success - Wesley Housing

the door to brighter futures
Winter 2012
Best Community Life Program
Lincolnia Community Resource
Center’s Thresholds program for
students won HAND’s 2012 Best
Community Life Program Award.
Read about this program on page 3.
Colonial Village Apartments’
Renovations Completed
We created new family-sized
and ADA-compliant units, major
upgrades for all apartments, and a
new Community Resource Center.
Read more on page 3.
2nd Annual Rock & Stroll
2012 Rock & Stroll to End
Homelessness doubled
participation! More on page 2.
Housing Stability Initiative
Offers Success
Our expanded Housing Stability
Initiative helps residents avoid
eviction and increase self-sufficiency
through resources, classes, and
tools offered at our Community
Resource Centers. Read residents’
success stories on pages 3 and 4.
Thank you to Capital One Bank for sponsoring Lemon Road Elementary School in our HOPE Initiative!
4,000 Walk for Wesley Housing!
More than 4,000 individuals, including 3,828 children, walked on behalf of Wesley
Housing in Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless program this year—a 34% increase
over last year!
Capacity Building
Thank you to all of the schools that walked, and to the Fairfax
County Rec-PAC summer camp program that registered
1,331 walkers. Glasgow Middle School hosted the
biggest school event with 1,145 walkers. Guests at
Spring Kick, Capital Country Challenge, and Rock &
Stroll events added to this year’s record-breaking total.
We created important institutional
metrics through a Strategic
Scorecard Service Grant from the
Taproot Foundation.
Children Helping the Homeless: Community
support for our HOPE Initiative helps to underwrite
the registration and educational activities for many of
these walkers.
SUCCESS
To sponsor a student, class, or school, contact Amanda
House about our HOPE Initiative. You can make a difference!
(703) 642-3830 x 224 or [email protected]
2012
www.WesleyHousing.org
Notes
from
Shelley
Your compassion and generosity are
transforming lives. The successes
highlighted in this newsletter would
not be possible without you and our
dedicated partners. We appreciate
your support for Wesley Housing
and promise that we will continue
to use your gifts wisely to offer hope
and help to those facing the threat
of homelessness. We gratefully
acknowledge the recent donations
from our valued faith and community
partners, listed here.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday,
Shelley
Shelley S. Murphy, President/CEO
Community Funding Partners
Arlington County • Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission • Bishop Denis
J. O’Connell High School • Capital Area
REACH • Capital One Bank • Capitol Auto
Land • Central Michigan University • Deloitte
& Touche LLP • Dominion • ExxonMobil &
ExxonMobil Foundation • Fairfax County •
Fannie Mae & The Community Foundation
for the National Capital Region • First
Command Financial Planning • Freddie
Mac Foundation • HITT Contracting,
Inc. • Holmes Middle School • Housing
Association of Nonprofit Developers •
JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. • Lifelong
Learning Institute - Manassas • The National
Organization of Black Law Enforcement
Executives (NOBLE) • Northern Virginia
Regional Commission—HOPWA • Philip L.
Graham Fund • PNC Foundation • Reboot
Reuse Rebuild • Taproot Foundation • TD
Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation
• United Way of the National Capital Area &
Combined Federal Campaign • United Way
Worldwide • Wells Fargo
Recent Faith Partners
Andrew Chapel UMC • Beverley Hills
Community UMC • Burke UMC • Calvary
UMC • Cameron UMC • Centreville UMC
• Charles Wesley UMC • Clarendon UMC •
Community of Faith UMC • Community
UMC • Dar Al-Hijrah • Fairfax UMC • Good
Shepherd UMC • Herndon UMC • Immanuel
UMC • Lincolnia UMC • Mary-Elizabeth
Ministry, First Mount Zion Baptist Church
• Messiah UMC • Northern Virginia United
Methodist Board of Missions • Springfield
UMC • St. John’s UMC • St. Matthew’s
UMC • St. Stephen’s UMC • Trinity UMC
McLean • Walker Chapel UMC • Wesley
UMC Alexandria • Wesley UMC Vienna
Families walked. Mayor Euille zumba’d. Teens flipped.
Cornholers tossed. Kids climbed. Donations increased!
On a sunny September day, nearly 500
people met at Cameron Run Regional Park
in Alexandria to raise awareness and funds
to fight homelessness in Northern Virginia.
Proceeds from the Acacia Federal Rock &
Stroll support five area nonprofits—ALIVE!,
The Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the
Homeless, Community Lodgings, New Hope
Housing, and Wesley Housing.
In its second year, the event saw a 67%
increase in registered participants and a
141% increase in net revenue, thanks to
signature sponsor Acacia Federal Savings
Bank and many other corporate sponsors,
listed below. The day’s activities included a
Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walk, live
music, a Cornhole Challenge, barbecue
lunch, Zumba with Hilary, and Parkour (kids’
fitness course) workshops presented by
Urban Evolution. We thank the participants,
sponsors, volunteers, performers, government
officials, and Alexandria Mayor William Euille
who made the day a big success!
www.RockandStroll.net
More Participants, More Donations, More Fun!
Thank You for Your Support!
Rock & Stroll Sponsors:
Acacia Federal Savings Bank • Affordable Signs & Banners • Alexandria Cupcake •
Alexandria Gazette Packet • Alexandria Times • CohnReznick Bethesda, Maryland
• Covanta Energy • DC Linktank • Eisenhower Partnership • Enterprise Holdings
Foundation • Fairlington UMC • Grant Thornton LLP • Kositzka, Wicks and
Company • Networking for Good • Northern Virginia Magazine • Patch • Piquant
Creative • Potomac Riverboat Company • Whole Foods Market • Zebra
Spring Kick & Capital Country Challenge Sponsors:
The AES Corporation • Art of Music Studios • Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C. •
Bozzuto Development Company • Michael & Becky Cranna • Franklin Park
Performing and Visual Arts Center • Great Country Farms • Hamel Builders, Inc. •
Hertzbach & Company, P.A. • Phillip Kemelor & Donna Blum-Kemelor • Klein Hornig
LLP • McGuireWoods LLP & Michael Graff, Jr. • Nancy & Lyle Minter • Northern
Virginia Magazine & Specialicious.com • Beth & Paul Pautler • Potomac Riverboat
Company • Virginia Community Capital, Inc. • Melissa K. Walker • Walsh, Colucci,
Lubeley, Emrich & Walsh, P.C. • Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners, P.C.
• 98.7 WMZQ
2
Best Community Life Program
Lincolnia CRC’s Teen Thresholds Program
Wesley Housing’s Thresholds program for middle and high school
students was named the 2012 Best Community Life Program by the
Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND)!
The Thresholds program has provided an invaluable edge for Wesley
Housing’s teens. Many low-income students lack the resources that
more affluent teens take for granted—access to computers, tutoring,
and a structured after-school environment that encourages leadership.
Thresholds provides quality after-school enrichment that focuses on
academic achievement, college preparation, leadership development, and
community volunteering for middle and high school students. With this
program, students are given the opportunity to excel academically and
develop a sense of community.
Housing Stability Initiative Offers Bright Futures!
L to R: Priya Jayachandran of Bank of America Merrill
Lynch presents a HAND Award to Family Programs
Manager, Irrin Suvanasai, and Lincolnia Community
Resource Center Director, Lydia Monroe.
Reggie
is a husband and father of two who needed rental assistance because his
hours at a local grocery store were cut. In order to avoid possible eviction, he proactively
sought guidance from the director of Whitefield Commons Community Resource Center. She
linked Reggie to resources that allowed his family to remain housed while he worked with
staff to create a plan and set goals to help him improve his ability to provide for his family.
He decided that a commercial driver’s license would open new employment possibilities.
Reggie soon passed his licensing exam and is now employed as a commercial driver.
Please donate today to help us continue to offer our residents the
programs and tools necessary to ensure their success.
Colonial Village Apartments’
Renovations Completed
You Can Help!
Although gusty winds and torrential rain from
Hurricane Sandy caused the postponement
of Colonial Village Apartments’ Grand
Opening celebration, residents are enjoying
their newly renovated apartments in
Arlington. Eighty percent of the units have
been preserved as affordable. We created
14 new family-sized and 17 ADA-compliant
units in this historic rental community. This
commuter-friendly neighborhood is minutes from the Court House Metro
and near Key Bridge with quick access into Washington, DC.
The rehabilitation included a complete gut of the interiors, leaving the
exterior brick shells in place with all new windows, wall insulation,
plumbing, kitchens, baths, HVAC systems, roofs (including the historic slate
mansards), and energy efficient and water conservation improvements.
As part of Wesley Housing’s Housing Stability Initiative, a Community
Resource Center was added to offer educational and supportive services
to residents. A gift from Capital One Bank helped to staff the Center.
Due to Superstorm Sandy, Colonial Village’s Grand
Opening celebration has been rescheduled for April
2013. Check our website and Facebook for details!
3
Please support our great programs and
help us build bright futures!
Name:
Address:
Email:
Enclosed is my tax-deductible gift
in the amount of:
$25
$50
$500
Other: $
$100
Checks can be made to:
Wesley Housing
Development Corporation
5515 Cherokee Avenue, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22312
To make a donation by credit card,
visit our website and click:
DONATE
NOW
5515 Cherokee Avenue, Suite 200
Alexandria, Virginia 22312-2309
#8989
United Way
of the National Capital Area
Housing Stability Initiative Offers Success!
Why did this woman turn down three great job offers?
Nefissa is a Strawbridge Square resident who looked for employment for more than a year
with no success. She turned to the Lincolnia Community Resource Center’s (CRC) staff for help.
With direct assistance and referrals to adult computer classes and a job readiness course, Nefissa
developed her skills and successfully applied for a number of jobs. She was offered three positions
but made the difficult decision to turn down all three because she knew she needed a career, not a
dead-end job, to transform her life.
Nefissa got the chance to take advantage of a better opportunity to invest in her future when she received a referral from the
Lincolnia CRC staff. This led to her acceptance into the Training Futures program in McLean. This program provides lowincome or unemployed individuals with the resources necessary to secure stable, professional office careers that offer livable
wages and opportunities for professional and personal advancement. Through this program, Nefissa will receive training in
administrative support technologies and medical terminology, college credit, an internship, and guaranteed job placement.
Wesley Housing’s Housing Stability Initiative helps hundreds of at-risk families and individuals
avoid eviction and potential homelessness. Every year, we help dozens of people gain greater
independence through workshops, classes, tools, resources, and encouragement provided at
our Community Resource Centers. Your donations help to ensure this program’s future!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Graff, Jr., Chairman
James Barber
Muriel Garr
Jeff Greenspan, Vice Chairman
Alexis Gilroy
Casey Brill, Treasurer
The Rev. Kenneth Jackson
Nancy Minter, Secretary
Phillip Kemelor
Sherry Mitchell
Shelley Murphy, President
Melissa Walker
Wesley Housing is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, partially funded by these government entities: Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Fairfax County, Arlington County, the City of Falls Church, and the City of Alexandria.
Ken Wu