We Need Jubilee Elves to Help Us Make the Holidays Bright!

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The 2020 holiday season will look starkly different from holiday seasons in years past. Though the holidays are usually a time of togetherness and celebration, families and friends are having to show their affection and joy from a distance this winter. COVID-19 has complicated the holidays, but the love between families keeps us together during these chaotic days.

In previous years, the Elf Store and Wish List were happy events where the Jubilee community could share their abundance by volunteering, donating, and purchasing gifts for Jubilee residents.

The Elf Store and Wish List are treasured traditions and one of the few ways our broader community directly support residents of Jubilee Housing. Although we can’t host these events safely this year, we still want to create a way for our community to come together this holiday season.

In this spirit, Jubilee Housing is retooling the holiday programs. As many members of our community continue to struggle with reduced wages or the loss of employment, we want to provide families with Visa gift cards to use as they deem best during this time. And though we won’t get to enjoy the festivities in person, we hope that the spirit of kindness and warmth that always lifts the season will still find its way home.

If you can contribute this season, all donations will go to purchasing gift cards of up to $50 for each Jubilee household.

A Just City Where Everyone Can Thrive

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Coming Home Breakfast

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On October 31, Jubilee Housing hosted its 2nd annual Coming Home Breakfast at the Line Hotel in Washington, DC. Two hundred Jubilee supporters, donors, staff, and residents attended the hour long program. Jubilee’s Chief Operations Officer Bill Highsmith and Jubilee’s Board Chair Alex Orfinger were the masters of ceremonies for the morning, welcoming guests and opening the event.  

The breakfast, which followed the Nationals winning the World Series late the night before, started with a coffee reception. Guests, many donning National’s gear, were in great spirits despite being tired.  

As guests took their seats, Highsmith and Orfinger spoke about the great need for more deeply affordable housing in our city and that, despite significant commitment by the city and the region, we still need to do more. “It’s about realizing that we all don’t start at the same place, with the same privileges, but, recognizing that all are entitled to a quality of life,” Highsmith said. “That includes decent and safe housing and access to good schools, services, and transportation.”  

Jubilee President and CEO Jim Knight spoke powerfully about the roots of housing discrimination in the District, why affordable housing is imperative, and his own evolution as a non-profit leader and developer. He challenged guests to look at their own actions and ask themselves what they can do to make the city more equitable.

Nathaniel Bazemore, a former participant in Jubilee’s reentry program and current Jubilee resident, followed Knight and described how Jubilee provided him with a safe, nurturing place after he was released from incarceration. “This is not the finish; this is just the beginning,” he said as he talked about the ways in which he has turned his life around with the support of Jubilee’s reentry team. 

During a light breakfast, guests watched a video about justice housingTM with commentary from Audrey Proctor, a former Jubilee resident and Board member, as well as Knight, Orfinger, and Highsmith. 

The morning concluded with an invitation from Heather Raspberry, HAND Executive Director, to engage with Jubilee’s mission and contribute to building more justice housing in the District, so that families and individuals of all income levels have a place to call home. The breakfast raised over $130,000 in pledges to be fulfilled over the next three years.

Written by Jubilee staff member Sahara Bulls

Hispanic Heritage Month 2019

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Hispanic Heritage month is September 15 – October 15. During this time Latino Americans are recognized for their contributions to American history and culture. Every year Jubilee Housing residents and staff members come together to plan a celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

This year’s celebration started off with Jubilee resident board member Gilma Merino welcoming party guests and letting them know about the evening’s activities. Then, Sister Lauralee blessed the food before families and guests lined up for the buffet of traditional El Salvadoran fare, soul food, and fresh fruits and salads.

During dinner, Amarylis Diaz read an original poem that she wrote for the event and Mariachi Aguila DC, a local Mexican Mariachi band, played three selections. Children danced, and the crowd sang and clapped to the music.  

The evening included two raffles. Two guests won prizes, one of which featured a Safeway gift card.

Barbara Moore, Jubilee co-founder and former board member, said that more people attended this year’s Hispanic Heritage event than any one she’d been to in her time at Jubilee, “This is always a well-attended event,” she said, “But I’ve never seen this many people. It’s just wonderful.”

The night ended with deserts and closing remarks by Connie Bryant, Jubilee’s financial empowerment coordinator.

This event would not have been possible without the support from our donors, volunteers, and supporters. We thank them all

Celebrating Our Sponsors

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On June 18th, at our Celebrating Partners Cocktail reception, we are bringing together Jubilee Housing stakeholders – supporters, volunteers, and partners – to recognize creative and enduring collaborations. We’re highlighting our event sponsors with a series of short stories. Each of these sponsors have supported and help strengthen Jubilee Housing  throughout our history and in recent years! We are grateful for their continued, unwavering support!

United Bank

Washington Reit

Davis Construction

It Takes “U” To Make Community

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Jubilee Housing is excited to announce that we are participating in the United Way of the National Capital Area’s 7th Annual Do More 24 online fundraising campaign from noon on May 22 to noon on May 23 again this year! The whole D.C. area will spend 24 hours raising money for some incredible causes!

Will you join us in supporting our new Maycroft residents?

In April, we finally cut the ribbon on the 64 unit Maycroft Apartments. Two-thirds of the families moving into the Maycroft will make less than or equal to 30% of the Area Median Income – just $34,000 for a family of four.

As they move in, some residents will need help purchasing beds or other furniture. Some will need help learning to budget, and some will need Jubilee’s afterschool program. All will need support from our Property Management team as they get settled into their new homes.

Jubilee has committed to raising $10,000 for new residents at the Maycroft who WILL need our support. To reach that goal, we are asking our Jubilee community to do three things:

  1. Donate to Arlington Thrive early at https://www.domore24.org/jubileehousing
  2. Invite your friends and family to donate as well!
  3. Follow and Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you for your continued support! Every dollar we raise will help our newest Jubilee residents get the support they need to thrive in their new deeply affordable homes.

If you have any questions, email Candace Tyler at ctyler@jubileehousing.org or call 202-559-2342.

Jubilee Housing’s Coming Home Breakfast

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On Friday October 12, 2018, Jubilee Housing hosted its first Coming Home breakfast at All Souls Unitarian Church.  110 attendees helped Jubilee Housing raise $120,000 in multi-year donations! These gifts will support Jubilee’s general operating fund, which will cover critical aspects of the organization not typically funded by grants or contracts.

During breakfast, the Jubilee Housing Builders Giving Society (JHB) was launched. These donors provide ongoing supporters to Jubilee Housing. With their multi-year commitments, Jubilee will have the foundation it needs to expand justice housing and begin to make its vision of a just and affordable DC a reality.

Members of the JHB commit to donating $1,000 or more per year to Jubilee Housing over the course of 3 years. For more information on to give a recurring gift to Jubilee Housing visit our donations page.

Attendees at the Coming Home breakfast included long-time Jubilee Housing supporters, neighborhood activists, Jubilee residents, commercial developers, and many new friends of Jubilee. In addition to a screening of resident stories, there were presentations by Jim Knight, Jubilee Housing’s executive director; Dickson Carroll, long time Jubilee Housing volunteer; Alex Orfinger, Jubilee Housing board member; Cherie Lindsay, director of re-entry housing; and Audrey Walker, director of the family resource center.

During the breakfast, Jim Knight highlighted the fact that our city’s economic and racial wealth gap is wider than ever. He called on attendees to join Jubilee Housing’s work in creating Justice Housing by connecting people with the fewest financial resources, to housing in thriving neighborhoods with onsite and nearby services. If you want to learn more click here to register for a DC Can Be Tour. They are held the last Friday of each month.

Countdown to Closing

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On Monday, March 27, friends and supporters of Jubilee Housing gathered in the first floor of the Maycroft Apartments to reflect on the journey to Justice Housing and begin the countdown to closing. In doing so, they also celebrated an exciting new partnership with Martha’s Table that will provide 64 affordable homes coupled with critical services in the Maycroft.

The evening began with a hors d’eouvres provided by Gepetto Catering, followed by remarks from Jubilee Housing Vice President of Programs Sylvia Stokes and Executive Director Jim Knight about how the project creates Justice Housing – housing that is affordable to people with the fewest financial assets, is coupled with services that provide opportunity for individuals and families, is located in thriving neighborhood with access to jobs, education, transportation, and more, and helps foster relationships across social divides that strengthen us all.

Select project partners also made remarks. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau spoke about how she worked with the City Council to make the project a reality. DC LISC Executive Director Oramenta Newsome told the story about how LISC jumped in to help with the financial burden. Martha’s Table CEO Patty Stonesifer talked about how Martha’s Table was drawn to partner with Jubilee to make the project happen.

Next, Jim Knight recognized pro bono lawyers David Bamberger of DLA Piper and Blake Biles of Arnold and Porter for providing their legal expertise to make the project a success.

The evening came to a close with a brief exercise of mutuality relationships and toasts of gratitude and justice.

A Unique Jubilee Experience: Dinner at the Maycroft Apartments

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On May 16, we opened the doors of our Maycroft Apartments for a unique Jubilee Experience: dinner and conversation around making our city affordable and available to all.

We were fortunate to bring over 120 business, civic, and community leaders together to learn from each other and begin or deepen relationships. Guests were seated around small dinner tables in vacant Maycroft apartment units. Within this intimate setting, event attendees had the opportunity to enter into relationships of mutuality with our resident community through discussion and  a shared meal. As the District continues to experience white hot development, much of the dinner conversation centered on how to make it possible for people with fewer financial resources stay in the District and benefit from the progress of the city – what we call Justice Housing.

A special thanks to our event sponsors Bonstra Haresign Architects, Tishman Speyer, United Bank, and Gepetto Catering. We are also grateful to our guests, who were more than willing to engage in thoughtful and honest conversation on what it means to create a place in our city for those at risk for displacement. As we continue to wait for a time when we can welcome 64 families out of the cycle of homelessness and into our Maycroft Apartments, this is one step toward making Justice Housing a reality in our city.

For more information about the impact of the Maycroft Dinner, read this opinion piece by Washington Business Journal Editor-in-Chief and event attendee Douglas Fruehling.