Arlington, VA and Reston, VA – June 1, 2016
Individuals in Northern Virginia living with intellectual disabilities and/or mental illness have newly upgraded residences to call home with renovations to a Pathway Homes group house in Reston and a Community Residences group home in Arlington. The renovations were completed in April and May by HomeAid Northern Virginia, which builds and renovates homeless shelters and supportive housing facilities via the donated expertise, labor and resources of local homebuilders – enabling nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable communities to invest more of their budgets in supportive programs and services rather than building expenses.
Pathway Homes provides housing and supportive services to adults with serious mental illness and other co-occurring disabilities. The organization currently serves more than 400 adults in community-based homes in Northern Virginia. The HomeAid-coordinated renovation project of a Pathway’s townhouse in Reston, Va. was led by “builder captain” Christopher Companies and included an update of the kitchen and bathroom with 100% of the $11,000 cost covered by HomeAid, Christopher Companies and its network of 9 trade partners (listed below).
“The four women living in the townhome slated for a kitchen and bath renovation feel empowered by the generosity of Christopher Companies,” said Anna Smith, director of development at Pathway Homes. “For our residents, this renovation is about self-esteem. When Christopher Companies came for a walk-through, they asked our residents what they needed and what they liked. They were stunned that their opinion mattered. Being asked for input gave them such pride of ownership, and being involved in the decision-making that will make their home beautiful was priceless.”
Community Residences offers individuals with mental health and intellectual disabilities supportive housing and the physical, mental and emotional services needed to facilitate independent and dignified living within the community. Community Residences is one of the largest providers of support to individuals with disabilities in Virginia with services in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, in the Richmond area, and in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The HomeAid Northern Virginia-coordinated renovation project was led by “builder captain” Madison Homes and included upgrades to three bathrooms and new flooring installed in a Community Residences group homes in Arlington. Sixty one percent of the $44,200 project was covered by HomeAid Northern Virginia, Madison Homes and its network of 7 trade partners (listed below).
“We’re glad to renovate an older home for Community Residences, but it’s so much more than that for us. We’re giving back, but we’re also engaging and involving our team in an incredible experience. We all get back far more than what we give,” said Mark Westmoreland, vice president at Madison Homes.
About HomeAid Northern Virginia
HomeAid Northern Virginia, a chapter of HomeAid America, engages the resources and interests of the homebuilding community and its corporate partners in order to undertake new construction and major renovations to properties owned by homelessness service providers that help homeless people gain stability and get back on the road to self-sufficiency. The organization was started in 2001 by members of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA), and since then, has completed more than 107 projects valued at more than $13.6 million, serving more than 95,000 homeless individuals.
About Community Residences
Community Residences, Inc. (CR) offers individuals with disabilities supportive housing and the physical, mental and emotional supports needed to facilitate independent and dignified living within the community. CR provides a full spectrum of supports, both in CR’s homes and apartments and through community programming. Last year alone, CR supported over 1,000 adults, youth and children with mental health and/or intellectual disabilities throughout Northern Virginia, in Greater Richmond and in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. To learn more, please visit http://www.comres.org.
About Pathway Homes
For more than 30 years, Pathway Homes has been a leading provider of housing and support services for adults with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders in the Northern Virginia region. Embodying the spirit of recovery, our Vision is to create a future in which all individuals with mental illness are able to lead meaningful, self-directed lives in a home of their choice with the supports and services they need. More about Pathway Homes at http://www.pathwayhomes.org.
Construction trade partners, manufacturers, suppliers, and other companies that participating in these important projects include:
Pathway Homes project:
Community Residences project:
