A Place to Stand & the Stomachion - A Puzzle with Many Solutions
Archimedes said…
While in the process of inventing the lever and fulcrum, Archimedes quipped, “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth.” With the right tools and resources, even a seemingly impossible task can be achieved. The metaphorical lever and fulcrum remind us that making a difference does not have to be difficult--we just need a solid mission and the tools and resources to fulfill it.
What about the puzzle?
Archimedes invented what was considered by some experts the first mathematical puzzle, the Ostomachion also called Stomachion. It took almost 2300 years to solve this puzzle. In 2003 Bill Cutler, a mathematician, used a computer program to determine that while there are 17,152 solutions when reflection and rotation redundancies are removed, 536 distinct solutions remain.
The first problem humans had to solve was how to acquire sufficient food and shelter. This problem has not been solved for everyone. Like with the Stomachian, this puzzle has many solutions. We know how to systemically solve the problem, indeed in certain times and places, we’ve reduced homelessness and hunger to virtually zero. Let’s work together knowing that the solutions are many and that whatever you contribute will help determine the outcome for any given person.
A Place to Thrive -
Our holistic case management program helps families increase their self-sufficiency, self-efficacy, and financial stability through collaboratively identifying barriers and connecting clients to other resources, mental health support, and supplemental food; in some cases, APTT assists with rent and other bills in order to get the family to a secure point where they can address other challenges to their self-sufficiency.
A Place to Eat - This supplemental food program serves families in Fairfax City and in the Route 1 corridor and Mount Vernon High School. (What is happening at Mt V) Currently, the Fairfax City portion of the program distributes food and hygiene products at Katherine Johnson Middle School and Fairfax High School; we continue to have a weekend food bag program at Daniels Run ES.
A Place to Glean - The generous farmers at local Farmers Markets donate produce that they have left over after the weekend sales. APTS distributes the produce to neighbors experiencing food insecurity. This program provides free fresh produce to Fairfax City families each week and the only cost is time. The farmers receive a tax benefit for their donations and know that their produce goes to families in need.
What Can I Do?
Learn the Facts: Do you have questions about the unhoused or food insecurity in your community and across the country? There are many resources that can help you understand why we are an organization worth supporting. (link to resources)
Donate Time - We are a 100% volunteer-driven organization. We need your skills! Let us know what you can do – collect food at the Farmers Market, Deliver bags of necessities to families, become a leader at one of our schools, and help coordinate food distribution.
Donate Money - steady donations keep us going. We assist with rent, utilities, food, clothing–whatever we can do to help stabilize a family so they can become self-sufficient.
Service providers:
We do not accept self-referrals.
A Place to Stand
