PACEM (People And Congregations Engaged in Ministry) is an interfaith group of area congregations who provide shelter to homeless men and women around the Charlottesville-Albemarle area.
Since PACEM’s inception in 2004 to address the need for warm and secure shelter and “a pillow for every head,” Incarnation has been fortunate enough to be able to participate in this work, which allows us to see Christ in the men we host and to be the hands and feet of Christ as we open our Incarnation home to them. We hope that, one day, help is no longer needed and homelessness will have become a problem of the past, but until that time, we continue to be involved in this important ministry.
While utilizing the homeless shelters sponsored by various faith congregations, PACEM guests receive shelter, meals, compassionate support, and access to needed services.
We host PACEM guests in the Parish Activities Center for 1-3 weeks each year, typically the two weeks surrounding Thanksgiving. We have already hosted for the 2011-2012 shelter year, but you are always welcome to assist with the intakes that are conducted for all guests at The Haven. Contact info@pacemshelter.org to find out how to get involved in this way. When we host in the next season, we will, once again, need hundreds of parishioners volunteer to provide food, do laundry, spend time with the men, set up and take down the area, help us with shoe shopping, and assist with a variety of other tasks. The slideshow above shows pictures of some of these ways of lending a helping hand and also documents the men and women who were able to receive a new pair of shoes thanks to your financial generosity in the PACEM second collection!
For more information, please contact Tom Eckman at eckmantj@hotmail.com. Schedules (when available) and information for volunteers are posted on this page.
