Regular readers may have noticed we’ve been talking a lot about “Care Days” lately, which are hands-on volunteer service days where volunteers come together to give back to HomeAid’s nonprofit partners. The concept started in 2019 when NVBIA’s Future Leaders reached out to have us organize a service for their group at Cornerstones, a nonprofit serving the Dulles Corridor.
Over the years, this short-term volunteer opportunity has brought like-minded individuals together for a common purpose – giving back to communities where they live and work. The annual volunteer day had become so popular that our staff decided to focus on recruiting more groups to help more nonprofits in 2023.
The charges have varied, with some Care Days involving landscaping and cleaning projects at affordable housing units and others involving sorting, organizing, and cleaning at food pantries and donation centers. All share similar goals: To give industry staff who cannot work on our construction projects but want to give back an outlet for supporting our mission and to lighten the burden on our nonprofit partners who may not have the staff or resources to handle such tasks themselves. Those goals are unquestionably met – but we’ve discovered that there are even further benefits. Volunteers gain exposure to the realities in their communities as they witness firsthand the need and – most importantly – recognize that they can play a role in making a difference in the lives of others. Our nonprofit partners feel supported and relieved when a group of ten to 15 show up to beautify and enhance a home or pantry, which would otherwise take a single staff person hours to complete. We have hosted nine Care Days this year with 142 volunteers contributing 440 hours and saving nonprofits over $19,000 in labor and $8,000 in supplies.
It’s a powerful experience seeing people come together to make a collective difference in their communities; please get in touch with Julianna at jblaylockhomeaidncr.org if you and your company would like to participate in a Care Day.
With gratitude,
HomeAid National Capital Region will host our biggest fundraiser of the year – the ‘Building for Change’ 2023 Gala & Auction – on Saturday, November 11, at 6:30 p.m., and we hope to see you there! This year we will be at Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles in Chantilly and the evening is shaping up to be a fantastic mix of networking, live music, signature drinks, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, awards, and – most importantly – inspiration. You’ll see and hear firsthand how our work throughout the region is making a real impact on individuals and families who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness and how your support is critical to our mission.
Help us meet our annual fundraising goal by marking your calendar and purchasing a table of 10 or individual tickets, and be sure to check out our sponsorship packages! With a price point for every budget, you’ll discover that sponsors can earn special shout-outs, program ad space, admission benefits, and more! Together, we can continue to build new lives through construction, community engagement, and education.
This month, HomeAid National Capital Region, Builder Captain Christopher Companies, and many trade partners are launching the total renovation of a single-family home recently purchased by Operation Renewed Hope Foundation (ORHF), which serves Veterans coming out of homelessness. We’ll increase the number of bedrooms from three to five; increase the number of bathrooms from 2.5 to 4.5; add a kitchenette and egress, including a walk-out to the basement; and repaint and replace flooring and appliances throughout the home. This is our second project for ORHF; In 2021, HomeAid and nearly 30 partners completed a $126,000 renovation and expansion project at another home owned by ORHF providing 90% savings.
In addition to providing housing to veterans, donations towards this construction project will ensure that ORHF can direct more funding toward supportive services, such as transportation, furniture and household items, dental care, business attire, and employment resources for those who have served our country.
Our 2023 Builders for Babies drive gave us plenty to celebrate, with the delivery of 238,153 diapers and wipes to 26 of our nonprofit partners. But this month, we get to celebrate all over again, as Commonwealth Consultants provided a matching donation for anything collected over our 200,000 goal, up to 20,000 diapers.
With their generous donation of $8,100, we ordered and shipped diapers and wipes to six additional nonprofit partners in rural areas of Virginia and in Washington, D.C. Even better, we asked the nonprofits to provide the exact quantities and sizes they needed, ensuring we provide precisely what their clients needed. Thank you, Commonwealth, for making this second round of giving possible. We know the additional nonprofits – and the babies they help serve – are enormously grateful!
Rappahannock Food Pantry – Sperryville, VA
Diapers – 3,696
Wipes – 5,670
Fauquier Fish – Warrenton, VA
Diapers – 4,164
Wipes – 8,100
Bright Beginnings – Washington, DC
Diapers – 3,072
Britepaths – Fairfax, VA
Diapers – 2,748
Wipes – 2,430
Giving Words VA – Louisa, VA
Diapers – 3,212
Wipes – 8,100
Hortons Kids Inc – Washington, DC
Diapers – 3,376
Wipes – 3,240
This brings our 2023 total to 285,961 diapers and wipes donated and distributed to 32 different nonprofits.
KTGY Architecture has been a consistent and steady partner for decades, both with other national HomeAid affiliates and locally with HomeAid National Capital Region. Most recently, the firm worked pro bono on our Operation Renewed Hope Foundation project, and Smita Anand, principal, served on our Board of Directors for three years, from 2020-2022. What makes having a specialized firm like KTGY so valuable a partner? Find out with this conversation with Smita!
Q: What made you say ‘yes’ to Board membership and leadership?
A: I first got involved with HomeAid in 2020 because I felt that I could contribute to their mission. There is a huge need in our area for safe and dignified housing that supports unhoused people and those at risk of homelessness, and I thought having an architect’s eye on the Board would be very useful in selecting and shaping new projects. As a designer, I don’t always have the opportunity to meet the people affected by my work, and HomeAid gives me the opportunity to get to know the people and communities who live in these homes. I find that aspect of the work extremely rewarding.
Q: What do you think about your company’s support and partnerships with HomeAid?
A: Great architecture should benefit everyone, and everyone should have a place in their community that makes them proud. These beliefs underpin KTGY’s drive to invest in pro-bono and community outreach programs. As a design firm, we acknowledge that the best way to help is by partnering with the people and organizations who work at the ground level. My firm first started working with HomeAid SoCal in 1996, and since then we’ve made a point of empowering each office and studio to make this kind of work a part of their practice. I am incredibly proud of our commitment to HomeAid and the communities we shape together. As a company, we’ve been able to contribute much more than anyone could individually, and pro-bono projects are an excellent way to engage younger staff in impactful design. This work enables us to make a large-scale positive impact that enhances and improves everyday life, and it’s a way to give back to those in need.
Q: What do you do for KTGY?
A: I lead a team focused on residential architecture in KTGY’s Tysons office, including multifamily, attached, and detached single-family homes. Over the last 35 years, I have designed a wide array of developments – from production homes to multifamily communities – as well as high-profile builders and developers. I love seeing the designs come to life, walking these spaces, learning new things, and seeing how the project lives in the real world. Working with HomeAid gives me the singular opportunity to learn how people benefit from these designs and what works for them. Then I take what I learn to each new project. I get better every time, and I enjoy working with an incredible team on projects that positively impact someone’s living situation.
Thompson Greenspon Care Day
A huge thank you to Thompson Greenspon for taking part in a hands-on “Care Day” service day for L’Arche, which provides housing for adults with developmental disabilities, and New Hope Housing, the oldest and largest provider of shelter beds in northern Virginia. Volunteers built shelving and furniture, as well as completed beautification projects outdoors.
John Marshall Bank Care Day
John Marshall Bank also participated in a Care Day, volunteering at ALIVE, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty and hunger. Their enthusiastic crew gave food delivery vehicles a deep clean and helped organize, clean, and take inventory at the organization’s food pantry in Alexandria.
Bet on HomeAid Gala and Auction
November 11, 2023
6:30 p.m to 10:30p.m.
Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, Chantilly, VA.
Registration and Sponsorships now open!
Sight and Sound Systems A Taste of Technology
September 21, 2023, 3:00-8:00 p.m.
Chima Brazilian Steak House, Tysons, VA.
Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to HomeAid National Capital Region.
PulteGroup Charity Golf Tournament
September 25, 2023
1757 Golf Club, Ashburn, VA.
For registration information, please email matthew.axline@pulte.com or call 703.932.2641.
Proceeds will benefit HomeAid National Capital Region.
