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More BBQ photos are now online!
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Getting to “Yes”: Why Leading a HomeAid Project Means Getting Back More than You Give |
“This house will provide desperately needed stability to the girls who will initially live here, not to mention the many others who will follow in the years to come,” he added. “With that safe, comfortable environment comes the ability to better obtain an education and reach self-sufficiency. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to provide that level of support to these girls, merely by doing what we do every day for our clients.” Dr. Gary L. Jones, Ph.D., CEO of Youth For Tomorrow, agreed, pointing out, “This home will give 36 more girls a new life that they never dreamed could be theirs, and we look forward to watching them mature into young women who, upon program completion, move on to reunification with their families, attend college or vocational school, join the work force, or join the Armed Forces. All of these individual opportunities will be achievable because of the foresight and community outreach provided by HomeAid Northern Virginia and partners like Toll Brothers.” Toll Brothers, HomeAid Northern Virginia, and 56 trade partners expect to have the home for largely completed by October 2016, with dedication taking place before the year’s end.
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6th Annual “Night at the Ballpark” Makes the Impossible Possible Treat families from local shelters to a rare night out together! |
HomeAid Northern Virginia is again sending 300 children and families from local homeless shelters to enjoy a Night at the Ballpark, and your sponsorship or $100 donation is all it takes to treat a family of four to the game and make indelible family memories! “All of our clients have very limited incomes, and they rarely have the opportunity to enjoy a night out at a ballgame with friends and family on a summer night,” said Anna Smith, director of development for Pathway Homes, Inc. “It’s affirming to not only be able to attend a game, but also to be able to treat a family member. For many, the lack of income—and, for some, symptoms of mental illness—lead to isolation, and activities like the HomeAid baseball game help mitigate those feelings of loneliness and accelerate recovery.”
“HomeAid’s Night at the Ballpark is a fun, stress-free family night for parents to share with their children,” added Betsy Damitz, the children’s resource and operations coordinator for Good Shepherd Housing & Family Services, “and the children can let off some energy in the after-game activities as well. This event goes so far in giving parents the gift of time, and helping them instill the importance of family time with their children.” For more information about how YOU can make special memories for a family of four, contact Christy (Eaton) Zeitz at 571.283.6320. |
“The HomeAid baseball game was a blast! My mom had so much fun—it was like taking her back to her younger years. I grew up in a baseball family, where we all played, umpired, and went to almost every Detroit Tigers game, so it was awesome to see my mom having such a good time. The kids loved taking part in the American tradition of a Friday night baseball game with hot dogs and chips, and they both participated in the after-game activities and running the bases. The entire family had such a great time, and we really thank you, HomeAid!” ~Amanda, a parent participant in HomeAid’s 5th Annual Night at the Ballpark, 2015 |
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Making a Difference, In Your Own Way |
The Helping Hands program is also known for its “Fill the Fridge” and “Welcome Home Basket” initiatives, which give supporters an easy way to donate grocery cards and household essentials—such as pots and pans, dishes, towels, and shower curtains—for recently completed HomeAid projects. But our Helping Hands program doesn’t stop there. “Over the winter holidays, a professional photographer volunteered to take photos of moms and their children, so that they could have the gift of beautiful family portraits for themselves and other members of their families,” said Kristyn Burr, HomeAid’s program and operations manager. “Luxuries like professional-grade photos are out of reach for so many, but through this simple act of volunteerism, a community member made a huge difference in these families lives.” Similarly, anyone with the time and talents to help teach life skills and strategies—whether that’s cooking, saving at the grocery store, space organization, or creating and sticking to a budget—can be paired with a small group of homeless clients who are seeking to better their circumstance and become more productive citizens in our community. To find out more—or to offer your time and talent—please contact Kristyn Burr at 571.283.6300. |
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John Lombardozzi on Family Values and Going “All In” for HomeAid Projects |
A: For the length of my tenure at Signature Companies – going on 25 years now – we’ve been involved with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA). In this capacity, we were involved with HomeAid when it was formed as an NVBIA program, and we’ve maintained our involvement with HomeAid as it evolved to become a standalone organization 15 years ago. HomeAid projects have always been the right thing for us to be doing, then and now. We know that lending our expertise and resources to HomeAid projects is good for our community, our company, and our employees. From an industry point of view and a company culture point of view, we are fortunate to be able to participate in HomeAid projects year after year – 10 projects in total now, and we look forward to more. Q: What drives your ongoing decision to partner with HomeAid for so long, and so often? A: Signature Companies is a family-owned and a family-run company. My brother and adult children all have positions running our operations. So our work and our employees are literally an extension of our family. That sets the tone of our culture and our values: Taking care of our family and the people who work for us, and contributing to the community in which we all live and work. It means so much more when you give your time and resources locally; you get to see the impact you are making right here at home. Working with HomeAid has become a natural extension of our business culture, as we support their mission and efforts in the community. Q: What is your secret to success over your 10 HomeAid projects? A: We are “all in” on any of the projects in which we are asked to participate. We let it be known to our HomeAid Builder Captains, customers, and stakeholders that we are interested in being a part of projects to improve and invest in our local community. We put ourselves out there 100 percent. Our customers and the project Builder Captains know they can count on us. We recognize that it is a privilege to serve and a privilege to be asked to participate on a project, and we say, “Yes.” I’m proud of our consistent participation when HomeAid projects come along. This translates to the culture that we try to build at Signature Companies and the example we try to set for our employees about giving back to our community. Our 200+ employees all participate in these projects in one form in another, whether they are delivering or installing or manufacturing. Involvement in HomeAid projects enable us to not only send the right message to our employees about what our values are, but then live that message in practice. Q: As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of HomeAid this year, what are your hopes for the future of HomeAid? A: The past decade has been difficult for companies like ours—and other HomeAid trade partners and builders—going through a housing bubble and then a financial crisis. This wounded all of us. For those of us who were fortunate enough to make it through, we’re getting healthy again and it’s time to do more—more work with HomeAid and more to make a bigger community impact. There is no reason we should have homeless individuals and families in our community. We need to help provide for people in transition and who need temporary housing and support. That is exactly what our homebuilding industry should be doing, and HomeAid continues to help us find these specific and meaningful opportunities. Moving forward, I’d personally like to see us do more veteran-focused projects. There are tremendous needs to provide supportive housing to our veterans who have served and protected America, including a unique need to adapt housing to some of the disabilities that many returning veterans face. So looking at the future: let’s do more; let’s make a bigger impact working together. We look forward to playing a role in making this happen. |
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Welcome! |
“I have a passion for helping the homeless and have always been interested in event planning,” she said, “so this internship really tied in to my two interests perfectly. I hope to learn how non-profits like HomeAid work on a day-to-day basis, and I want to gain experience in communications and with planning large-scale events. With several HomeAid events occurring in the summer, I’m excited to be here!” For students looking for meaningful work experience, an internship with HomeAid can launch a career. HomeAid offers internships in a variety of positions; to apply, send a cover letter and resume to info@homeaidncr.org. |
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Read:
Signature Companies Named 2016 Trade Partner of the Year, Getting to “Yes”: Why Leading a HomeAid Project Means Getting Back More than You Give, Builder Captains Needed!, 6th Annual “Night at the Ballpark” Makes the Impossible Possible, Making a Difference, In Your Own Way, John Lombardozzi on Family Values and Going “All In” for HANV Projects, Welcome Megan Luckenbaugh