The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – December 2025

Housing People

Touring Unity Place Progress

The new community center and playground at Unity Place are taking shape! We were honored to host DHCD Director Colleen Green for a recent site visit. We toured the interior and exterior of these exciting new property features and discussed other construction aspects of our largest affordable property. MHP President Robert A. Goldman and other MHP staff members were joined by project partners Bozzuto, Residential One, and JDC. This spring, we’ll officially unveil major renovations at Unity Place!

The Residences at Forest Glen Sparkles in Silver Spring

The Residences at Forest Glen recently came out for a meet-and-greet breakfast. They enjoyed custom omelets in the club room and had the opportunity to share feedback with property management staff. It was a wonderful way to unwind and connect!

Did you know there are still a few apartments available at The Residences at Forest Glen? These rental homes are reserved for families and individuals earning approximately 60% of the Area Median Income. If you are interested and would like to determine if you qualify, please contact the property management office directly by visiting their website or calling their office at  (301) 264-5827.

Empowering Families

Angels for Children Toy Drive Wrapping Up Dec. 20

Now in its 27th year, the Angels for Children Holiday Toy Drive is up and running in Montgomery County, and we’re seeking new, unwrapped gifts! Our team of elves is already collecting and organizing items for the big day. Santa is getting ready to pack his sleigh with toys, books, games, and teen items. With your support, the sleigh will be filled to the brim!

Each year, MHP seeks new, unwrapped toy donations for low-income children and teens living in our Wheaton properties. Volunteers will wrap over 1k toys and distribute them directly to our residents on Christmas Eve.

This year, we’ve placed 30 toy collection drop boxes throughout Montgomery County, adding 6 new locations to our list. It’s easier than ever to discover a box near you! Please drop off donations by our deadline of December 20th.

We could not accomplish this epic undertaking without our event partners Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce and Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad. Special thanks to Acorn Storage, all our box hosts, and our amazing volunteers.

Visit the drive website to learn more.

Community Life Toy Drive

MHP also runs a Community Life toy drive, which provides about 600 gifts for our educational enrichment program students plus a selection of children living at other MHP properties throughout Montgomery County. With both toy drives combined, we serve 1,000+ children and teens and deliver 2,000+ gifts. We greatly appreciate the support of all our donors and partners this holiday season. Together, we are making things brighter for low-income residents in our community. Here are a few photos from classroom holiday parties where children received their gifts.

Strengthening Neighborhoods

Food Distributions Offer Lifeline to Seniors

Residents at Franklin Apartments in Takoma Park enjoyed a special rotisserie chicken delivery for Thanksgiving courtesy of generous members of Bethany Church in Gaithersburg. About 20 volunteers dropped off bags and joined property management staff in giving out food to the seniors. These donations bolstered regular monthly food donations which are generously provided by Small Things Matter and Educare. Throughout the year, both nonprofits donated thousands of food items and thousands of volunteer hours serving our seniors.

The bounty of food was appreciated by the community. The line of people wrapped around the entire lobby as they eagerly awaited meat, bread, beans, pasta, eggs, veggies, and more. Special thanks to all our food distribution partners including Small Things Matter, Educare, Manna, Capitol Area Food Bank, Charisma Charities, Bethany Church, City of Takoma Park, and others. Together, we are combatting food insecurity.

Seeking Pembridge Food Pantry Donations

Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!

Combatting Food Insecurity with Fatima

Discover Fatima’s perspective on her work helping residents with SNAP benefits and combatting food insecurity in the latest MHP on Mic.

Building Dreams Tour

MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.

Seeking Nonperishable Donations