Housing First

At The Community Foundation, we are committed to securing our region's safety net, which provides food, shelter, clothing and healthcare to thousands of people every day. Through our Neighbors in Need Fund, we have granted more than $4.5 million over the past three years to safety net groups responding to increased demand from our country's recession. In this issue of Making Connections, we announce our latest round of Neighbors in Need grants of $450,000 to 30 organizations throughout our community.  We also focus our attention on the timely and critical topic of shelter. Our issue on housing takes place against a backdrop of an increase in the number of homeless people in our region, the current foreclosure crisis, and the realization that overall giving in the region by philanthropic giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to decline and likely cease altogether in the next few years.

Consider that according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's 2011 Count of Homeless Persons, there are 11,988 homeless people in our region with children representing 27% of the region's homeless population, that the first quarter of 2011 saw 66,000 new foreclosure filings in Maryland alone and that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's combined investments over the past four years totaled nearly $100 million in more than 500 area nonprofits.

But there is also good news. The past year saw the creation of the Capital Area Foreclosure Network, which we are proud to be funding through the Neighbors in Need Fund. Founded in 2010 to combat the foreclosure crisis in the Washington area, the network supports and brings together organizations that help homeowners at risk of foreclosure, by working to ensure that people who are behind on their mortgage payments can help themselves or get help from a qualified nonprofit. The network is led jointly by the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

In addition, an innovative movement known as Housing First—first introduced in the Washington area seven years ago by Pathways to Housing—is gaining in popularity across the region, as communities from Fairfax and Arlington counties in Virginia to Washington, D.C. to Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland, embrace models that stress investments in permanent supportive housing over a more traditional approach of emergency shelters dating to the 1980s.

In the words of Community Foundation donor Michael Allen, a longtime civil rights attorney specializing in fair housing issues, "None of us can achieve our goals in life if we don't have a stable place to put our heads down at night." With guidance from The Community Foundation and his own knowledge of the community, Allen makes grants from his donor-advised fund to organizations with a proven track record of getting people housed and keeping them housed over the long term. "That approach is better for homeless and at-risk individuals and families; it's better for neighborhoods, because people who are stably housed are more likely to contribute to their neighborhoods; and it's better for the community, because preventing homelessness is so much cheaper than rehousing folks once they are out on the streets," said Allen.

In this issue, we profile the kind of groups to which Allen is referring. Doorways for Women and Families, Housing Initiative Partnership, and the Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County exemplify some of the most creative and effective approaches being employed in our community around housing and homelessness. They are also among the 118 nonprofit organizations to date that have received funding from The Community Foundation's Neighbors in Need Fund since it began in 2008.

Finally, we offer additional insights from Community Foundation donors living in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Although they reside in different parts of our region, Jaylee Mead, Pat Hall Jaynes, and Nancy and Claude Keener share a common commitment to helping their neighbors in need. We invite you to join them in strengthening our region's safety net. In the words of Jaylee Mead, "Challenge grants can inspire many people to step up to the plate and meet a critical need together as a group that would be too daunting for any funder to take on all alone."

Terri Lee Freeman President

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Jaylee Mead: Rising to the Neighbors in Need Challenge

 Challenge grants can inspire many people to step up to the plate and meet a critical need together as a group that would be too daunting for any funder to take on all alone.  -- Jaylee Mead

Looking back on the first time she donated to the Neighbors in Need Fund in 2008, philanthropist Jaylee Mead says: "It was clear that the economic downturn was going to increase the needs of low-income residents in our region while, at the same time, decrease the financial resources of the corporations and foundations that typically fund the nonprofit groups that work so hard to meet those needs."

The Mead Family Foundation–founded by Jaylee and her late husband Gilbert in 1989–was among those local foundations facing difficult but necessary cuts to its grants budget due to the economy. Rather than cutting a grant to another worthy group, Mead decided to give to Neighbors in Need from her personal funds.

She has made a contribution from her own pockets every year since then. "These contributions do a lot of good in the hands of resourceful, well-run local nonprofits that help people who might otherwise fall by the wayside," she said.

Recognizing that The Community Foundation has nearly 40 years of experience bringing people together to solve a common problem, Mead appreciates the Foundation's breadth of knowledge and contacts, and ability to foster strong leadership in our region's nonprofit sector. "It's reassuring to know that they are able to convene a committee of experts to select recipients of the Neighbors in Need grants," she said. "These are professionals in our community who have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to determining need and who can recognize which organizations have the greatest capacity to bridge ever-widening socioeconomic gaps."

Most recently, Mead learned about a challenge grant that effectively doubles donations to Neighbors in Need. "While this may not be the same as investing in the stock market, it's an equally important investment," she said. "Where else can you be guaranteed to double your money nowadays?" By donating twice as much as she did last year, combined with the matching funds, Mead is essentially funneling four times as much money to local nonprofits. "It feels good to get more bang for your buck," she says.

The challenge grant couldn't come at a better time. For many individuals and families in our region who were struggling at the beginning of the recession, things have only gotten worse. In addition, safety net groups are trying to keep their organizational heads above water in light of cutbacks from every funding sector. "Gil and I learned firsthand how challenge grants can inspire many people to step up to the plate and meet a critical need together as a group that would be too daunting for any funder to take on all alone," Mead said. "I find challenge grants to be the most inspiring way to give, whether you make the challenge yourself and inspire others to give, or get inspired to match someone else's challenge. Challenge grants don't come along as often as they used to, so I thought I should strike while the iron was hot! I hope others feel the same way."

Best known in this region for supporting the arts, Mead says a common thread links all her giving. "Whether supporting theatre or other art forms, education or other valuable endeavors, it has always been important to me to give where I live, while I live, so I can see what a difference philanthropy can make," she said. "Every gift I make to favorite local theaters generates positive economic impact in those communities."

"At the same time, I am interested in supporting the day-to-day needs of the people in those communities as well as communities that don't have the same access to the arts...yet! By giving to Neighbors in Need, I am helping people to be able to afford to stay in this area and be part of communities that are growing ever more vibrant, in part because of the arts scene we are so fortunate to have here."

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Donors Nancy and Claude Keener: Helping Neighbors in Need

This is community involvement at its best.-- said Nancy Keener

As a member of the Neighbors in Need Fund Giving Committee, donor Nancy Keener says she has learned a great deal about the overwhelming need in our area from fellow committee members such as Viki Betancourt of the World Bank and The Community Foundation's Senior Program Officer, Silvana Straw. "These are major players in our region," says Nancy. "As a Community Foundation donor, it gives me confidence to know—whether it's $10 or a million—that every dollar donated to Neighbors in Need is going to organizations that this group of leaders has vetted and that the money will be well used. This is community involvement at its best."

Her husband Claude, a principal with Keener-Squire Properties, says making a charitable contribution and making a business investment are based on the same principles. "Both are based on having trust and confidence in people making good decisions."

Nancy and Claude established a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation in 2005 on the recommendation of their financial advisor. They wanted to "do something good" with stock they had inherited from his father. "Claude and I were both born in the District and raised in Arlington," she says. "As natives, we feel a commitment to be there for our community in hard times."

In addition, she says, "We choose to give where we live and where we work." While the couple live in Northern Virginia, Claude's business is based in the District.

In the city, homelessness and poverty are more visible, he points out adding, "there's a lot of disparity in our region. There are pockets of poverty everywhere. We have an obligation to help others who are less fortunate. I hope others would do the same for us."

The Keeners personally support a number of Arlington-based safety net organizations including the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Arlington Street People's Assistance Network and Arlington Fee Clinic—all Neighbors in Need Fund grantees.  In fact, the Keeners were originally attracted to The Community Foundation because it is regional.

That is why their giving extends beyond Northern Virginia and includes such groups as Whitman-Walker Health, the Sitar Arts Center and DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, where Nancy is a board member. She lights up when talking about the Grassroot Project, a new student-run HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program that uses the role model status of Division I college students and the popular platform of sports "to empower at-risk youths with the knowledge and skills to lead healthy lives."

"I had no idea of the breadth and depth of services in our region," she says. "Many groups are small and under the radar but these organizations provide immeasurable services to the populations they serve."

Adds her husband, "Many hands make light work. In other words, it takes everyone pitching in for good things to happen."

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Pat Hall Jaynes Gets Fired Up

I wanted to focus on local nonprofits and the good work they do.  -- Pat Hall Jaynes

The HR SOURCE, a 16-year-old human resources staffing and consulting firm in Landover, Maryland, is located in the same office building as The Community Foundation for Prince George’s County. The two organizations share far more than an address; both are interested in helping neighbors in need.

A resident of Prince George’s County for 22 years, HR SOURCE President and CEO Pat Hall Jaynes is concerned about the toll the economic crisis has taken on her community. With that in mind, she started The HR Source Foundation and threw herself into planning its first charity event: a grill-off held last summer. “My goal was to get human resource professionals involved in community outreach,” she says.

Jaynes invited corporations and their designated grill masters “to fire up their grills to benefit local charities, with the winner crowned Iron Grill Champion.” In addition to great food, the event featured networking, wine tasting and a silent auction.

“I like to do things that are unique,” said Jaynes, a self-proclaimed foodie who lined up five chefs to judge the competition, which was held at the Billingsley House Museum in Upper Marlboro.

The 10 participating companies were Ascellon Corporation, Dixie Pig Bar-Be-Que, Alliances for Quality Education, Jersey Boyz Bar-B-Que, PRM Consulting Group, Zion Church, The HR SOURCE, Capitol Securities, BJM Solutions and Brite Technologies. Each company paid an entry fee and then grilled on behalf of 10 designated charities: the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund, the United Negro College Fund, Paul Public Charter School, Daybreak Ministries, House of Ruth, the Capital Area Food Bank, Street Sense, Early Childhood Academy and Neighbors in Need Prince George’s.

A cousin of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region's Neighbors in Need Fund, Neighbors in Need Prince George's makes grants to nonprofits serving needy residents of Prince George's County.

“I wanted to focus on local nonprofits and the good work they do,” said Jaynes, who distributed a brochure at the event listing the mission of each group.

“There are so many ways that businesses can support local organizations, such as The Community Foundation, and local causes, such as the Neighbors in Need Fund,” says Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of The Community Foundation for Prince George’s. “You don’t have to have a lot of money. Sometimes all you need is enthusiasm and creativity. Pat’s grill-off is a perfect example of that.”

Back at the grill-off, the suspense built as the afternoon went on. As the grills heated up, so did the competition. But in the end, there was only one first-place winner. Grill Master Eric Hall of the Dixie Pig Bar-Be-Quet took home the top honor and $5,000 for his favorite charity. The cause: Neighbors in Need Prince George's.

“I’m glad to know the event gave the three-year-old Neighbors in Need, a relatively new organization, some exposure,” said Jaynes who is already planning next year’s event.

 

Doorways for Women and Families

 I know what it's like to have money and to not have money.  -- Doorways board member Trey Walker

The low point for Trey Walker of Arlington came when she was forced to spend the night in her car with her five-year-old son. Out of money and housing options, she was on a waiting list to get into a shelter. "Not knowing where you are going to lay down your head is one thing if it's just you," she says. "It's entirely different when you have a child."

Soon after that sleepless night, she learned of Doorways for Women and Families, an Arlington-based nonprofit for women and families in severe crisis who need services related to issues of family violence, employment, housing, immigration, literacy, legal and financial issues. Many have mental health and/or trauma issues and are facing financial disaster. The Community Foundation has awarded Doorways a grant from its Neighbors in Need Fund in support of emergency shelter and transitional housing.

Consider this: The average length of stay in the Doorways' Freddie Mac Foundation Family Home—which has 21 beds—has steadily risen in the past four years, from just over three months to nearly five months with some families staying more than a year. This creates a bottleneck for new families in need of emergency shelter. As a result, in the past year, Doorways was forced to turn away 1,460 adults and children seeking shelter, half of whom were from Arlington. This has also led Doorways to triple capacity in its housing programs which support families to obtain or retain housing. These programs provide critical alternatives to shelter for families in crisis.

Trey Walker's story is not unusual. Things started to unravel in 2007 when she lost her job. After caring for ailing family members in Pennsylvania, she returned to this area in hopes of finding a job. She lived with friends but when that option ran out she began to panic about the future. "I lived off my prayers," she recalls of that time.

A call to the Arlington County Community Assistance Bureau led her to Doorways. Imagining a "dirty shelter with roaches and crack heads," she discovered something quite different—Doorways' Freddie Mac Foundation Family Home, a $2.4 million, 7,200-square-foot, two-story, therapeutic home that provides a haven for homeless families.

At Doorways, she improved her parenting skills and learned how to manage her money. She paid off her bills, saving enough to move into permanent housing. Today, she is living in a condominium in Arlington and working in a retail job that pays $12 an hour—barely enough to make ends meet and a far cry from the $57,000 a year she made as a Department of Defense contractor before the recession.

"The job market continues to be challenging for our clients who are frequently forced to settle for unfavorable hours, low pay or long commutes that strain their limited options for child care and meager transportation budgets," said Doorways Executive Director Caroline Jones. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Arlington last year was $1,997 a month—prohibitive without a subsidy for someone making near minimum wage. Each week, Jones receives an email from the County listing affordable housing units in Arlington. Last week, the email listed one unit.

"It takes more than shelter to end homelessness," says Jones. In addition to emergency shelter for women and families, Doorways also provides housing and supportive services for families who leave Doorways shelters or those for whom shelter can be prevented with immediate housing assistance. Continued services ensure an end to the cycle of family homelessness while promoting self-sufficiency. Other services include personal training in budgeting, saving and debt management to help rebuild credit and restore confidence; and physical, emotional and social support to help children heal from the traumatic effects of homelessness and domestic violence.

Not long ago, Jones asked Trey Walker to join the Doorways board. "It's my way of giving back," Walker said in embracing her new role. "You can't have everyone on the board be from the same side of the fence," she adds. "I know what it's like to have money and to not have money. People who live in the shelter need to be represented. I'm honored to be their voice."

 

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Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County

  If it weren't for The Community Foundation, we would not be initiating a systematic ten-year plan to end homelessness in Prince George's County today.  -- Jerry Adams, Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County

"Homeless people in Prince George's County are somewhat invisible," says Jerry Adams, Executive Director of the 10-year-old Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County (HSC). "You don't see homeless people sleeping on grates or park benches as you would in the city," he added. At the same time, a number of factors—returning veterans who can't find work, homeless youth who sleep on different sofas every night, residents with chronic health issues, record numbers of foreclosures and the lack of quality affordable housing—have driven the issue of homelessness to the forefront of the county's policy discussions.

So far in 2011, there have been an estimated 2,500 homeless people sheltered in Prince George's according to the Prince George's Department of Social Services. In the past year, HSC has received two Neighbors in Need Fund system reform grants to help the county's Homeless Services Partnership achieve its goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating homelessness in the county. Created in 1995, the Partnership is made up of 70 homeless services providers.

With funds from Neighbors in Need, HSC working with the Homeless Services Partnership evaluated the state of homelessness in the county by gathering data on current services, developing a demographic portrait of who is homeless and analyzing where the gaps are.

Originally, HSC's goal was to use that data to improve the traditional Continuum of Care model that guides and tracks homeless participants through a comprehensive array of services and housing. Instead, HSC determined that a newer approach known as Housing First—which provides homeless people with permanent housing quickly, then makes services available as needed—would be more effective. The Housing First model has a very high success rate for housing—and keeping housed—people who have been homeless. Housing First programs in other communities boast a rate as high as 85%. Studies also show that Housing First is less expensive than traditional approaches.

Adams applauds The Community Foundation for both recognizing the need for system reform in Prince George's County and for supporting the Partnership's decision to "change horses mid-stream." He adds: "One door closed, but another opened."

Adams also values connections he made through The Community Foundation with other Neighbors in Need grantees such as Greg White, COO and Vice President of Programs at Reston Interfaith. "Fairfax County is years ahead of us," said Adams. "We can end homelessness more quickly if we don't have to reinvent the wheel."

Working with Freddie Mac, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Prince George's County officials, HSC is on its way to launching a Housing First Initiative that will reduce the time some people spend in a shelter and prevent others from becoming homeless altogether. "If it weren't for The Community Foundation," Adams says, "we would not be initiating a systematic ten-year plan to end homelessness in Prince George's County today."

 

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Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP)

 Without intensive intervention, a significant number of homeowners who avoided foreclosure will find themselves in default again.  -- Mary Hunter of Housing Initiative Partnership

By now, many in our region are aware that Prince George's has the largest number of foreclosures of any county in Maryland. But few know that things are about to get worse.

While many banks issued a moratorium on foreclosures in the past year, they have recently started to process the backlog. "We're bracing for a storm," says Mary Hunter, Director of Housing Initiative Partnership's counseling program, citing recent figures. In the fourth quarter of 2010, there were 17,000 notices of intent to close in Maryland. In the first quarter of 2011, there were 66,000.

"One in four homeowners living in Prince George's County are behind in their mortgage payments and one in 10 in Montgomery County have fallen behind," Hunter points out. "In pockets of Montgomery County—Germantown, Gaithersburg and parts of Silver Spring and Wheaton—people are being hit especially hard."

The majority of the clients are low-to-moderate income; 48% are African American and 37% are Latino. Five of the six HIP counselors are bilingual and the organization has undertaken an extensive outreach campaign to reach Latino homeowners.

Most clients have fallen behind for one of two reasons: they were previously targeted for a high cost loan at an inflated value or they have lost income.

Beyond the numbers are real people—thousands of whom have benefitted from weekly foreclosure prevention workshops for homeowners facing foreclosure and one-on-one counseling to help defaulting homeowners achieve the best possible solutions. The programs, which have been held in both Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in both English and Spanish, were made possible with support from the Neighbors in Need Fund.

Carmen Castro, a certified housing counselor based in HIP's Germantown office, recalls one single mother of two. After separating from her husband, the mother fell behind on her mortgage and thought she was going to lose her home after exhausting all her resources. Castro guided her, and hundreds of others, through the process of requesting a modification to lower her monthly payments. The wait was excruciating. The mother lived in limbo for a year, not knowing from day to day if her family would end up homeless. "Our clients are frequently so stressed they can't sleep," says Castro.

According to the Urban Institute, homeowners who receive counseling are 60% more likely to avoid foreclosure. Many homeowners remain in counseling at HIP for one or two years before resolving their issues. "Mortgage servicers lose paperwork, allow applications to languish and wrongly deny applications," said Hunter. HIP has worked to overcome these challenges by developing partnerships with servicers, utilizing cutting-edge software and working with Fannie Mae for Fannie Mae-backed loans.

To date, HIP has helped close to 1,000 homeowners avoid foreclosure. For those who do, the organization recently launched a workshop to help clients restore their financial health and stay up to date on their mortgage payments. "Without intensive intervention, a significant number of homeowners who avoided foreclosure by securing mortgage modifications will find themselves in default again," said Hunter. The new workshop is intended to help clients "bounce back" from financial hardship resulting from the housing crisis and economic downturn.

HIP also launched a public service campaign to warn residents of foreclosure rescue scams. "Lots of people are getting fleeced," said HIP Executive Director Mosi Harrington. "People panic and end up paying as much as $3,000 to attorneys who play on homeowners' emotions and fears." In Maryland, as well as D.C. and Virginia, it is illegal to charge an upfront fee for loan modification services. 

Harrington offers a final note: not all victims of the economic downturn are low-income. "There is a misconception that these are all working class people," she said. "One way or another, these are all victims of circumstances. Who would have anticipated facing job loss? Who would have anticipated how hard it is to find another job? Who would have thought you would want to sell your house but no one would buy it?" says Harrington, pointing out that she lives in a middle class neighborhood where nine or 10 houses on her street are for sale.

Resources on Affordable Housing and Homelessness

Issues of affordable housing and homelessness in the Washington region are complex. In order to learn more, check out the following resources.

Local

The Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless
The Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless is a private nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing and support services to homeless families and women in Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. To learn more, click here.

Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development
CNHED is a umbrella organization whose membership represents a broad spectrum of nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers, special needs housing service agencies, faith-based organizations, community development corporations, funders, lenders and government agencies. Their mission is to strengthen and support the ability of nonprofit community development organizations to improve the quality of life in the District of Columbia’s neighborhoods through advocacy, information sharing, training, capacity building, research and communications. To learn more about how CHNED adds value, click here.

The Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place
The Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place web site offers visitors the option to learn about Homelessness 101 including myths and facts and frequently asked questions such as "What can I do to help people who are homeless?" and as specific as "Should I give to a panhandler?" To learn the answers to these questions and more, click here.

The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness
The Community Partnership is an independent, non-profit corporation that coordinates the District of Columbia's Continuum of Care on behalf of the city. Through the work of its providers, the D.C. Continuum of Care includes prevention services, street outreach efforts, emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing for individuals and families. To learn more, click here.

Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership on Ending Homelessness
The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership on Ending Homelessness is an innovative collaboration of policy makers and community organizations dedicated to ending homelessness in Fairfax and Falls Church. To learn more about the real costs of homelessness in Northern Virginia, click here.

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Homelessness Services Planning and Coordinating Committee's annual report, A Regional Portrait of Homelessness: 2011 Count, provides a snapshot of homelessness in and around Washington, DC. Their latest report is available here.

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless
The Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) is a community-based nonprofit organization serving people experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County, Maryland. As the leading provider of permanent housing, emergency and transitional shelter, and supportive services for the homeless, as well as those exiting homelessness, MCCH serves more than 1,600 men, women and children each year. MCCH also serves the homeless provider network in Montgomery County through advocacy efforts, program coordination and educational activities. In addition, MCCH spearheads a collaborative effort to implement a 10-year plan to end homelessness, Homelessness in Montgomery County: Beginning to End. 

A Passageway Home: A 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness in Arlington County, Virginia
In Arlington County, Virginia, nonprofit providers serve about 1,100 homeless individuals. A Passageway Home is a 10 year plan started in 2006 to eliminate homelessness in the county. To learn more about the plan, click here.

Urban Institute and the Washington DC Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
The Neighborhood Info DC site includes, among other useful information, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Foreclosure Monitor with quarterly data on foreclosures, mortgage delinquency, real estate owned (REO) properties and the sales market in the D.C. metropolitan region.   

Washington City Paper
Washington City Paper's Housing Complex column by Lydia DePillis runs regularly in the newspaper and on the web site.

Street Sense
Street Sense is biweekly street newspaper that features news, features, editorials, poems and art about homelessness and poverty and other social issues. About 50% of the paper is written by homeless and formerly homeless individuals, and the other articles come from our staff and volunteers, who include journalists, students, advocates and a wide variety of other professionals. Its mission is to offer economic opportunities for people experiencing homelessness in our community through a newspaper that elevates voices and encourages debate on poverty and injustice. Read this article about becoming homeless and others and if you get a chance, pick up a copy from a vendor.

National

To learn more about issues of homelessness and affordable housing nationwide, read about these national organizations and coalitions dedicated to finding solutions and educating the public.

Hard Times Generation: Homeless Kids
A segment from the CBS weekly news magazine 60 Minutes on the rise of homelessness among children during the recession.

National Alliance to End Homelessness
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. By improving policy, building capacity, and educating opinion leaders, the Alliance has become a leading voice on this issue.

National Low Income Housing Coalition
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes.

 

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Volunteer and Advocate to Help Serve Those Most Vulnerable in Our Community

Many of the positive changes that have taken place in our community relating to affordable housing and homelessness are a result of volunteer commitments and activism, as well as philanthropic investments from individual and organizational donors. Here are a number of suggestions for how you can get actively involved in the local community.

Alternative House
Alternative House is the only emergency shelter for homeless teens in Northern Virginia. A number of volunteer opportunities that involve interacting with program participants entail a 6- to 12-month commitment and attendance at one or more training sessions. Prospective volunteers for these positions must complete an application and interview process and may be subject to a background check and, in some cases, a TB test. (There is a $23 fee, payable by the volunteer, for the background check.) Many other opportunities do not entail a long commitment or an extensive application process. To learn about these special projects and event volunteer opportunities, click here.

Support Homeless Veterans
Urge Washington, DC Mayor Vincent Gray and D.C. City Council members to support the development of permanent supportive housing for homeless Veterans in the District.  Two housing developments are part of the District's Veteran's Signature Initiative that will create 130 units of housing for homeless vets as part of the Walter Reed redevelopment and creation of new housing on North Capitol Street. Local and national philanthropy has already committed more than $2.5 million in support of these two important model projects. 

The Capital Area Foreclosure Network (CAFN)
Many of us know someone, or know of someone, who may be struggling to pay his or her mortgage and may even be facing foreclosure. Sometimes it's hard to know where to turn for help. The Capital Area Foreclosure Network brings together key stakeholders to enhance tools and knowledge to combat the Greater Washington region's foreclosure crisis. The network's web site is an excellent resource with practical information for homeowners and renters in D.C., Maryland and Virginia who may be facing foreclosure. To learn more about CAFN activities, click here

DC JCC Behrend Builders
DC JCC Behrend Builders connects both skilled and unskilled volunteers to service-learning opportunities in the greater D.C. area. Behrend Builders works in low-income neighborhoods in D.C. to repair, renovate and rebuild low-income family homes, community centers, public schools, homeless shelters, parks and other vital community spaces. To learn how to get involved, click here.

Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC
Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC works to ensure that all our neighbors have safe, comfortable homes they can afford—and there's no better way to build our communities than for us all to lend a hand. When individual volunteers, businesses, and other groups come together and work as one, our neighbors can live in houses they truly want to call home. To learn more about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, click here.

Help the Homeless Walkathon
A major initiative of Fannie Mae, the Help the Homeless Walkathon has raised more than $85 million since 1988 for homeless service providers for the nearly 12,000 people in the Washington region who are homeless. This year's walkathon, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19, is its last national event, though local mini-walks are expected to continue into the future. The Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon fund is one of many corporate and organizational funds housed at The Community Foundation. To learn more about Fannie Mae's Help the Homless Walkathon and mini-walks, click here.

The Arlington 100 Homes Campaign
On October 16-21, the Arlington 100 Homes Campaign held its Registry Week, in which volunteers spread across the County in teams to identify every homeless person in Arlington. The teams used a survey to collect information that goes into a "Vulnerability Index" and identifies those most likely to die on the street if not housed soon. People are then moved into permanent housing and will receive supportive services, with those who score higher on the Vulnerability Index taking priority. The goal of the Arlington initiative is to reduce chronic homelessness in Arlington by 50% by July 2013. The Arlington campaign is part of 1,000 Homes for 1,000 Virginians is a statewide initiative led by the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness to house 1,000 of the most vulnerable Virginians experiencing homelessness. In turn, that effort is part of the national 100,000 Homes Campaign which has successfully engaged communities across the country to identify the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, rank their conditions by severity, and then systematically house them before their homelessness causes them to die. To volunteer to help with future activities in the Washington region, click here.

Pathways to Housing DC
Pathways to Housing DC moves people with psychiatric and other disabilities directly from the street into permanent housing. Unlike other approaches, this Housing First model does not require participants to receive psychiatric or addiction-related treatment prior to moving off the streets and into their own homes. Pathways is in need of new or gently used house wares such as dishes, silverware, pots and pans; new linens; and works of art that help an apartment become a home. Drop off tax-deductible donations between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 101 Q St. NE, Washington, DC. Contact 202-529-2972 or www.pthdc.org.

Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of homeowners in need. As the economic pressure on low-income families grows, more and more families are placed in the position of choosing between vital necessities and essential home repairs and modifications. National Rebuilding Weekend occurs in April, but Rebuilding Together now operates year-round to accommodate emergencies and tight schedules. To learn more about the people Rebuilding Together has helped, click here.

Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Envisioning a just and inclusive community, the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless provides low-barrier legal services and advocates for justice for people who struggle with homelessness and poverty in DC. The Legal Clinic relies on volunteer attorneys to staff its seven community sites at day centers, dining programs and a shelter-based medical clinic. With training and support from the Legal Clinic's staff attorneys, volunteers conduct intake and provide any needed follow up representation on issues ranging from access to shelter and subsidized housing and eligibility for public assistance, to resolution of credit problems and unlawful discrimination. The Legal Clinic also uses volunteers to expand our reach with regard to a number of special projects, such as the monitoring of the District's compliance with the right to shelter during the winter months and the handling of administrative proceedings challenging unlawful denials of such shelter. Volunteers will be the eyes and ears of the Legal Clinic, learning directly from District families and individuals whether they are being treated fairly and lawfully. For information about these and other volunteer opportunities and to learn more about the Legal Clinic's efforts to bring an end to homelessness in the nation's capital, please contact volunteer coordinator Emily Uhar at emily.uhar@legalclinic.org or 202 328-1263.

A Wider Circle
A Wider Circle is a small, grassroots nonprofit based in Silver Spring that provides furniture and other basic need items to families and individuals transitioning out of shelters or simply living without life's necessities. To learn more about donating your gently used furniture to those in need, click here. To learn about volunteer opportunities with A Wider Circle, click here.

Yachad
Yachad, a DC-based non-profit committed to affordable housing and community development, sponsors the annual Our City Film Festival, the only festival that showcases D.C.-focused films on a variety of topics including housing and homelessness. Films screened in past years included "Chocolate City" by Ellie Walton, "Extreme Commuting" by Andrea Bloom and "God of a Second Chance" by Paul Wagner. This year's festival is Feb. 11-12. Yachad also sponsors Ramp it Up!, a summer program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who spend the week building an accessibility ramp for a lower-income homeowner or family member with disabilities. To learn more about Yachad, click here.

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Give to the Max Day

Get ready for the Washington region's biggest day of philanthropy ever! November 9 is Give to the Max Day Greater Washington—24 hours of online giving to benefit nonprofit organizations across our region.

If you work at a nonprofit, it's not too late to sign up and get ready to compete for more than $100,000 in awards. Visit www.give2max.org and register today. The deadline to participate is November 4.

If you are an individual, you can fundraise for your favorite nonprofit or cause. Learn how at www.give2max.org.

And everyone can give on November 9—the minimum donation is $10! Help raise millions for our vital nonprofits and be a part of the biggest day of giving in our region's history. Learn more here.

 

	2011/2012 Putting Race on the Table Community Tours Join us in 2011/12 for our Putting Race on the Table Community Tours to see firsthand the race-influenced inequities in our region that profoundly affect important issues such as health, education, housing, employment and more. Meet community leaders and hear their stories as we visit schools, neighborhoods and nonprofit organizations, all working together to bring about greater racial equity through positive change.
	Download our Community Tours brochure and map HERE. REGISTER TODAY by contacting rsvp@cfncr.org - all tours are free and open to the public. Please indicate which tour(s) you would like to attend. You will receive a confirmation and a reminder prior to the tour.
	Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 8:30am - 1:00pm Race and Educational Achievement Mount Vernon District of Fairfax County Alexandria, VA Alexandria, VA In 1954, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision that sought to ensure access to equal educational opportunity for all public school children. Yet, over 50 years after the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling, inequities in public education still exist. The gap in achievement among public school students based on race, ethnicity and family income continues to rise throughout many areas of the metropolitan Washington region. Join us on our exploration of the Mount Vernon District community in Fairfax County, Virginia to look through the lens of education and learn more about the efforts of Fairfax County Public Schools to address the achievement gap and improve educational outcomes for K-12 students. Sign up for this donor tour and learn more about the Putting Race on the Table Initiative at www.thecommunityfoundation.org
	THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY'S 15th ANNUAL "CELEBRATION OF GIVING" November 15, 2011 Round House Theatre and Chevy Chase Trust Bethesda, MD Honoring Philanthropist of the Year Jeffrey Slavin Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.
	THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION'S "CELEBRATION OF CIVIC SPIRIT" December 8, 2011 Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Washington, DC. Honoring Roger and Vicki Sant Contact Starlet Hunter at shunter@cfncr.org to learn more and purchase tickets.

Join Our Online Community   In our blog, "Giving It Some Thought," Community Foundation President Terri Lee Freeman and guest bloggers share their perspectives on regional issues and philanthropy. Read it and sign-up for RSS feeds HERE. Become a fan of our Facebook page and stay up-to-date on the latest Community Foundation news!  Find us HERE. Follow us @CommunityFndn and our President, Terri Lee Freeman, @TerriLeeFreeman  Community Foundation Donors:  Go Green! Sign Up for E-Statements and Donor Central If you're a Community Foundation donor, you now can receive your quarterly statements electronically.  It's the fast, easy, efficient, and earth-friendly way to keep track of your fund profile.  Registering only takes a minute. Sign up HERE. Sign up for Donor Central!  This free, secure online service lets you recommend grants and check your fund activity 24/7.  Contact Starlet Hunter, Director of Development, at (202) 263-4763 or shunter@cfncr.org.

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About The Community Foundation

Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region promotes charitable giving and plays a leading role in finding innovative solutions to the Greater Washington region's most challenging problems. The Foundation is a community of givers – individuals, families and corporations have joined with the Foundation; as a result, the Foundation provides sound management of more than 800 funds and some $360 million in assets. In FY2010, The Community Foundation and its donors awarded some $50 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC region and beyond. The Foundation has two affiliates – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County and The Community Foundation for The Prince George’s County. For more information, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org.

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 | Phone: (301) 588-2544

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Prince George's County
8181 Professional Place | Landover, MD 20785 | Phone: (301) 464-6706