HR442 • 2026

Commending Area Congregations Together in Service.

<p class=ldtitle>Commending Area Congregations Together in Service.</p>

Housing

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Carr
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Passed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact number of individuals and families helped or how many people will be directly affected by this commendation.

Commending ACTS for Its Work

This bill commends Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS) on its 20th anniversary for preventing homelessness in Greater Richmond since 2003.

What This Bill Does

Praises ACTS for working to prevent homelessness in the Greater Richmond community over the past 20 years.
Recognizes ACTS's expansion to include more than 60 interfaith partners and community foundations.
Honors ACTS for providing financial assistance and case management support to hundreds of individuals and families.
Commends ACTS for partnering with the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care to operate the Homeless Connection Line.
Acknowledges ACTS's role in administering rent and mortgage relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who It Names or Affects

Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS)

Terms To Know

Homeless Connection Line: A service that helps people find homeless shelters and other support services.
Continuum of Care: A system that provides a range of housing and supportive services to help people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not provide any funding or specific actions, only praise.
It is unclear how many people will be directly affected by this commendation.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
Engrossed by House
2026-03-13 House
Agreed to by House by voice vote
2026-03-12 House
Presented and laid on Speaker's table 26109629D

Official Summary Text

Commending Area Congregations Together in Service.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Commending Area Congregations Together in Service.

WHEREAS, for 20 years, the nonprofit organization Area Congregations Together in Service has worked to prevent homelessness in the Greater Richmond community by providing financial assistance and other resources to families in need; and

WHEREAS, the origins of Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS) date to 2003, when the members of five Richmond area churches recognized that several members of the community were on the precipice of homelessness and decided to establish an organization to pool resources and coordinate a response to the problem; and

WHEREAS, inspired by their early success and guided by the efforts of the Crisis Assistance Ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina, the largest homelessness prevention agency in the Charlotte metropolitan area, the members of ACTS formally incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 2006; and

WHEREAS, since its founding, ACTS has expanded to include more than 60 interfaith partners, as well as community and corporate foundations, and has served hundreds of individuals and families by distributing hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial assistance, while also offering meaningful case management support; and

WHEREAS, in 2018, ACTS partnered with the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care in order to operate the Homeless Connection Line, a partnership of local organizations that serves as the primary access point for homeless services in the Greater Richmond area; and

WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 pandemic, ACTS was designated as the local entity to provide rent and mortgage relief and administered more than $25 million to help individuals and families during the historic public health crisis; and

WHEREAS, on April 16, 2026, staff and supporters of ACTS will gather to celebrate the organization's 20th anniversary and to honor the tremendous impact it has had on countless lives; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Area Congregations Together in Service hereby be commended on the occasion of its 20th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Area Congregations Together in Service as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for its contributions to Richmond and the Commonwealth.