Our Neighborhood

In 2015, we launched in the Anacostia and Fairlawn neighborhoods of Southeast DC. We have since moved to the Shipley Terrace and Douglas neighborhoods, but our name, "Anacostia River Church," remains the same. With it, we intend to signal our commitment to a local mission and neighborhood focus in Southeast DC, wherever the Lord moves us.

Today, the Shipley Terrace and Douglas (named after the great abolitionist Frederick Douglas) neighborhoods are home to 11,500 residents. A little over 24% of residents have income below the poverty line (14% citywide). Married couple families make up 17% of all households while single-mother households account for 41% of all households. The area is also a food desert, making it difficult for residents to access quality healthy foods.

The community also boasts some of the best resources and organizations in the city. THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Center) is a project of Building Bridges Across the River and a collaboration of 14 non-profits who provide cultural, educational, recreational and health experiences to the community. THEARC is not only home to ARC, but also Washington School for Girls, Bishop Walker School for Boys, The Washington Ballet, Levine Music, Children’s Hospital, and more. A mile down the road, the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center is a 48,000 square-foot facility offering youth programs, tennis lessons, and USTA tournaments.

But overall, our neighborhood remains a residential area where you are likely to see children playing, seniors walking, and small groups of neighbors gathering in lawn chairs on the sidewalk. You will glimpse young professionals dining out at one of the growing number of restaurants in the neighborhood. You can see some of our neighbors struggling with illegal substances or homelessness, but you are more likely to see fathers and mothers walking their children to school, people catching the bus to make it to work, and all kinds of people enjoying Anacostia Park as it winds along with the river. You may happen upon a candlelight vigil in honor of a lost loved one or large cookouts in the parks when the weather is nice. In other words, our neighborhood is not just our mission field; it is our home. We see and love our neighbors in their ups and downs—all of them. And we invite you to see and love them too!