Meet Emma, Habitat DC-NOVA’s Home Repair Project Manager. Emma has been working with Habitat DC-NOVA since 2019. She grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech. While at Virginia Tech, she signed up for the Appalachian Service Project Club. She shares, “Before joining, I had absolutely no construction experience. We did a lot of Habitat projects on the weekends, and I slowly became more confident using tools and completing projects. I then completed two terms of Americorps service in Maryland and Iowa and especially enjoyed working with the home repair departments”.
She is a Certified Aging in Place specialist through the National Association of Home Builders. She works with DACL’s Safe at Home program to complete accessibility repairs and modifications for seniors and disabled adults throughout D.C. She also works with Habitat DC-NOVA’s partnership with TruBlue to provide repairs to seniors in Northern Virginia. She loves the impact of home repairs allowing seniors to age in place and the sustainability component of home repair.
“I am proud that I’m making an impact in my community. While new homeownership is a key component of Habitat for Humanity, I think ensuring existing homeowners are safe and comfortable in their homes.”
Habitat DC-NOVA helps older adults age in place and stay part of the communities where they’ve built their lives. More than 19 million older adults across the US live in homes that are in disrepair or ill-equipped to meet their needs safely. With the support of staff like Emma, we can build and restore affordable homeownership opportunities so more individuals in our communities can have a safe and secure place to call home.