Synetic Theater has partnered with the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) to raise $20,000 during the month of July to be split evenly between the organizations.
This partnership was initiated by Synetic Theater to help fulfil the company’s desire to invest in their local community while they are unable to host live performances at their Crystal City/National Landing theater space. With a goal of $20,000, donations will support wider access to nutritious supplemental groceries at AFAC, and Synetic’s portion will go to the company’s Synetic Strong campaign aiding in the development of new outreach programs to nourish the local community’s hunger for connection and spiritual uplift. Donations will be accepted for the Synetic Serves: AFAC campaign now through July 31 at www.synetictheater.org.
“Our name is derived from the words “synthesis”, meaning the combination of distinct elements to form a whole, and ‘kinetic’ meaning the creation of motion,” says Managing Director Jason Najjoum. “The company was founded on collaboration and the notion that words are meaningless without action. There are many needs to be met right now, and we are all hungry for justice and change. We hope that this effort to feed physical hunger and food insecurity in our midst can help fuel our community for the work ahead.”
AFAC provides dignified access to supplemental groceries to families in need – free of charge. Families can come once a week and receive a variety of food staples, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, chicken or fish, canned goods, rice, beans, and bread products. Utilizing AFAC’s services allows clients to devote their limited financial resources to obligations such as housing, utilities, medication, and other basic needs.
Since the start of the pandemic, AFAC has seen a 40% increase in active referrals. More families are seeking help, in addition to the thousands of families AFAC already serves. “Although there is no way to predict how many people we will serve in the coming months,” says Charles Meng, AFAC Executive Director & CEO, “we are prepared to meet the increasing demand as more and more Arlingtonians find that they have limited or uncertain access to nutritionally adequate food. We are grateful to have this partnership with Synetic Theater to help us meet the needs in our community.”