Congratulations to Builders First Source, which was named HomeAid Northern Virginia’s 2015 Trade Partner of the Year! The company was honored during HomeAid’s 6th Annual Builders & Friends BBQ on June 25, with HomeAid President Brian Davidson stating, “Builders First Source has been an enormously important partner over the years, participating in more than a dozen HomeAid projects and providing labor and materials worth more than $50,000. The company has also supported our mission through generous corporate contributions over the years, and we are grateful. Their unwavering support is what makes our work possible.”

Potomac Nationals Mascot Uncle Slam stops by the Builders & Friends BBQ to rally support for HomeAid’s 5th Annual Night at the Ballpark on August 14. Pictured with HomeAid Northern Virginia President Brian Davidson.

Hundreds enjoy an evening of networking, cornhole games, and a delicious feast during HomeAid’s 6th Annual Builders & Friends BBQ in June.

Attendance and fundraising at the annual event broke previous years’ totals, with more than 240 people in attendance – including such top homebuilders as Van Metre Homes, Stanley Martin Homes, K. Hovnanian Homes, Madison Homes, Miller & Smith, Christopher Companies, and Augustine Homes – and nearly $40,000 raised to support HomeAid’s mission. The new location at The Barn at One Loudoun was very popular, with plenty of space for parking, lawn games, socializing, and, of course, enjoying an open bar and unlimited BBQ.

Thank you to everyone who made it such a huge success!

Butch Foster, sales representative for Builders First Source (left) accepts the 2015 Trade Partner of the Year Award from HomeAid Northern Virginia President Brian Davidson.

Imagine how the start of your day would feel if you got ready for the day in an old, worn bathroom that wasn’t always fully functional. Now imagine how it would feel if you could prepare for the day in a clean, cool, and bright new bathroom.

For the transitionally homeless men, women, and children living in Northern Virginia Family Service’s (NVFS) SERVE shelter – a 92-bed facility – they will soon have the opportunity to face the day in totally renovated bathrooms that will dramatically increase usability, thanks to an upcoming project being planned by HomeAid Northern Virginia, first-time Builder Captain Kettler, and trade partners. Kettler also has a major commitment to participate from Ryan Homes.

“This project will make both of our shelter’s communal bathrooms highly functional and, because of their great design and high quality, an integral part of helping set a positive tone for our residents,” said Gwen McQueeny, deputy director of shelter and rapid rehousing for NVFS. “When people are in crisis, it’s especially important to be able to wake up to a positive environment. Our bathrooms help set the stage for the day, and these renovations will provide an enormous shift in mindset for our clients. 

We ask a lot of our residents,” she added, “in terms of getting back out there and looking for a job, and they need to present themselves at their very best. That’s much easier to do if you can walk on a new floor, take a great shower, and shave or do your makeup under bright lights and in front of a shiny mirror. Nearly half of our residents are kids, and having that positive start is equally important for them, too. These bathrooms will be a game changer for our residents, male, female, young or old.” 

HomeAid and K. Hovnanian Homes completed a $950,000 project for SERVE in 2012, which increased the number of people the shelter could serve by more than 50 percent, but these bathrooms were not included. The building team will also complete some exterior improvements, including adding a safety fence around the SERVE playground and picnic area and installing a sprinkler system for the covered porch. The project is expected to be completed in late summer.

For Kettler, the new partnership with HomeAid is the result of a company effort to be more engaged in philanthropic efforts.

“We learned about HomeAid through our affiliation with NVBIA,” explained Richard Kieler, Kettler’s vice president of commercial and land construction. “Our company as a whole is evaluating our corporate model, and we have established a ‘Best Places to Work Committee.’  One of the main goals of the committee is to participate in meaningful, local charitable work.  

“The SERVE project is exactly what we were looking for, and we are very excited about it. It will also provide a great way for our company’s two divisions—development and management—to work together and share a common project while strengthening our core values of engaging team members and building community,” he added. “In addition, we have had a major commitment to participate from Ryan Homes, a leading national homebuilder and one of our best builder partners with deep ties in Prince William County.”

There are countless ways that individuals and companies can help HomeAid fulfill its mission of building new lives for the homeless, and an increasingly popular option for many organizations is making HomeAid the beneficiary of their fundraising events, such as a golf tournament or fun run. It’s one of the easiest ways to build community within your own organization – through an event you may already be planning – and to become a partner in ending homelessness!

The Van Metre Foundation, for example, which has held a cornhole tournament during the Brambleton Fall Festival for the last three years, last year selected HomeAid as the recipient of proceeds raised at the event, ultimately donating $30,000. 

“Van Metre has again chosen HomeAid Northern Virginia as the beneficiary of this year’s Cornhole Challenge,” said Kevin Rabil, operations manager for Van Metre, “because of the strong ties we’ve had with HomeAid over the years. Having sponsored multiple HomeAid projects, we truly believe in their mission of improving living arrangements of those in need, and this is just one more way we can show our support.”

Similarly, NVBIA, the Pulte Group, and the National Potomac Yacht Club have chosen HomeAid as a beneficiary of their annual golf tournaments for the past several years, and NVBIA has also collected donations for HomeAid during its Annual Parade of Homes.

Does it really make a difference? Absolutely.

A home changes everything, so each time an individual or company supports HomeAid, they do far more than help us build and renovate facilities for the homeless. Those donations allow area shelters to care for more children at risk for homelessness and children already in shelters, almost half of whom are under the age of five. They allow us to give new hope—and a second chance—to adults who, thanks to stable housing, can pursue education and job opportunities. The donations enable shelter partners to direct more resources toward programs and services that help people get back on their feet, rather than on costly maintenance and construction projects. And, those donations reduce future expenses for our partners and improve the daily living conditions of the people moving into the facilities, due to the quality of the materials and labor at all of our projects.

Make a sound investment in our community’s future by making HomeAid a part of your event!

Fulton Bank, a long-timer partner of HomeAid and frequent sponsor of our Gala, recently donated 10 gift cards totaling $2,500 to HomeAid, in order to provide much-needed home goods and other necessities to individuals and families moving in to recently completed projects.

The first gift card was presented to a single mother moving into a condo owned by Homestretch, renovated this spring by M/I Homes. To ensure that the cards fill clients’ needs, HomeAid purchased store-specific cards based on caseworker recommendations. 

“When we presented the gift card to this single mom, she was so touched by the show of kindness she received,” said Christy Eaton, executive director of HomeAid. “When a family moves into a newly renovated home, it can be an overwhelming experience, as they realize—perhaps for the first time in a long time—how much people care about them. But the experience can also bring to light the need for household or pantry supplies, and since our shelter partners also have limited resources, this is a great way our partners can help support our efforts of providing new clients what they need as they move in.”

Help make someone’s move-in day that much brighter, with the donation of gift cards or a “Welcome Basket.” Shopping for and assembling the baskets is a great team-building exercise, and very much appreciated by the families moving in. For more information, please contact Christy Eaton at 571.283.6320.

Melinda Heim, who is studying government, with a minor in accounting, at the College of William and Mary (Class of 2017), has joined HomeAid’s staff as our fundraising coordinator intern.

“I selected this internship at HomeAid, primarily because I recognize the problem of homelessness throughout the U.S., and I was immediately drawn to HomeAid’s purpose and impact in the community. I welcome the opportunity to be part of an organization that is so committed to providing quality housing for individuals and families, and I hope to gain insights into how a successful nonprofit is run.”

HomeAid Northern Virginia has regular openings for interns in a variety of positions. Job descriptions can be found online. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to info@homeaidncr.org.

… to our recent donors. Names in orange denote donations of $5,000 or more.

Dan Ryan Builders
Masco
Moore & Van Allen, LLC
NVBIA
T.A.C. Ceramic Tile Company