Virginia Megachurch Donates Over $1 Million to Stop Evictions of 338 Families in Public Housing

Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, donated more than $1 million to prevent the eviction of 338 families from public housing, Pastor Howard-John Wesley announced during an Easter Sunday service in April 2026.

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority had accumulated over $1 million in unpaid rent from 445 tenants, with individual debts ranging from $50 to nearly $30,000. Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins discovered the crisis and reached out to the Mayor's Interfaith Council for help. Wesley answered the call.

The church raised the $1,049,000 through its annual SEEK action, a period of fasting and prayer held earlier in 2026. Wesley told the congregation that "every single penny is going outside the door of the church" and that the purpose of fasting is to empower people to change the lives of others.

The funds will be disbursed through ACT for Alexandria, a local nonprofit, which will transfer the money to the housing authority after verifying the ledger balances of residents facing eviction. An independent accountant will be hired to ensure proper distribution.

Beyond the immediate financial relief, Alfred Street Baptist and the Interfaith Council are launching longer-term support efforts. Individual meetings will be held with each resident who fell behind on rent to develop plans and connect them with resources. Other local churches, including Shiloh Baptist, are offering follow-up services such as food banks and job skills training.

Mayor Gaskins also committed to addressing internal problems at the housing authority, which had fired its chief executive the previous year for living in one of the agency's units while 38,000 people were on a waiting list for housing.

Alfred Street Baptist, founded in 1803, has a history of major charitable giving. The church previously donated $132,469 to eliminate student debt for graduates of Saint Augustine's University.