The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – February 2025

Housing People

Playground Highlight 

Our latest property developments are beautiful in many ways. This month, we’re giving a sneak peek at a stand-out feature that sets MHP properties apart: our engaging, attractive, and accessible playgrounds! Check out the photos below, which showcase some of the fun zones in progress and recently completed.

Empowering Families

Supporting Academic Growth 

It takes a village to support students and MHP’s enrichment programs are needed now more than ever. According to the latest Nation’s Report Card, put out every two years by NAEP, U.S. students in fourth and eighth grade made some math gains since 2022, however, their scores remain below pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Reading proficiency was worse – fourth graders dropped from 35% in 2019 to 31% in 2024. Eighth graders saw similar declines.

Staff at MHP’s community life enrichment programs are working to close these types of gaps. The programs are free of charge and available to children who qualify based on income at our community centers and partner school. They also fulfill an important childcare need for working parents, which is especially important considering recent in-office work requirements. Thank you to everyone who supports MHP and helps our students get the enrichment they need.

Winter Trips

Even on chilly winter days, staff have found ways to keep our students active via trips to indoor locations. Here is a photo of the Play & Learn crew enjoying playtime at Hyper Kidz indoor play space! We’ve also visited museums, science centers, and other engaging venues.

Strengthening Neighborhoods

Credit Score Gains

A good credit score is important for getting access to loans, rental options and even job opportunities. It can also lead to lower interest rates, better loan terms and less expensive borrowing costs. However, when people are living paycheck to paycheck, they often need to make difficult financial decisions that can lower their credit scores.

Since last summer, MHP residents at two properties in Takoma Park have been participating in a rent reporting pilot in which their on-time rent payments are being reported to credit reporting agencies. After just six months, residents have increased their credit scores by an average of +44 points! The most dramatic increases were for individuals with the lowest credit scores, such as sub 500 scores. One household even saw their credit score increase by a whopping +131 points, which is incredible. We will continue to assess how we can support residents in improving their credit scores and obtaining more resources that can help their financial situations, including career coaching through our partner Career Catchers.

Seeking Volunteers and Food Donations

We’re looking for a two-person team with a truck to help MHP expand our community food distributions to at least one more site in Silver Spring / Takoma Park. We have access to free food for our residents via our partners, however due to recent changes in their operations, we are looking for support with picking up and distributing the food once a month for about 3 hours. The team would need to lift the food into their own truck, drive it to the designated property site, and then help with unloading and distributing the food to residents. This usually occurs at midday on Fridays.

Also, we’re looking for donations of nonperishable food and baby supplies (diapers, formula, bottles, etc.) to stock our pantry in Wheaton, MD.

Are you interested in donating your time and vehicle for this purpose? Or would you like to drop off a batch of canned goods and other supplies to stock our pantry? Please email Fatima Coreas to coordinate:  fcoreas@mhpartners.org   Thanks for your consideration!

Fair Housing Focus

What is the Fair Housing Act and why does it matter? At our recent professional development, MHP welcomed Sandra Y. Stewart, an experienced Fair Housing Instructor and Director of Growth and Development for Long and Foster Real Estate. Sandra illuminated how the purposeful segregation by design that plagued communities of color for generations prevented equal access to housing and exacerbated financial and social discrimination throughout the United States. In 1968, the Fair Housing Act was approved. This important doctrine prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions because of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, familial status, and disability. It also requires that all federal programs relating to housing and urban development be administered in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing. Thank you to Sandra for improving our understanding of this important topic.

We Dit It!

Thanks to your support, we’ve exceeded our Making Home Possible for All $20 million campaign goal. In 2021, MHP began our bold campaign to double affordable housing by the end of the decade and in 2025, we have surpassed this number, strengthening our position to achieve this ambitious mission-driven goal.  Read more about this achievement 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.

Upcoming Tour

Wednesday, March 12

10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Greenwood Terrace

RSVP by contacting Jaimee Goodman at jgoodman@mhpartners.org or by phone at 301-812-4118.

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.

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!