On Tuesday, June 18^th, 2019, Housing Up had the privilege of hosting 30 South Carolinian “YCorp” members, in the DC leg of their service trip across the East coast. Y-Corps is a service-learning program for students who want to make a difference in their communities and country. For the past several years, the YMCA in Greenville, South Carolina, has taken high school volunteers on a week-long trip to different regions in the United State. This trip is more than just a vacation, it’s a journey that teaches participants firsthand about social and economic problems facing underserved communities while allowing them to contribute to the solutions.

After participating in a volunteer training, which included a special Q & A with Housing Up resident and board member Rene Petaway, the YCorp volunteers marched down for an afternoon of gardening at our affordable housing building, Fort View Apartments.

Fort View Apartments, located on 13^th St. NW, is home to over low-income 60 families. Sitting right outside its’ front steps are two large gardens that had been waiting for some helpful hands to prepare it for the planting season.

In the midst of the infamous DC humidity, YCorp members managed to completely renovate both 20’ x 20’ garden plots and host a kickball game with the children living at Fort View.  It was certainly a highlight of the summer for all that participated.

On Behalf of Housing Up, we would like to thank the young men and women of Greenville’s YCorp for their incredible work and hope to see them on their next trip!

If you would like to volunteer or are interested in a group service day helping our mission to end homelessness, please contact our Volunteer Program Manager, Dillon Ficca at [email protected] or 202 291 5535 ext. 412