HomeAid creates community, both for those we help serve and for those who help make it possible, and that community was on full display at our GolfAid event last week. I am so grateful to all who joined us – whether you came out to play a round, connect with colleagues, or simply spend time with the builders, trade partners, and staff who make our work possible. Your support at events like GolfAid not only helps sustain our mission but is also an investment in our projects and in our nonprofit partners like Good Shepherd Housing, which for over 50 years has been at the forefront of tackling housing challenges in Fairfax County, Virginia. Its mission to create spaces where safety, opportunity, and community converge, enabling individuals and families to build stable, fulfilling lives, aligns perfectly with HomeAid and what we are trying to accomplish. We are thrilled to be collaborating with our Builder Captain, Miller & Smith, and over a dozen trade partners to renovate one of their Alexandira affordable housing units.
The project includes adding a bedroom to serve an additional person, renovating several bathrooms which included repairing decaying subfloors and new bath tile, installing new appliances and countertops, adding better egress from the first floor, rescreening all windows, laying new luxury vinyl plank and painting throughout, replacing the HVAC system and making significant electrical upgrades, including all fixtures and outlets, and cleaning up the exterior. We’re making the property safer and more efficient, a bed was added for the option to serve more people, all while giving everyone in the home a dignified place to live. And we’re able to do it because of fundraisers like GolfAid: Your support and contributions allow us to invest in the projects we take on, walk the talk, and close gaps so that our nonprofit partners can use their limited funding for programs and services for the people they serve.
So, when we say we couldn’t do it without you and without your support at events like GolfAid, we really mean it! Because of all of you, we are building safe spaces and brighter futures for those who need them most. Thank you for sharing your time, your generosity, and your belief in our mission.
With gratitude,
Thank you to all who participated in last week’s GolfAid fundraiser at TopGolf Loudoun! We welcomed almost 200 supporters, with 100 percent of the funds raised supporting our mission of helping people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness build new lives through construction, community engagement, and education.
HomeAid National Capital Region CEO Kristyn Burr, in thanking those who attended the event, added that in HomeAid’s 25 years of impact, we’ve worked with 60 different Builder Captains to complete 163 construction projects, while adding programs to help meet the needs of our nonprofit partners, such as our Turnover, Project Playhouse, Care Days, Home Essential Drive, and Builders for Babies programs.
“We have renovated 524,165 square feet of space, and our work is represented in 16 different cities and counties throughout the region,” she said. “Your presence at events like GolfAid is what makes it all possible, and I’m so grateful for your support here tonight and for the past 25 years. Behind each of our projects are real stories: families receiving food from a pantry we renovated, individuals finding dignity and confidence through clothing from a reimagined thrift store, adults with disabilities navigating their homes more safely because we made them ADA-compliant, and someone who is no longer sleeping on the streets because an added bedroom created a place for them to call home.”
Did you miss out on GolfAid but would still love to donate? It’s never too late!
For those who joined us, catch the action and relive the fun on our Flickr page, where photos from GolfAid are now posted, thanks to the generosity of Bob Narod Photography.
HomeAid National Capital Region and first time Builder Captain Case Co. have kicked off a new project for Fauquier Family Shelter Services (FFS), with plans to renovate three 1,100-square-foot townhome units that will serve as transitional housing for single women and children. Each unit will receive new flooring and paint throughout; updated kitchens with new cabinetry, countertops, and appliances; and reconfigured bathrooms to better serve the needs of the residents. Lighting, HVAC, and hot water systems will be inspected and repaired or replaced as needed, while outside, we will do some minor repairs and landscaping. The three completed homes will provide stable, well-maintained housing that reflects our commitment to safe and dignified housing.
FFS serves individuals and families experiencing homelessness and populations disproportionately impacted by housing instability in Virginia, including minority communities, people of color, women—particularly single mothers—and individuals with disabilities. Systemic inequities in income, healthcare access, employment, and generational wealth further contribute to higher rates of homelessness among these groups, and the life skills classes and supportive services that FFS provide are critical. The renovation of the three townhomes will strengthen FFS’s work in the community and increase stability for those facing the greatest barriers to safe, long-term housing.
The project also marks the seventh time HomeAid has partnered with FFS on a Construction and or a Turnover project. FFS operates a 24-hour, 52-bed emergency shelter in Warrenton, VA, that serves nearly 400 people annually, in addition to its multi-year transitional housing program.
HomeAid believes every child deserves the gift of play and the opportunity to use their imagination and create a world of their own – regardless of their housing circumstances. “Project Playhouse” is one of our solutions, and we invite all builders to take part in this unique opportunity to partner with HomeAid to construct and donate custom-built playhouses for our nonprofit partners serving at-risk children.
Since 2018, HomeAid and builder partners have built and donated eight custom playhouses with a combined retail value of $69,290. The design and scope of the playhouses is limited only by your creativity: We’ve had equestrian-themed playhouses, cottages and Craftsman-style playhouses, and even one that looked like it would be right at home in the Swiss Alps!
“For kids living in crisis, whether in a shelter, in their family car, or even on a relative’s floor, the list of stressors goes way beyond what’s ‘normal’,” HomeAid National Capital Region CEO Kristyn Burr said. “Children experiencing homelessness, poverty, or domestic violence often face lasting impacts on their mental and physical development, as well as on their ability to build healthy relationships. That is why HomeAid remains committed to finding innovative ways to support our nonprofit partners and the communities they serve, with Project Playhouse playing a meaningful role in that mission.”
When a playhouse is gifted to a nonprofit, it becomes far more than a structure. It becomes a space for healing, imagination, laughter, and joyful play. Most importantly, it offers children something they deeply need during uncertain times: a sense of normalcy.
If you’re looking to make a big impact for the smallest members of our community email us at info@homeaidncr.org. Nonprofit partners, who are interested in receiving a playhouse can complete this form.
Alicia Cox Skoug, division president for Drees Homes, has served in multiple leadership positions in the real estate industry, currently serving on HomeAid National Capital Region’s Board of Directors and a former president of NVBIA. Drees Homes is working on one of our new builds this year and is always an active participant in our Builders for Babies Diaper Drive, and we sat down with Alicia to find out how she got so involved in real estate and what inspires her to pursue leadership positions in the industry.
Q: What inspires you to continue your service?
A: I think representation for women in leadership is very important. I grew up in the industry, as my dad was a builder and developer in Northern Virginia. Some of my college summer jobs were for communities on site, and I noticed then that most of the women in the industry were in sales and marketing, but not leadership. I started in the industry in a sales and marketing role but wanted to expand into other areas of homebuilding, which for females wasn’t common. I always want to show the up-and-coming younger people in the industry that anyone can be a leader. The more I can be involved, network, and learn, the more I can mentor people who are interested in the industry. It’s important to get involved because you will meet all sorts of people and learn so much.
Q: What “secret sauce” do you bring to the table?
A: I wouldn’t say there is one; I would say that I am ever striving to evolve and learn. I also think I try to lead by allowing my team to make decisions and be experts in the field. The more we can learn from each other, the better leaders we will be. I want to make sure everyone knows they are a valued member of the team and that together, we are better.
Q: Drees Homes has been an instrumental part of the Glebe View Townhomes located on the property of Fairfax Presbyterian Church. As part of our collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC & Northern VA, Drees is handling the site work for the project. Tell us more about Drees’ involvement.
A: At the time the project began, our land development team had the capacity to take on a smaller job site, so we were happy to partner with HomeAid to help develop the church’s land for 10 affordable housing units. Drees is now in the final stages of completing the site work, and the project will soon be turned over to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat will build eight townhomes for its homeownership program and two homes for another local nonprofit that empowers families and helps them rebuild their lives. I am proud to be part of this type of collaboration, and I know these townhomes will provide a wonderful opportunity for families in our region.
Q: Since your career began, how have things changed for women in the industry? What would you tell a young woman today, who is interested in pursuing a career in real estate?
A: I love this question because I have a daughter who is in the industry! Not only that, every year, Drees mentors students from a high school for a week for their Capstone graduating project, and students spend a week with a company to learn about the industry. Last year, it was three female students. I started the NVBIA Women in the Building Industry (WBI) committee in 2017 and the Women Building Virginia group for HBAV in 2023. That’s important to me because there weren’t any women-centered committees that were for women in the industry that weren’t focused on sales and marketing. I knew so many women engineers, lawyers, purchasing managers, etc., and they didn’t have a way to get involved in our associations easily. Often, it is less intimidating for women to start becoming involved in an association with other women in a smaller group. The idea was to create more networking opportunities that weren’t there when I started in the industry. When I started working in land acquisition at Drees, I had someone ask me in a meeting if I was there to take notes! Thankfully things have changed a lot. So, I would tell a young woman to get involved and network, network, network. Join all the groups you can and learn all you can, because the people you meet in those industry organizations are the people you will be working with at some point in the future.
Meet the Builder
On March 19 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, we’ll have a booth at NVBIA’s Meet the Builder, an annual “builder speed dating,” members-only event where you will have the opportunity to meet trade partners and service providers to learn what new products and services are in the market to enhance your bottom line. Please stop by to say hello, learn more about HomeAid, and find out how you can get involved!
Planning for the Future
Thanks to a grant from Virginia Housing, our Board of Directors and staff have been developing a strategic plan that will guide HomeAid through the next three years. Key outcomes include intensifying our footprint in priority markets such as Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA; deepening relationships with industry leaders; broadening and diversifying our constituent base to ensure long-term engagement and support; and ensuring the sustainability and continued growth of our programs by investing in our volunteer network, creating meaningful opportunities for engagement, and strengthening internal systems.
25th Anniversary
As we continue reflecting on the past 25 years and the impact HomeAid has made across our region, we look back to 2004 when Richmond American Homes served as Builder Captain for the first time. That year, they led a 7,900-square-foot renovation for Haven House—now Fauquier Family Shelter Services—in Warrenton, Virginia.
The project included a two-wing addition to the emergency shelter serving families in Fauquier County, which was celebrated with a dedication ceremony upon completion. Working together with Richmond American Homes, we were able to double the size of the shelter, expanding capacity to 52 beds and creating space to accommodate both large and small families.
Builders for Babies Diaper Drive
Collection: Mother’s Day (May 10) through Father’s Day (June 21).
Delivery Day: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Builders & Friends BBQ
June 18, 2026, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
National Botanic Garden
26320 Ticonderoga Road
South Riding, VA, 20152
