Arlington Affordable Housing Developer Provides Over 3,000 Low-Income Families with Food and Financial Relief During COVID-19 in 2020
AHC Inc. -- a leading developer of more than 7,500 affordable-housing units in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC -- has been working diligently to provide residents with well-needed relief since the start of the pandemic. In 2020, AHC's Resident Services team established 18 new food distribution sites, provided grocery gift cards for over 3,000 families, and secured over $2.3 million dollars in rental assistance for their residents.
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- AHC Inc., a premier provider of affordable housing communities in metro D.C., sprang into action last spring to help residents suffering from the effects of the pandemic. In 2020, AHC's Resident Services team with support from the property management arm, AHC Management, has provided substantial food and financial assistance to more than 3,000 families in Maryland and Virginia.
By April 30th of last year, more than 30 million Americans applied for unemployment due to the pandemic, causing many to struggle to meet their rent obligations. And as jobless claims continue to rise, more than 50 million people, including 17 million children, have experienced food insecurity due to COVID, according to Feeding America.
As the pandemic took hold, AHC Inc.'s Resident Services team pivoted to launch its own COVID-19 Residents Relief program. Throughout 2020, the program helped secure approximately $2.3 million in rental assistance for affordable-housing residents and continues to offer extended payment plans.
"In the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had a 50 percent increase in requests for food assistance from our residents," said Susan Davidson, AHC Resident Services Director. "To meet this increased need, AHC established 18 more food distribution sites for its residents in addition to the six sites we typically operate in Maryland and Virginia."
To build its reach, Resident Services worked with 24 community partners, many of whom stepped up to help neighbors in need, including the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization and local farmers markets, Amazon, Maryland Food Bank, World Central Kitchen, and AFAC.
The company has also distributed grocery gift cards to nearly 3,000 families in need thanks to generous individual donations and organizations such as the Arlington Community Foundation and Volunteer Arlington.
The relief initiatives are being implemented by AHC's 32-member Resident Services department, which helps residents in four key areas: Education, Health & Wellness, Financial Wellness, and Community Building.
"COVID turned everyone's lives upside down and especially those of our residents," said Davidson. "Our team pivoted immediately to focus our efforts on addressing the needs of the residents as they were in the moment, and that included helping families access federal and local dollars to pay their rent and to meet some basic needs."
In addition to the COVID-19 Residents Relief efforts, AHC's Resident Services team provides year-round resources, such as after-school programs, college and career readiness initiatives, summer camps, job readiness mentorship, eviction prevention, and social services assistance.
Jennifer Endo, Vice President of Community Relations added: "We believe that we are more than a company — we are a community. Everyone on the AHC team is passionate about providing our residents the best environment to lead happy and healthy lives. Our Resident Services program is the embodiment of that passion."
About AHC Inc.
Founded in 1975, AHC Inc. is a nonprofit developer of affordable housing that provides quality homes and education programs for low- and moderate-income families. Based in Arlington, VA, AHC has developed more than 7,500 apartment units in 50+ properties in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. AHC's Resident Services program reaches 3,000 children, teens, adults and seniors each year through on-site education and social service programs and activities. For more information, visit https://www.ahcinc.org/.
About AHC Management
AHC Management is a premier full-service property management company serving affordable-living communities in Virginia and Maryland. A subsidiary of national nonprofit affordable housing developer AHC Inc., for over 20 years AHC Management has been servicing thousands of families in more than 4,500 units across 33 properties. AHC is certified by Virginia Housing Development Authority and is a licensed Community Association Management Company in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information, visit: https://www.ahcinc.org/.
Media Contact
Stephanie Grau, AHC Inc., (954) 828-2392, [email protected]
SOURCE AHC Inc.
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