Association of Religious Communities

A.R.C.s Homelessness Support Systems program places homeless people in safe, secure, permanent housing. Funded mostly with grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, as coordinated by Supportive Housing Works and Open Doors Fairfield County, A.R.C. is able to provide support for a security deposit, rent, and case management for our clients.

A.R.C.s Domestic Violence Prevention program provides classes for offending clients to work on changing their behavior. The classes are funded by the State of Connecticut Judicial branch with additional support from private donors. All clients are ordered by the courts to take our classes. Our classes are far more efficient than the cost of incarceration, and far more successful in preventing recidivism.

A.R.C.s Food Pantry and Urgent Assistance programs provides financial assistance and food to prevent people from becoming homeless. Financial support is funded by private donations, grants from the Department of Homeland Security (as administered by the United Way), and an anonymous grant. With this support, A.R.C. is able to pay electricity bills, rent and other expenses when clients have been faced with financial hardships, including COVID-19 related expenses. A.R.C.s Comida Food Pantry provides food staples, dry goods, bread and fresh meat and produce to people who do not have the means to provide for themselves. It is funded through private donations and occasional grants. The community served is predominantly immigrants and refugees.