Friends In Action

Founded by Interfaith Works (formerly Community Ministry of Montgomery County) in 1986, Friends In Action - Amigos En Accion (FIA) recruits and trains a network of people from all faiths and ethnic backgrounds, whose common interest is to provide caring outreach, to needy families in our community. Volunteer mentoring teams are linked for one year in a supportive relationship to a needy family in their community. FIA provides a comprehensive approach to erasing poverty one family at a time.

The goal of the program is to help the family identify their strengths and develop attainable and manageable goals that guide them toward financial independence and personal well being. The success of this bilingual program comes primarily from the relationships forged between families, youth and mentoring teams. FIA mentors empower families and youth to in finding solutions to housing, health care, childcare, employment, parenting, and self-esteem issues.

Friends In Action began in 1986 with the help of Carolyn Parker, a resident of Montgomery County. She developed the model after coming in contact with a woman that had fled from her home with her two children. It was wintertime and the family had no place to go after leaving the abusive situation. Carolyn invited the family to come home with her only to realize that she had nothing to provide for them. She came up with the idea of bringing her neighborhood together to help aid the woman with the necessities the mother and small children needed. This comprising of the many people is the basis for the model of Friends In Action; bringing a team of friends together to help those less fortunate than others.

"We are people for whom caring for others brings meaning and worth to our lives; we are disadvantaged people wanting to work for the security of our friends in need of an aware and sensitive community; we are workers in County agencies wishing that we had more time for individualized caring; we are educators with special talents to share for the enrichment and enlightenment of our communities. We are friends in need; we are friends in faith; we are Friends in Action." - Carolyn Parker FIA Founder

Interfaith Clothing Centers

The Interfaith Clothing Centers in Rockville and Gaithersburg, MD provide clothing and homegoods to more than 15,000 qualified low-income residents of Montgomery County each year free of charge, enabling these families to use their limited cash resources for rent, food, utilities, medicine, and other basic needs. Over 10,000 generous donors drop off gently used clothing and household goods at our Centers or in more than 40 boxes spread throughout the County, so their neighbors in need can use these items. The clothing centers also distribute toys, books, calculators, computers, bikes and musical instruments.

Special projects:

• School Supplies: each year, we provide over 2,500 students with backpacks filled with new school supplies so they can start the year with hope and excitement. This program is organized by teens from the community who spend part of their summer organizing and managing this program.
  
  
• Welcome Baby: In addition, Interfaith Clothing Centers provide over 200 expectant mothers each year with a full layette of new clothes, diapers, linens, and other new baby needs.
  
  
• Collectibles Club: Our Collectibles Club is a great way to help others.

Interfaith Works would not be where it is today without its tremendous volunteers, who organize clothing drives at their congregations, businesses and schools, sort clothes, help clients shop, fill backpacks for distribution or crochet blankets for the new layettes we give expectant mothers.

Are you able to lend a hand? Learn how to get involved