Dear << Test First Name >>,

For 35 years our mission has not waivered:  we build hope, strength and stability by creating and preserving affordable homeownership opportunities. Over the last 15 years, I have had the privilege to help pursue this mission:  on the Board and in two capacities as President and CEO—first in DC and then in the merged affiliate that combined Northern Virginia with DC.  Looking back and looking forward, I see five key pillars that support Habitat DC-NOVA’s long-term impact: 

1. The Families: Determination,vision and hard work characterize the nearly 350 families that benefit and will soon reap the benefits of homeownership.

   
   

2. Our People and leadership: Our nearly 50 staff and 15 Board members share a deep commitment to our mission and organization. Nearly a fourth have served over a decade and nearly 45% over 5 years. We have grown into a talented and mission driven team that brings the families we serve through every step of each of our programs.

   
   

3. Our Donors and Volunteers: The dedication and impact of our donors and partners, large and small, is immeasurable.The more than 50,000 volunteers who have volunteered across our organization are a central pillar of the Habitat model, without which we could not achieve our mission. Together, we build hope.

   
   

4. Our Programs: Construction, Home Repair, The ReStores, and Pre-and Post purchase Homeowner services and education, all help our mission in central ways—allowing us to serve more families, raise funds and reach out to the communities we seek to strengthen.

   
   

5. Our Advocacy: We “Build Louder” by giving voice to the needs of our communities for achievable homeownership and the stabilizing effects it brings to families and neighborhoods. We testify and interact with governmental,nonprofit and for-profit organizations in every one of the many jurisdictions in our service area. 

Over our 35 years, we have built a resilient, creative and forward-thinking organization.  With a mailing list of well over 19,000 supporters, we have consistently shared our successes and our challenges. Among our successes  we have won numerous awards: for building highly energy efficient passive homes, for transforming distressed neighborhoods, especially with two “Carter Project,” and for excelling among our Habitat peers for “tithing” to communities in Habitat’s International programs, just to name a few.

It is an immense pleasure to look back on Habitat DC-NOVA’s 35 years of achievement and we will all enjoy our celebration in DC’s Union Station in October. But we will also be looking forward to serving more families, more communities and expanding our impact wherever possible.   

In Partnership,

Susanne

We are thrilled to join together on October 16th at Union Station to celebrate the last 35 years and the many years to come!

Featuring…

Honorees

Amazon

Private Sector Honoree

Director Tom Fleetwood

Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development

Public Sector Honoree

Douglass Community Land Trust

Non-profit Sector Honoree

Hope Hicks

Lifetime Service Award

35th Anniversary Host Committee

Thank you to our 35^th Anniversary Co-Chairs!

We’re pleased to thank our Board members Madi Ford (Audeo Partners) and Bob Murphy (MRP) for their leadership as the Co-Chairs of this year’s 35^th Anniversary campaign! Together with our fantastic Host Committee members, Madi and Bob have tirelessly led our campaign effort to raise $1MM for our affordable homeownership program. In addition to stepping up to lead this anniversary campaign, Madi and Bob both continue to serve as Board members providing invaluable guidance with their expertise in real estate development and organizational management.  

Madi Ford, Managing Principal of Audeo Partners, currently serves as the Vice Chair of Habitat DC-NOVA’s Board of Directors. Since she joined the Habitat Board in 2017, Madi has been a champion of our mission. She is a passionate participant and supporter of initiatives focused on affordable housing, economic empowerment, and access to education. Madi has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of Habitat DC-NOVA, which is just a portion of the millions of funds she has raised in support of DMV charitable causes. She lent her leadership to us as a Steering Committee Member for our2017 Women Build, the Event Chair for our 30th Anniversary Gala in 2019, and the Event Chair for our 2021 Women Build campaign. Madi prides herself on advocating for empowerment of women in business and often speaks on mentoring young women in real estate, diversity in the workplace, and the value of inclusivity. We thank her for continuing to show up for Habitat and the families in need of housing across the region.

Bob Murphy, Managing Principal of MRP, has served on Habitat DC-NOVA’s Board of Directors since 2016. Bob has over 33 years of experience in commercial real estate operations, ownership and investment. He and his firm have helped build affordable rental housing projects across the mid-Atlantic,and Bob leverages his extensive experience to advise our team to successfully structure and finance our housing projects. Bob has helped the affiliate build strong relationships with local housing developers and advance the importance of homeownership as part of the housing continuum.

35th Anniversary Sponsors

Bronze Hammer

Bricklayer

Groundbreaker

Meet the Team Behind Our 35th Anniversary Celebration

   Liz Salter (left) and Kat Shaub (right) with Lee Granados (middle) at Habitat DC-NOVA’s Women Build 2024 Panel Discussion and Luncheon.

As we get closer to our 35th Anniversary Celebration, we’d love for you to meet two of the staff members making it happen: Kat Shaub and Liz Salter!

Kat Shaub, our Vice President of Resource Development, joined DC Habitat seven years ago and has been a leader ever since. Kat has been part of the Habitat family since she was a kid, joining her mom—who worked at the Lancaster Lebanon Habitat affiliate—at Habitat homeowner family gatherings and events.

Kat oversees all our fundraising efforts—from the Habitat DC-NOVA ReStores to engaging foundations and corporate partners  and working with the Women’s Giving Circle. She’s also helping launch our new Homeowner Leadership Council and works closely with our Real Estate Development team to ensure new projects have the support they need. If there is a way to further our mission through funding and community building, Kat is on it!

Liz Salter is our Assistant Vice President of Resource Development & Marketing and has been with Habitat for 10 years. A proud Philadelphia native (go Birds!), Liz got her start in non-profits as an AmeriCorps VISTA, before moving to Northern Virginia to work at Carpenters Shelter, a homeless shelter in Alexandria. She joined Habitat NOVA in 2015 as a Volunteer Coordinator, working with thousands of incredible volunteers each year.

These days, she wears many hats—leading individual fundraising efforts, and communications and marketing efforts (including this very newsletter and our social media accounts @habitatdcnova). Liz also manages our volunteer and development operations teams to keep everything running smoothly.

Kat and Liz first teamed up in 2022 for the Launch Celebration marking the merger of DC Habitat and Habitat NOVA. Since then,they’ve held Women Build events, groundbreakings, and home dedications.Reflecting on the work, Liz shared “Events are such a great way to highlight all the amazing community members we work with—volunteers, donors, and the families we serve. More than ever, it’s important we come together to continue the work of building a more equitable and accessible community for everyone in our region.”

We can’t wait for you to see we’re planning for our 35th Anniversary Celebration on October 16 at Union Station—it’s going to be a night to remember!

This month, we had 3 employees celebrate their work anniversary! Happy Work Anniversary to Hocine, Kat, and Mandy.

Upcoming Events

📢 Action Alerts

Vote for home this November elections – register to vote!

Remember that your vote matters for affordable housing! Join Habitat DC-NOVA in ensuring everyone has access to a safe, decent and affordable home by making sure that you’re registered to vote and can use your vote as your voice, especially for Virginia’s general elections this November. Early voting begins in Virginia this week, Sept. 19!

Check your registration now: vote.gov. For Virginia residents, check elections.virginia.gov for your voter registration and to find early voting centers near you. And, see how to use your voice for home affordability with us: https://www.habitatdcnova.org/get-involved/advocacy/.

Federal Investments in Housing

Did you know that the State of Virginia relies on federal investments to address our housing needs? In Virginia, state contributions account for little more than 10% of total federal funding for housing initiatives. Please join us and the Virginia Housing Alliance, of which Habitat DC-NOVA is a member of, in urging Congress to strengthen, not shrink with harmful cuts, its commitments to affordable housing and homelessness. Raise your voice to protect and expand funding for critical federal housing programs, like the HOME Program that helps Habitat DC-NOVA build safe, stable affordable homes, that Virginians have access and capability to buy. [Send a quick message to your federal policymakers now]

Do you want to receive more opportunities like this one more frequently and straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our action alerts!

We’re hiring!

We currently have three open positions at our Alexandria ReStore: Assistant Manager, a Donations Coordinator, and a Warehouse & Sales Associate.

Visit our careers page for more information!