Judging by the number who showed up, the second round of calls she made was to faith leaders.
Leaders of several churches and nonprofits were on hand in Largo on Wednesday, and all of them said they were ready to offer a wide range of support for furloughed or laid off federal workers who might need help in the days and weeks to come — regardless of how faithful they may or may not be.
“We’re bracing for what is going to be a tsunami in our community,” said Bishop Joel Peebles of City of Praise Family Ministries in Landover.
As the White House threatens to terminate more employees, Peebles said, “It’s going to fall at the feet of the churches, our community leaders, to be inventive to try to find ways to help our community.”
Next week, his church is planning a big event that focuses on entrepreneurship. It’ll include help with job hunting and reskilling, but also mortgage counseling and education about artificial intelligence and Bitcoin.
“We’re going to give you an opportunity to expand your life,” Peebles said. “But most of all, we’re going to give you an opportunity to build it so that if the government shuts down, if the community shuts down, your house doesn’t shut down.”
A lot of the services are already offered year-round anyway, but the county wanted to highlight them to federal workers who might not have needed to utilize them before, or even knew they were available.
Among those who spoke was Jacob’s Ladder Youth Foundation Executive Director Jarriel Jordan, who said his group provided nearly 400,000 meals to more than 43,000 households in the county last year. Jordan said they team up with other nonprofits, restaurants and food providers already, and that his group was available now if help is needed.
“I was a federal employee and retired now, and so I’ve been through these shutdowns,” said Pastor Gerald Folsom of Greater Mt. Nebo AME Church in Bowie.
His church already helps provide food and housing assistance in parts of the county. Folsom said they’re looking at expanding those offerings in more parts of Prince George’s County, and that churches around the region can expect to see more people in the pews, and more people looking for help in the weeks ahead.
“The first place people will come before they come to the government is their household of faith,” Folsom said.
“We have a food pantry that’s open five days a week from 9 to 4,” said Adenia Bradley, CEO of Mission of Love Charities in Capitol Heights.
The group also offers physical and mental health clinics three days a week, as well as food and rental assistance.
Folsom noted that willingness to help, and to listen, isn’t just limited to those who already attend those churches. And it’s not limited to those who practice their faith regularly either.
“If you’re there, come on, come out. We have our arms open,” he said. “You don’t even have to believe, but you do need food. You do need to get your children clothed. You do need to keep your family together.”
He also said this was the time for the faith community around the D.C. region to come together.
“We’re calling for the mosques, the temples, the synagogues, all of us come together,” Folsom said. “Because this is not about what faith we are. This is about the entire faith community coming together to do something good.”
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