News from AHC Inc. l February 2022
Developing affordable homes and helping communities thrive since 1975.
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President & CEO Search Moves Forward
Finalist interviews are underway this week for AHC's new President & CEO, so please share any additional referrals today!
Learn more about the President & CEO position here.
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Arlington County Police Department's Community Engagement Team hosted a trivia night for teens in AHC's Teen Tutoring program at the Shelton. |
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Connecting Residents and Building Community
Connecting residents to services where they live is integral to AHC's mission. Overcoming barriers, such as transportation and costs, can make a real difference in helping residents access high-quality programs. Our Resident Services team regularly works with local jurisdictions and community partners to bring a variety of activities to residents' doorstep. Onsite programs also help neighbors connect with each other and build community.
Last week in Arlington's Green Valley neighborhood, for instance, AHC worked with partners to provide a variety of health, community, and teen programs for Shelton residents, including:
- Free at-home COVID-19 tests through a distribution with Arlington's Department of Public Safety Communications & Emergency Management.
- An opportunity to provide feedback about Arlington's Capital Improvement plan to County staff members.
- A trivia night for teens hosted by our Arlington County Police Department Community Engagement Team partners.
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A "viewing party" in the Shelton's community center to watch the virtual discussion: Reclaiming the Lost Identity of Arlington County about Green Valley.
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The National Guard is promoting physical well-being and helping afterschool students build muscle groups twice a month. |
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New Community Partnerships Meet More Needs
AHC's community partnerships are growing! We are excited (and grateful) to provide additional programs to support our residents. Some of our newest partners include:
PHYSICAL HEALTH - National Guard
Starting this month, members of the local National Guard are joining afterschool students at several community centers twice a month to provide a physical activity curriculum. The first workout plan included an obstacle course challenge, which the students loved. One first grader told soldiers he already "felt abs and muscles coming in!"
FINANCIAL STABILITY - BritePaths & the Financial Empowerment Center
Helping residents build financial stability is one of AHC's key priorities. A growing partnership with BritePaths is addressing this need through free workshops that build financial and job skills. Residents have responded enthusiastically. One resident reported she "increased my savings and am working with a financial coach to increase my credit the right way."
LITERACY - Marymount University Elementary Education Program
Marymount University's elementary education undergrad and graduate students will work with some of AHC's struggling readers. The additional one-on-one support will help students build critical literacy skills, while also providing real-life teaching experience for Marymount students. This partnership builds on our long-time relationship with the Marymount Women's Lacrosse team.
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AHC's College and Career Readiness program has a 100% high school graduate rate - and nearly all grads go to college! |
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AHC Class of 2022 Starting to Receive College News |
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This year's College and Career Readiness program is the largest yet with 68 students - 44 seniors and 26 juniors. The 2022 class is well-equipped with skills and support to aim high - thanks to the proven curriculum and steady support from committed mentors who help students navigate the application and financial aid process.
To date, students have received a POSSE award to attend the University of Rochester, a Herb Block scholarship, a full ride to the University of Mary Washington, and merit scholarships from Emory & Henry College.
Students applied to a host of schools and have already received acceptances from Georgetown, George Mason, Georgia Tech, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Radford, and Christopher Newport. Still to come are responses from outstanding schools like Stanford, UCLA, University of Delaware, Columbia, Duke, New York University, and Syracuse. Fingers crossed!
Extra exciting for this year's class - recently passed Virginia legislation allows all students to access financial support from the state to continue with their higher education, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. This welcome news will help some of our undocumented students achieve their dreams. The measure goes into effect on August 1, 2022.
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Building New Affordable Homes in VA and DC
AHC has two new construction projects underway in the DC metro area.
In Arlington, Arlington View Terrace East is starting to take shape. The redevelopment is replacing an aging 30-unit building with a new 4-story green building with 77 new affordable homes AHC's construction team and partner Harkins Builders are working hard to keep residents and neighbors up to date on the building's progress with regular updates.
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Click here to see the latest quarterly construction update.
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Watch the construction here.
Waterfront Station II, an exciting mixed-use, mixed-income new development in Southwest DC, will provide136 deeply affordable apartments - nearly one-third of the community's 450 total homes. AHC's construction and multifamily teams visited the site last week. (pictured above).
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Thank You to Outgoing Board Member Terron Sims, II
Many thanks to Terron Sims, II, who is leaving the AHC Board after serving three years, as he takes on a new role working for a U.S. Representative. We deeply appreciate Terron's service and commitment to AHC's mission, both as a board member and a seasoned volunteer with AHC youth.
One of our longest serving volunteers, Terron has tutored teens for more than 16 years. “Working with the kids is the best,” said Terron. “Assisting them with their homework and helping to build their self-esteem and confidence is a great joy.” The ongoing relationships build a sense of community for both students and volunteers. “Since I’ve been at Harvey Hall since 2006, I feel as though I am part of that community because I am at a point where I have tutored the older siblings and a parent of some of my current kids.”
Click here to watch a thank you video from Harvey Hall students. |
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Volunteer Needs: Snack Bags, Food Delivery & Teen Tutors |
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Creating snack bags is a great group volunteer activity, Several families, like the group pictured above, gathered together with friends to assemble healthy snack bags as part of the MLK Day of Service last month.
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Snack Bags for AHC Students
We are looking for volunteers to make bags of healthy snacks to keep students energized while they learn and play. You will assemble the bags at home and deliver them to AHC properties in Arlington. Information on the content of the snack bags & delivery can be found using this Sign-up Genius link or by emailing [email protected]. This is a great project for groups, families and individuals.
Pick Up and Deliver Food Once a Month
AHC needs a volunteer using his/her own vehicle to pick up and deliver food boxes on the 3rd Wednesday of every month, 1-2:30pm, in Arlington. We occasionally need help with other food distributions. Please let us know if you may be interested and we'll add you to our volunteer list!
Teen tutors
We still need more volunteers to tutor teens for an hour weekly, including a special request for an experienced female tutor who can help with biology or 7th grade math on Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm, at the Apex, 2910 S Glebe Road.
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