There are few things more stressful than experiencing housing instability. For families who are already struggling to make ends meet, the fear of a possible eviction and losing their home can be overwhelming. That’s why the work that organizations like Arlington Thrive and APAH do is so important. On Saturday, March 18th, these two organizations came together to disburse $192,000 out of a $200,000 grant from Arlington Presbyterian Church, keeping 74 families in their homes and eliminating the back balance on their rent.
The process was a true team effort. Arlington Thrive’s finance and social work teams and DHS social workers worked side by side with APAH staff to receive the families, vet them, and process their documentation. APAH, a committed partner in the effort to help those in need find safe housing, forgave 20% of the families’ arrears, and the grant from Arlington Presbyterian Church covered the remaining 80%.
The impact of collaborating with our partners on this program cannot be overstated. For 74 families at four properties (Gilliam Place, Buchanan Gardens, Columbia Hills, and Columbia Grove), the threat of eviction has been lifted, and they can rest easy knowing they have a safe and stable place to call home. Thrive’s Emergency Assistance Manager, Sherita Sweeney, says,
“This is why I love the work we do. Seeing the relieved smiles on people’s faces lets me know we’re making a difference in their lives.”
It’s important to remember that these families are not statistics – they are real people, with real struggles and challenges. They are our neighbors, our friends, and our community members. By coming together to support them, we are building a stronger, more resilient community for everyone. APAH President and CEO, Carmen Romero, sums it all up, stating
“Our hope is that Arlington Presbyterian Church’s generosity inspires more community partners to join them in helping our neighbors remain housed.”
We should all be proud of the collaborative, community-driven approach that helped keep 74 Arlington families in their homes last Saturday. Arlington Presbyterian Church Pastor, Ashley Goff is passionate about the power of partnership, noting
“we trust if we join our partners in the work, we can generate real power for change together….”
But we can’t stop here. There are still many families in our community who are struggling to make ends meet and who need our assistance. Let’s continue to support eviction prevention, so that we can create a brighter future for all our neighbors.
