The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – November 2024

Housing People

Fresh Names and Looks  

MHP has recently overseen the rebranding and major renovation of two of our properties that are in the latter stages of construction. New names and logos reflect the unique features of each affordable housing community and showcase our commitment to quality. 

Unity Place: 

Formerly known as Worthington Woods, Unity Place is located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast DC with access to downtown DC and public transportation. Surrounded by well-maintained grounds, Unity Place offers residents exceptional apartment living, updated finishes, great service and an amazing location. Read more here.

Gardens of Gaithersburg 

Located just off North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg, this small community is a hidden gem. Completely renovated inside, generous floorplans include beautiful, newly updated kitchens, ample closets, and hardwood flooring. Residents have use of a large community garden, playground and picnic area with grills.  

The location places dining, shopping and entertainment all within easy reach and, for convenience, there is access to public transportation. Read more here.

Interested in renting an MHP apartment? Please contact the property management directly – info on each website. They can help you determine if you qualify based on your income. Find a list of all our properties with phone numbers here.

Empowering Families

Play & Learn + Nature = Enrichment! 

Playing and exploring are such important parts of a young child’s development. Through our Play & Learn program, students practice basic skills like how to take turns, raise their hands, write their names, communicate their feelings, and so much more. It’s also amazing to see our students and families engage with nature AND each other on trips. On a recent trip to Nature Forward, students from multiple MHP sites discovered the flora and fauna living in our Maryland ecosystem. They also enjoyed the Woodend Sanctuary’s expansive and unique playground. 

FLOW Students Take the Stage 

In case you missed our recent benefit breakfast, MHP’s FLOW students were a huge hit. Not all middle schoolers are brave enough to perform in front of almost 300 people! Check out their impressive poetic performance here.

Strengthening Neighborhoods

Festive Fun at Unity Place 

The weather was a perfect backdrop for a festive afternoon with our residents. More than 100 people attended the recent Trunk or Treat event at Unity Place (formerly Worthington Woods) in D.C. Families showcased many fun costumes and enjoyed inflatables, food, face painting, music and more! Unity Place is currently under construction, and we look forward to completing major upgrades throughout this property next year! 

Upcoming Events

Long Branch Winter Mercado 

Join us for a fun afternoon filled with local craft vendors, s’mores, and firepits! And did you hear?! We have a very special guest coming to Long Branch and we thought you should know… We heard he may or may not be arriving on reindeer. We guess you’ll just have to come find out! 

It’s always free to meet Santa (real-life flying reindeer sightings may have additional charges). 

Please plan to purchase hot beverages from participating restaurants: El Golfo, El Gavilan, & Koma Café. 

Campfire & S’mores ingredients will be provided. 

Facebook RSVP 

26th Annual Angels for Children Toy Drive  

The annual Angels for Children Toy Drive is a joint effort between Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce, and MHP. This program has provided toys for low-income children in the Wheaton area since 1998. 

We ask for donations of toys, books and games (value of $5 – $15). The collected donations are delivered to local children on December 24th by Santa and his helpers. 

Volunteers are also needed in December to wrap and sort toys, books, and games that are donated by the public and collected at area businesses in Wheaton, Kensington, Silver Spring, and Potomac. 

Learn more here.

Building Dreams Tour

MHP provides thousands of low- and moderate-income families and individuals with quality affordable homes where they can thrive. Our Building Dreams tour, a one-hour experience, is a way to see our work first-hand. Each tour is held at an MHP property and explores the heart of all we do. 

The tours include learning about our holistic approach to housing. You will walk the property, see facilities like Community Centers where innovative programs are happening, and hear inspiring resident stories. 

Let us show you how MHP is fulfilling our mission by housing people, empowering families, and strengthening neighborhoods. Email Jaimee Goodman to learn more and RSVP: jgoodman@mhpartners.org

We’re Hiring

MHP is seeking qualified candidates to join our dynamic team in Silver Spring. With a mission that matters, MHP employees make a difference and enjoy a range of professional benefits.

Do you have at least three years of grant writing experience? You might be a fit for our featured job openings. Learn more here.

With competitive pay and benefits, a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and a mission to help people in the community, MHP is a great place to grow your career!

The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – October 2024

Housing People

DHCD Secretary Jake Day Tours MHP

Our state funding partners recently visited the Residences at Forest Glen site and got a sneak peek at this dynamic project, which will be completed in spring of 2025. Much progress has been made and we were able to don our hard hats and explore the building’s interior and exterior.  DHCD Secretary Jake Day also stopped by Long Branch to view our extensive community development work there.

We thank Secretary Day and his team for visiting and seeing our work first-hand.

Read more about Secretary Day’s visit here 

MHP is excited to unveil the completed Residences at Forest Glen property soon and welcome residents who income qualify. For those interested in renting, please visit this site to complete an interest form. 

Empowering Families

Pumpkins and Fall Fun

School days off are a perfect opportunity for special trips with our students! Homework Club students recently visited Butler’s Orchard for a day of fall fun. A hayride brought the kids out to a pumpkin patch where they each picked the perfect pumpkin to bring home. There were many activities including giant slides, a new playground, a rope spider web, corn pit, and mazes. It was a great day to get out and play!

Strengthening Neighborhoods

Tax Credit Support for Residents

Did you know that the State of Maryland provides a tax credit for eligible renters?

The Renters’ Tax Credit Program provides property tax credits for renters who meet certain requirements. The concept rests on the reasoning that renters indirectly pay property taxes as part of their rent and thus should have some protection, as do homeowners. The plan is based upon the relationship between rent and income.

This year, MHP helped 60 residents of Franklin Apartments apply for the Maryland Renters Tax Credit. If deemed eligible, they will receive up to $1,000 from the state and $500 from Montgomery County, which provides a 50% match of the State credit.

Franklin is a property for seniors, and this funding will help our residents immensely.

Staff Happenings

Hispanic Heritage Month

With so many members of our staff hailing from Spain or Latin America, our recent office gathering for Hispanic Heritage Month was both educational and delicious! We enjoyed a variety of foods from local restaurants and connected with each other. Numerous people contributed to this wonderful celebration of cultures and shared their experiences living in America as people of Hispanic descent. Their perspectives also helped our staff better understand the experiences of our residents and community members, many of whom identify as Latinx or Hispanic.

Real Estate Leadership Update

Congratulations to three of our team members who were recently promoted; Stephanie Roodman to vice president of real estate, John Poyer to director of real estate, and Jon McCall to director of real estate!

Read more here.

We appreciate the many contributions of our dedicated staff who help us make home possible

Upcoming Events

Long Branch 5K Fun Run

RUN, don’t walk, to register today!

The Long Branch 5K will be held on November 3rd, 2024 in Long Branch, MD.

This is a family-oriented community event, with proceeds going towards the efforts of Discover Long Branch and the Long Branch Business League, in addition to supporting the Long Branch Festival, one of our major community events! You can run, walk, or even participate virtually. Register here.

Building Dreams Tours

MHP provides thousands of low- and moderate-income families and individuals with quality affordable homes where they can thrive. Our Building Dreams tour, a one-hour experience, is a way to see our work first-hand. Each tour is held at an MHP property and explores the heart of all we do.

The tours include learning about our holistic approach to housing. You will walk the property, see facilities like Community Centers where innovative programs are happening, and hear inspiring resident stories.

Let us show you how MHP is fulfilling our mission by housing people, empowering families, and strengthening neighborhoods. Email Jaimee Goodman to learn more and RSVP: jgoodman@mhpartners.org

We’re Hiring

MHP is seeking qualified candidates to join our dynamic team in Silver Spring. With a mission that matters, MHP employees make a difference and enjoy a range of professional benefits.

Do you have at least three years of grant writing experience? You might be a fit for our featured job: Grants Manager. Learn more here.

With competitive pay and benefits, a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and a mission to help people in the community, MHP is a great place to grow your career!

The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – August 2024

Housing People

Construction in Progress

Get up to date on MHP real estate! The gears are turning this summer on affordable housing. MHP has 3 properties under construction:

Worthington Woods in D.C.’s Ward 8 is undergoing a major renovation. Once apartments are updated, we will begin work on the community center and playground. This vast community contains 394 apartment homes with solar panels throughout.

Frederick apartments in Gaithersburg are also undergoing major renovations. This unique property is home to 78 apartments with green space, a renovated playground, and a community garden! A new name and look will be coming soon.

Residences at Forest Glen (pictured above) is a ground-up redevelopment in Silver Spring. The expansive, modern property will contain 189 apartment homes and be completed by 2025. Soon, the management company will begin accepting applications. Updates will be posted here.

Empowering Families

Adventure Seekers

MHP’s summer programs served more than 400 children and teens. Staff planned, facilitated, and supervised more than 25 trips to fun locations throughout the region. Many kids stated that field trips were their favorite part of the summer. We visited museums, parks, mini golf, splash pads, farms, and more.

Thank you to all the donors and partners who make our free programs possible and ensure that low- and moderate-income children can partake in all the things that make summer special. We could not run these programs without your support.

Expo Showcases Student Work

If you could design your own car, what would it look like?

What’s your idea of the perfect cupcake?

This summer, the Greenwood Community Center hosted a camp that invited students to invent, create, write, and explore. Their work culminated in an end-of-summer expo, showcasing their unique ideas, talents, and humor. MHP staff were invited to judge the many project elements and provide feedback. Three original films completed the expo and left spectators laughing in their seats at ghosts, zombies, and other characters. Watch this video to see their work in action.

Strengthening Neighborhoods

AAP Seminar Success

This month’s Apartment Assistance Program (AAP) seminar featured record attendance! Landlords and property managers who own less than 50 units learned about the AAP and all the resources it provides. Technical assistance, current and upcoming legislation, best practices, and financial assistance were just a few of the topics discussed during the 2-hour seminar. Guest speakers from Building Consultants, Inc. provided input on the importance of capital needs assessments and how they can be subsidized through the AAP. Attendees enjoyed dinner provided by El Golfo restaurant and AAP members had an opportunity to engage in robust discussions and network amongst one another. Apartment Assistance & Sustainability Program Manager Ali Khademian facilitated this event at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

National Night Out

MHP staff and partners connected with residents at many of our properties for National Night Out including Worthington Woods, Beall’s Grant, and the Lyttonsville business district. Community members enjoyed meeting staff and local law enforcement officers, participating in activities, and checking out flashy vehicles.

National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Clarksburg Fire Fund

On August 17, 2024 a fire devastated a multi-unit apartment building in Montgomery County, Maryland impacting dozens of families. According to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, at least 25 apartment units were damaged in the 12000 block of Clarksburg Square Road in Clarksburg on Saturday, displacing approximately 45 residents.

At the request of Montgomery County, MHP is collecting financial donations to help affected families. While this is not an MHP property, we maintain close ties with the community through the many affordable housing properties we have developed in Montgomery County and are playing a role by managing financial donations to help impacted residents.

Please visit our website to learn more and consider making a donation today. Click here.

Join Us for a Tour

MHP provides thousands of low- and moderate-income families and individuals with quality affordable homes where they can thrive. Our Building Dreams tour, a one-hour experience, is a way to see our work first-hand. Each tour is held at an MHP property and explores the heart of all we do.

The tours include learning about our holistic approach to housing. You will walk the property, see facilities like Community Centers where innovative programs are happening, and hear inspiring resident stories.

Let us show you how MHP is fulfilling our mission by housing people, empowering families, and strengthening neighborhoods.

We’re Hiring

MHP is seeking qualified candidates to join our dynamic team in Silver Spring. With a mission that matters, MHP employees make a difference and enjoy a range of professional benefits.

Do you have at least three years of grant writing experience? You might be a fit for our featured job: Grants Manager. Learn more here.

With competitive pay and benefits, a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and a mission to help people in the community, MHP is a great place to grow your career!

The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – July 2024

Alhagie

Alhagie is dealing with the challenges of high school and working to carve out his future and define his own path. His family has banded together to support each other, and sometimes that has meant relocating to find a more manageable rent. Since Alhagie moved to an MHP property, he has joined our FLOW teen program and volunteered many hours to help younger students. He also enjoyed receiving gifts through the MHP toy drive. These programs have helped him feel connection to the community and gain a solid foundation for his high school years. Watch Alhagie share his perspective at our golf tournament.

Eseme’s Story

Eseme has been working for MHP part-time for several years. With a passion for math and STEM activities, Eseme inspires students in our GATOR Club to develop a love of learning. Watch Eseme describe what moves him and view some great photos from our Community Life programs. Watch here.

Jan’s Story

Since moving to The Bonifant, one of MHP’s senior properties in Silver Spring, Jan has been an avid supporter of MHP. She joined our Board of Directors, has spoken about MHP publicly on numerous occasions, and recently served as a co-host for our Making Home Possible For All campaign. We are so lucky to have Jan’s support. She is a powerhouse and anyone would want Jan in their court. Read her full story here and watch her recent testimony at a County Council hearing. Watch here.

Bertila’s Story

Bertila’s life is filled with family and love, but things are not always easy. She lives with her daughter and granddaughter, and money is tight. She recently lost her sister from cancer and also lost her job. Bertila is hopeful that she will find a new job and is grateful to have affordable housing through MHP. Watch Bertila’s testimony here.

Mame’s Story

Mame grew up at Glenville Road in Silver Spring, an MHP property. At Homework Club, she received guidance from staff and experienced the benefits of a tight-knit community of peers who stuck together. This brought stability to her life and gave her a foundation for the exceptional college student and adult she would become. Watch our 2023 mission video here to listen to Mame’s updates and watch her 2022 speech here.

Zachary’s Story

Zachary grew up with MHP and now he is thriving in middle school. Zachary is a young man with incredible charisma and wisdom beyond his years. With the guidance of MHP staff, Zachary won an essay contest for the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers and last year, served as a featured speaker at our Building Dreams benefit event. Watch Zachary take the stage and display his speaking skills. Watch here.

Upcoming Events 

With your help, every summer MHP provides more than 700 students with tools to learn and succeed: brand-new backpacks filled with grade-appropriate supplies. 

Backpacks and supplies are needed now more than ever. Help us make that possible for every child in our community. You also can select items from our Amazon wishlist or make a financial donation. Thanks for helping low- and moderate-income students start the school year right!  

We’re Hiring 

MHP is seeking qualified candidates to join our dynamic team in Silver Spring. With a mission that matters, MHP employees make a difference and enjoy a range of professional benefits. Do you have at least three years of grant writing experience? You might be a fit for our featured job: Grants Manager. Learn more here. here.  

With competitive pay and benefits, a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and a mission to help people in the community, MHP is a great place to grow your career!