, is further recognition of the excellent ministry of Francis House’s staff, including Francia Salguero, director of outreach; Angelica Silva, assistant director of outreach; and Samuel Blakeney, business manager.
The grant is especially welcome and timely now, Blakeney noted, because for many clients the cost of living has outstripped their growth in wages.
“The number of families seeking help has increased at such a pace, we have been unable to fund all the requests,” he said. “This grant will help greatly in that regard.”
Blakeney hopes that, over the two-year course of the grant, his clients’ living expenses and income will come into greater balance. Until then, the generosity of parishioners has helped close many gaps.
“Truly, the work of St. Francis House is living the Gospel in a very proactive way,” he said.
