It’s National Volunteer Month!

As National Volunteer Month comes to a close, we want to celebrate our amazing community of volunteers and community partners that are key to sustaining Housing Up’s programs.

On Saturday, April 20, we had the privilege of hosting about 30 volunteers from Union City Church DC at two of our affordable housing communities, Fort View and Entwine. Volunteers at Fort View spent the morning cleaning up the community garden with some youth who live in the community. At Entwine, volunteers packed over 24 boxes of household essentials, one for each senior in our permanent supportive housing program.

We’re so grateful for volunteers like these from Union City Church DC. Read the full profile on our partnership here. 

Intern Spotlight: Ana Morales

Meet Ana Morales, our new community engagement intern!

Ana is a Posse Scholar attending Pomona College studying Public Policy Analysis and Sociology. Born and raised in Chicago, Ana has always noticed the impact of redlining on various communities, even within her own. She admires Housing Up’s mission to provide a chance for individuals to revive their life and bring stability and opportunity. She is looking forward to learning more about policy and how non-profits like Housing Up function so she can carry these main values with her wherever she heads next. Read more about Ana here.

Federal Budget: What Passed & What’s Up Next 

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development passed the final spending package for fiscal year 2024 (FY24) and the Biden administration released their proposed budget for FY25. FY24 contained some notable affordable housing wins. There were funding increases to the Homeless Assistance Grants program and the Eviction Prevention grant program. The House Budget Committee proposed a FY25 plan that cuts spending to important programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP). These programs help families maintain stability. Despite this, the Biden administration’s FY25 proposed budget includes new and expanding programs that would increase access to safe and affordable housing. Read more here.

You can join us in our commitment to making safe, affordable housing a reality for all by connecting with your local elected representative and following organizations like National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) to amplify their messages.