Executive Director & CEO Corner

As we ring in the new year, the nonprofits we partner with and the people they serve continue to face housing challenges. Luckily, thanks to our donors and volunteers, HomeAid is able to step up to help create solutions that create lasting effects on our community.
We have an incredible pipeline of projects teed up that will serve a wide range of populations in need. With projects from Alexandria all the way to Leesburg, and three already lined up for our new-in-2021 region of Winchester, we will be making life-changing impact on survivors of domestic violence, chronically homeless men and women, families, individuals, young adults, and at-risk youth. We’ll build and renovate spaces that not only house people, but offer food pantries and after-school programs too. We’ll be expanding our partnerships with homebuilders, welcoming two new Builder Captains into our family of builders, as Merritt Homes and Shea Homes have both stepped up to lead projects that will complete this year. We’ll be collaborating with several new non-profit partners and starting a new build in Manassas from the ground up. It’s going to be a big year for HomeAid, and we can’t wait for you to share it all with us.
Make sure to follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram) as we give you a behind-the-scenes look at our projects and share the latest news and events information.
Happy New Year!

In the Spotlight
John Buhl, Jr., Continues Second Term as HomeAid Northern Virginia President
John Buhl, Jr., president of Buhl Electric Co. Inc., will serve a second term as president of HomeAid Northern Virginia, following five years of service on HomeAid’s Board of Directors, partnering with HomeAid on well over a dozen projects, sponsoring events, and co-founding our annual Golf Tournament and GolfAid fundraiser. He will be joined on the Executive Board by Soledad Portilla (Beazer Homes), vice president/president-elect); Lauren Vanni Kinard (First Excel Title), secretary; Rick Cole (The Long Companies), treasurer; and Jason McDonough (John Marshall Bank), immediate past president.
Six new Board members will also be joining the team in 2022: Please help us welcome Bryant Cruzado (Toll Brothers), Eric Dunn (Merrit Properties), Doug Horne (Gannett Co., Inc.), Charlie Schulz (Wells Fargo Bank), Alicia Skoug (Drees Homes), and Kevin Washington (christopher consultants, ltd.).
Thank you to Steve Gray (Wells Fargo Bank), Scott Shelton (SN Mortgage Company), and Jeff Smith (christopher consultants) for your service and contributions – we will miss you!

In Your Neighborhood
GolfAid
Mark your calendars and register today for the 4th Annual GolfAid Fundraiser, to be held at TopGolf Loudoun on March 3, 2022, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.! This year we will have 34 climate-controlled bays available for registration and three packed hours of unlimited play, networking with the region’s top homebuilders and trade partners, food, beer and wine.
We’re again offering two types of registrations – one for golfers, which offers full access to everything the event has to offer, and one for networkers, which offers access to the great food, great drinks, and networking.
All of the funds raised will support the multiple renovation projects we’ve lined up for the year, which in turn give new hope and change the lives of at-risk kids, single moms, veterans, intellectually disabled adults, and countless others who are coming out of crisis and need a hand up. Register today!
For more information, please contact Cilda Pretorius at 703.953.3525.
In Your Community
Builders for Babies Delivers!
On December 17, 12 members of HomeAid Northern Virginia’s Board brought comfort and joy to our tiniest citizens when they delivered 60,000+ diapers and nearly 160,000 wipes to 19 local non-profit organizations. All of the recipient organizations serve families and single mothers with young children, and the donations were part of our 4th Annual Builders for Babies Collection Drive. Our 2021 Builders for Babies collection drive served the following nonprofits:
ACTS
ALIVE!
Carried to Full Term
Catholic Charities (St. Margaret of Cortana)
Community Lodgings
FACETS
Faith Social Services
Fauquier Family Shelter Services
Good Shepherd Housing
House of Mercy
Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter (Shelter House)
LAWS
Loudoun Hunger Relief
Northern Virginia Family Service – Multicultural Center
Patrick Henry Family Shelter (Shelter House)
Salvation Army, Winchester
Second Story – Young Mothers Program
Volunteers of America Chesapeake
Windy Hill Foundation
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for coordinating collection drives for this year’s Builders for Babies, saving our non-profit partners thousands in supplies and ensuring the health and comfort of our tiniest citizens!
Les Adkins
Curt Anderson
Linda Austin
AGRA Home Essentials
AID Performance Physical Therapy
B2B Supply
Beazer Homes
Dave Bomgardner
Bowman Consulting
Paul Brazier
Buhl Electric Co., Inc.
Joelle Cameron
Scott Canan
Gray Coyner
Stacey DeChant
First Excel Title
John Foole
Sarah Foster
Josh Gannett
Barbara Ghadban
Sarah Gillette
Steve Gray
Good360
Chad Hackmann
Douglas Horne
Howard Katz
Lauren Kinard
Joanna Kirby
KTGY Architecture + Planning
LennarMcAlister’s Deli
Miller & Smith
Tricia Neale
Newland – Embrey Mill Team
PLB Promotions
Melissa Richardson
Aaron Richardson
Ellen Rosenberger
Barry L Schwartz
Jim Scanlon
Ryan Simon
SN Mortgage
Terra Stoneworks
Erin Thiebert
Thompson Greenspon
Bac Tien, Bac My, Chu Tri, Co Phin, Chu Tung, Co Huong, Vi Duong, & NgocMy Duong
Mya Tran-Harter
Toll Brothers
Ruya Ulucinar
Van Metre Homes
Virginia Run Community
W.C. Ralston Architects
David Washington
Zonda
Did You Know?
When winter low temperatures pose a greater risk for people living outdoors, additional sheltering resources can make a life-and-death difference. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) updates two resource lists each year: The Regional Hypothermia Shelter List was updated on November 30, 2021, and the Suburban Virginia Homeless Shelter List was updated on December 8, 2021.
Making It Count
A Gift that Lasts a Lifetime
It’s a new year, full of possibilities. Whether you’re making a list of “22 resolutions for ’22” or just thinking generally how you’d like to spend your time, give back, or try something new, please consider HomeAid Northern Virginia in your plans. There are so many ways to give back – whether you want to volunteer your time, make a monetary donation, or share your expertise!
- Become a Builder Captain or Trade Partner and help us build and renovate projects that change lives.
- Tie HomeAid to your corporate event, which raises funds for HomeAid and spreads awareness about HomeAid to friends, coworkers, and others in your network!
- Participate in our Helping Hands Volunteer Program and help stock newly renovated homes with household essentials, grocery gift cards, and other life basics people need to recover from crisis and get back on their feet.
- Serve on an event committee and play a role in planning our next success!
- Sponsor an event and put your company name in the spotlight.
- Attend a HomeAid event to learn more about us, network with the best in the industry, help raise important funds to support our mission, and find out how you can get involved.
- Make a tax-deductible gift to sustain HomeAid’s work.
- Include HomeAid in your estate planning.
No matter which option is your best fit, the result will be the same: Giving survivors of domestic abuse a safe place to call home. Giving an adult a secure place to keep his belongings and hang his clothes. Enabling our nonprofit partners space to provide job interview and life skills training to a single mom getting back into the job market. Keeping a baby dry and clean with fresh diapers and wipes.Find out more
Supporter Spotlight
Solving Problems, Giving Back and Making the Most of Partnerships
Gabe DelMonte, president of Terra Stoneworks, has been a stalwart supporter ever since he and his company started partnering with us in 2016, with more than $56,000 in sponsorships, donations, and attendance at countless events. Find out how Gabe first got involved – even earlier, in 2012! – and what has kept him coming back after founding his own company.
Q: What inspired you to get involved with HomeAid?
A: We got involved in some of the events and projects while I was working for another countertop company, probably around 2012. Terra was started in 2016 and I remember reading newsletters about some of the incredible projects HomeAid was doing and how positively they impacted those experiencing homelessness. We were blessed to grow very rapidly in our first year, and I knew we had to find great organizations to partner with and give back to the community.
Q: What do you love most about your involvement?
A: The events are great, mainly because the people involved with HomeAid are amazing. We as a company look forward to the social aspect of HomeAid, but more importantly, we love helping raise funds that have a major impact. The events are awesome, but the build projects are even better! Being able to see the ways in which our efforts and contributions help those in need is one of the most satisfying part of my job and aligns with our mission as an organization.
Q: Tell us about your career and company. How does your involvement with HomeAid tie in to your professional life?
A: I started in the building industry in 2004 as an intern with NVR, and after college spent a few years building homes in the field before joining a granite company in 2008, where I spent 8+ years. I started Terra Stoneworks in 2016, mainly because I felt that locally, the countertop industry was ripe for change. Every day is completely different to be honest – you wake up thinking your day is going to go a certain way, only to find out that those plans get interrupted somehow. I love the challenges, and there’s not much I won’t do for our employees and our customers. I think that sums up the building industry perfectly – you can put the best minds together in a room and strategize/plan, but there is always an unforeseen circumstance that creates an opportunity to solve problems. We’ve met so many great people at HomeAid, and having the ability to solve those problems, with these people, is an incredible opportunity every day.
Did You Know?
As of January 2020, Virginia had an estimated 5,957 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that Total, 621 were family households, 395 were Veterans, 234 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18-24), and 813 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. The data were gathered during a Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, with 185 individuals unsheltered; 1,937 in shelters; and 3,262 in hotels/motels on the night of the count.
Announcements
Thank You
Thank you to Eric Martin, director of client partnerships, and our friends at the Washington Post for donating a box suite at the December 2 Washington Capitals game. The Post’s generosity allowed us to host our 5th Annual Builder Thank You and Recruitment event at Capitol One Arena, inviting current and prospective Builder Captains for a fun night of networking, learning about HomeAid, and some great hockey!
Internship Opportunity Available
Intern opportunities for spring, summer and fall 2022 are available, and we are now recruiting for our Spring Events Intern position! Our small office means a content-rich and busy position, helping to plan and execute our many major social and fundraising events, as well as smaller events throughout the year. Find out more
Save the Date
HomeAid GolfAid Thursday, March 3, 2022, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. TopGolf Loudoun 20356 Commonwealth Ctr. Dr. Ashburn, VA