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| | | Dear << Test First Name >>,
When people think about the mission of Habitat for Humanity, what often comes to mind are the affordable homes we build, our active volunteer program, our ReStores, and our advocacy for ensuring that everyone has a safe, decent and affordable home. What is less well known is our commitment to home repair. At Habitat DC-NOVA, we have partnership with a variety of groups—local governments, other nonprofits and for-profit organizations, that help us operate our home repair programs. Across our service area many families cannot afford to make necessary repairs to their homes, threatening their health and safety. This is especially true for seniors, who may not be able to continue to live in their home unless accommodations can be made.
We have completed more than 300 home repairs, many for seniors, including installing ramps, handrails and both major and minor repairs that greatly increase accessibility and allow them to continue to live in the homes they own and communities they love.
With May being Affordable Housing Month, we want to say thank you for your generosity and commitment as none of this would be possible without you.
As always, we want to thank our generous donors: our corporate, foundation, and nonprofit partners, and the ever-growing community of individual donors. It is with your support, along with our tireless volunteers, staff and Board, that makes our work possible.
In service, Susanne |
| | | | May is Older Americans Month, an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of older residents, who are vital members of our communities. Older adults are a growing population among cost-burdened homeowners. This year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” encourages us to challenge our approach to aging and to recognize the opportunities for independence that come along with it. As the population of older adults grows, so does the number of homeowners facing the challenges of aging housing stock and the high cost of necessary health and safety repairs. At Habitat for Humanity, our mission is to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Through our home repair program, Habitat DC-NOVA has supported more than 300 older adults to make their homes safer, healthier, and more accessible. In partnership with TruBlue Total House Care of Vienna and DC’s Safe at Home program, we’re working to address the growing concerns facing older adults’ homes. Our approach includes a personalized assessment to identify daily living challenges and recommendations for tailored repairs and modifications like grab bars and ramps. By completing repairs and installing accessibility modifications, we reduce fall risks and eliminate hazards, allowing homeowners to live safe and independent lives. These repairs are also serving a broader goal: preserving our existing housing stock to address the affordable housing need. By enabling older adults to stay in their homes, aging in place programs help protect the generational wealth, stability, and community provided to households through homeownership. If you or a loved one could benefit from these services, visit our website to learn about eligibility and how to apply. Together, we can build stronger, safer communities where everyone has a place to call home. |
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Habitat DC-NOVA now has funding available to help with home repairs in the Springfield Supervisory District! Repairs will be carried out either by Habitat’s own team or by contractors overseen by Habitat. Projects will be selected based on staff capacity, contractor availability, and the size of the repair needed.
Applications are now open and will be accepted until the funds are fully allocated. |
| | | | It’s been a busy and productive month as we continue building and preserving homes for families in our region!
Thanks to the incredible efforts of our Sandlot team, Crew Leaders, AmeriCorps members, and dedicated volunteers, our construction sites are filled with the sounds of hammers and saws.
Our Home Repair team has been hard at work completing a wide range of critical repairs—making homes safer and more accessible for residents across our communities. |
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| | | | Join us for our Women Build Happy Hour on Wednesday May 21 at Screwtop Wine Bar in Arlington – co-hosted by Habitat’s Women’s Giving Circle! Women Build connects women and volunteers of diverse gender identity and expression together to learn new skills while building affordable homes.
This networking happy hour will bring together local women leaders, volunteers, and Habitat supporters to share about how to get involved with Women Build and to raise awareness of women’s needs in housing.
Email events@habitatdcnova.org to RSVP to join us on May 21st. |
| Advocacy in Action: Make your voice heard to protect key housing programs
May is #AffordableHousingMonth, and you can take action with Habitat DC-NOVA this month to contribute to our work of ensuring access to affordable housing. Use the link below to tell your federal policymakers that they need to protect vital housing programs that Habitat depends on.
The administration released a Fiscal Year 2026 budget request that proposes severe cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s funding that would eliminate several federal vital programs that Habitat DC-NOVA utilize, such as AmeriCorps and Section 4.
We need your help to ensure Congress provides strong funding for programs that are critical to Habitat DC-NOVA’s, and the broader Habitat for Humanity network’s, efforts to expand affordable homeownership opportunities in our DC and Northern Virginia communities and nationwide. With negotiations beginning, it’s important now more than ever that members of Congress hear from you about these essential programs and initiatives. Please take just one minute now to send your elected officials a quick message urging them to protect and expand funding for Habitat’s priority programs in FY2026. AmeriCorps – The National Direct and VISTA AmeriCorps programs are incredibly valuable to our organization, significantly increasing our capacity to build homes and engage with our communities. Currently, we have seven members serving with us – four as construction crew leaders and three as operational support. Constitution Avenue is one of our current projects utilizing AmeriCorps members – see how they’re helping with this project.
Section 4 – The Section 4 Capacity Building Program allows for staff to be hired and covers predevelopment costs on housing projects, like legal counsel for zoning, architecture, and engineering costs. An example of how Habitat DC-NOVA uses Section 4 grants is to support the growth of our home repair program, which allows seniors to age-in-place, and continue living in their homes, providing stability and safety.
Learn more about the how we utilize HUD programs and AmeriCorps to serve more families in our region. |
| | | | | Tori Steele, Preservation and Repair Program Manager, has long been passionate about building communities where everyone can thrive. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Virginia Wesleyan University, where she learned more about the vital role affordable housing plays in a person’s safety and well-being. In 2023, Tori served as a Construction Crew Leader through AmeriCorps, gaining hands-on experience at construction sites in Washington, D.C., including Skyland Terrace Townhomes and the Construction Avenue Renovation. |
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| Following her AmeriCorps service, Tori joined the Habitat DC-NOVA team. In her role, she connects directly with homeowners and coordinates with partners like Safe at Home and TruBlue Total House Care to support the seniors and individuals with disabilities in our region. She also spends time in the community, building relationships with partners and community members alike. She shared “I’ve chased a passion for housing into a few different positions, but I’m so happy it’s landed me here in this role. I’ve always believed that everyone deserves to live in a place that’s safe, warm, and dry. I feel incredibly proud to be part of a team that’s committed to making that a reality for families across DC and Northern Virginia.” In addition to supporting home repair clients, Tori is focused on growing and strengthening our home repair program. While we currently prioritize seniors and individuals needing accessibility modifications and repairs, Tori is exploring unmet needs in the community, like critical home repairs and neighborhood revitalization, to help build more accessible and equitable communities for all. |
| | This month, we have four members of our staff celebrating their work anniversary with Habitat DC-NOVA! Thank you Brandi, Lucas, Derrick, and Andeana for all that you bring to the organization!
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| | | | | | On Saturday, May 3rd, we came together to honor the incredible volunteers who inspire us with their dedication and passion for our work. Last year alone, more than 3,000 volunteers donated 41,000 hours of service!
Hosted at the Alexandria Bier Garden, volunteers from all areas of the organizations got to connect and enjoy delicious food and drinks. During the program, we heard from Habitat staff, volunteers, and Habitat homeowner, Andrew. Learn more about the volunteers honored this year for their time, commitment, and dedication! |
| | | | We were thrilled to welcome Capital One to the Chantilly ReStore to volunteer which turned out to be their largest volunteer day yet!
Twenty-five members of the Corporate Development team arrived ready and excited to volunteer. They quickly jumped in to assist with essential tasks, such as staging our front showroom to help customers better visualize ReStore furniture in their own homes.
They also began construction on four playhouses—our largest project of this kind to date! These playhouses are sold in our ReStores and donated to local organizations, with the funds raised helping to support our work of building (full-size) homes in the region. Thank you, Capital One, for your continued support! |
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