Executive Director & CEO Corner
Kristyn Burr participates in a burning ceremony atop an active volcano on her recent trip to Guatemala.
We’ve flipped the calendar closed on another decade, and I have noticed that a lot of people on social media have journaled a kind of 10-year diary, sharing what they learned, what they experienced, and what they gained and lost over the past decade. I’ve learned of births and deaths, pains and joys, victories and trials. It might feel overwhelming, to try to encapsulate the human experience through 10 years into a few paragraphs, but with every post, I felt inspired by the sheer human effort it took to make our way to the next page of a new year. For me, I started the year not with an essay, but with what’s called a burning ceremony: I wrote on paper a list of things I wanted to let go, to set free, to rid myself of … and then I burned that paper on Mount Pacaya in Guatemala, where I spent the holidays. It felt symbolic, of course, to see the letters and my words curl and burn and turn to dust … but it also made me feel physically and emotionally lighter. By letting go of the things that were no longer serving me, I was acknowledging that life can be messy, and that we as humans so often hold on to things we’d really be better off without. It was at the same time a gift of goodbye and renewal.
Back at home, that feeling of lightness and fresh perspective has stayed with me. And as HomeAid Northern Virginia enters its 19th year, I look to our four brand new board members, who I know will mix their talents and viewpoints with our longtime members and create something beautiful. I am proud to see 10 renovation/construction projects already in pre-development, building on the four projects and nine turnovers we completed in 2019. We have several exciting third-party fundraising events locked in, as well as our always sold-out fundraisers ahead, and an award-winning global speaker for our Housing Forum who will change our perceptions about what it means to live. It’s going to be a huge year, just as our last decade was. I’m so glad you’re on this journey with us.
With Gratitude,
In the Spotlight
Jason McDonough Elected 2020 HomeAid Northern Virginia President
Jason McDonough
Jason McDonough, senior vice president and director of commercial real estate lending for John Marshall Bank, was recently elected the 2020 president of HomeAid Northern Virginia, following five years of service on HomeAid’s Board of Directors. Previously, McDonough served as vice president and secretary on HomeAid’s Executive Board.
McDonough was first introduced to HomeAid in 2011, when he was working as a loan officer at Cardinal Bank specializing in homebuilder finance. His connection and engagement with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) led him to HomeAid, its official charity.
“I started managing the bank’s involvement with the trade association and, in turn, slowly got involved with HomeAid,” McDonough said. “I began regularly attending events, volunteering, and identifying opportunities for my company and my clients to get more involved.”
Through his continued involvement and support of the organization, McDonough was invited to officially join the Board in 2015, an honor he accepted as he recognized that “the board is comprised of an amazing roster of established industry professionals with years of experience and vast depth of knowledge in building. As a banker, I knew I could add value through fundraising and sales efforts as well as by introducing new builder partners to the organization from client relationships I had been cultivating over the years.”
McDonough has served on several event committees and was among the board members who co-founded the Annual Golf Tournament in 2015, which has grown every year and continually sells out well in advance of the event date. In 2019, he introduced two new builder partners to the organization to spearhead new shelter renovation projects.
“It is important for us to establish relationships with the next generation of homebuilders in this market,” he said. “They are the future Builder Captains for our shelters and the future leaders of the industry.”
As he enters his term as board president, McDonough commented, “I am so excited to lead the Board and partner with the HomeAid staff in 2020. We have an amazing roster of programs and events lined up to bring the industry together, spread awareness, and create opportunities to help those in our communities. 2020 is going to be a year for us to build up on the tremendous success of the organization by exploring new ideas, pursuing new avenues, and identifying new partners to support our mission of building new lives.”
Joining McDonough on the 2020 executive committee are Gary Chandler (K. Hovnanian Homes), immediate past president; John Buhl, Jr. (Buhl Electric), vice president/president-elect; Rick Cole (The Long Companies), treasurer; and Scott Canan (Toll Brothers), secretary.
Four new Board members will also be joining the team in 2020: Please help us welcome Smita Anand, KTGY Architecture + Planning; Curt Anderson, BPOM, LLC; Worth Jenkins, Dan Ryan Builders; and Lauren Kinard, First Excel Title, LLC.
Did You Know?
Source: Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS)
In Your Neighborhood
Make a New Year's Resolution to Give Back to Your Community
This year is shaping up to be another great ride with HomeAid Northern Virginia! After completing 13 renovation projects, including nine turnovers in 2019 for six different non-profits; donating more than $780,000 in in-kind labor, time, materials, and expertise; and investing more than $1.3 million into building projects across our region, we’re ready to do it all over again. In 2020, we already have 10 shelter care and shelter projects in the active pipeline, with three more pending. Two additional turnover projects are also planned – with more sure to come throughout the year. Work ranges from general updates and renovations to full-interior gutting and new builds. We’ll be working on single family homes, multi-unit buildings, and even the donation area of a thrift shop that serves similar populations as we do. And, we’re partnering with organizations who serve children, domestic violence survivors, veterans, adults with mental illness and disabilities, and other individuals and families who are struggling with poverty and are at risk of homelessness.
“The mix of partners with whom we’re planning projects this year offers a perfect insight into the myriad reasons behind homelessness,” said HomeAid Northern Virginia Executive Director and CEO Kristyn Burr. “Virtually every segment of the population is represented, of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Homelessness can happen to anyone, and I’m excited to work with both longtime and brand-new Builder Captains and trade partners this year. We have a wide range of projects lined up for our non-profit partners, and all will make an enormous impact. In addition to the projects, we will of course continue our efforts to create shared family memories, coordinate collection drives, raise much needed funds, and make the HomeAid family feel welcoming, as well as inspirational.”
Interested in getting involved in 2020 but not sure where to start? Contact us!
Did You Know?
One in three volunteers raises funds for non-profits (36%). Additional volunteer activities include: food donation and meal preparation (34.2%); transportation and labor support (23%); tutoring young people (23%); serving as a mentor (26.2%); and lending professional and management expertise (20.5%).
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
In Your Community
Don't Golf? No Problem.
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3rd Annual GolfAid Fundraising event to again offer networking-only option in 2020!
Thursday, March 5, 2020
3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
TopGolf Loudoun, Ashburn, VA
HomeAid Northern Virginia Executive Director and CEO Kristyn Burr welcomes 200+ golfers and networkers to the 2019 GolfAid event.
Registration for HomeAid Northern Virginia’s 3rd Annual GolfAid – a fundraising and business-building event to be held at TopGolf Loudoun on March 5, 2020 – is now open! This popular event – which last year brought more than 215 supporters to TopGolf and raised more than $60,000 – will fill fast, so be sure to register soon!
The event will be co-hosted by HomeAid Northern Virginia; Brian Davidson, Van Metre Homes; and John Buhl, Buhl Electric Co., who are working to build on the success of last year’s program. And, like last year, there will be two types of registrations: an all-inclusive golfer option of three hours of unlimited golf, networking with home builders and trade partners, great food, and an open bar – all in climate-controlled hitting bays – and one for networkers, which offers access to the great food, great drinks, and great company.
No matter your preference, all of the funds raised at the event will help support our mission of building new lives for Northern Virginia’s homeless: Help close funding gaps for renovation projects, support a family memory-making outing, or show a child what it means to feel safe and secure at night. Register today!
Did You Know?
Virginia ranks 3rd in the U.S. for number of hours volunteered per resident in the U.S., according to the annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report released by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The report revealed that more than 30 percent of Virginians volunteer, contributing more than $6 million in economic impact to the Commonwealth, based on the Independent Sector’s estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour.
Source: Virginia Service
Making It Count
Builders for Babies Drive Supports 18 Local Nonprofits
For the second consecutive year, many of HomeAid Northern Virginia board members donned Santa hats and traveled to 18 local non-profit partners on Monday, December 16, distributing 30,000 diapers and 30,000 baby wipes. All were collected through collection drives coordinated by 15 companies, as well as by individuals and at HomeAid and NVBIA events as part of HomeAid’s Annual “Builders for Babies” effort.
“Our board really enjoyed this experience last year,” said HomeAid Executive Director and CEO Kristyn Burr. “Our meetings are often so focused on projects and fundraising, and our board members don’t always have many opportunities to meet our non-profit partners and the clients they serve. Diapers are a huge expense for families – costing $70-$80 per month, per baby – and it can mean that struggling moms can’t change their babies’ diapers as often as they should, which can cause skin rashes and discomfort for our tiniest humans. This is such an important way to help and directly support those who need it most.”
Jason McDonough, board member since 2015 and now HomeAid’s 2020 board president, was particularly involved and enthusiastic about this year’s effort, spearheading two initiatives: The first, a diaper drive in the John Marshall Bank’s corporate office, resulted in over 4,000 diapers collected. The second was a special winter service project involving his son’s 9U travel baseball team (Cavalry Baseball based out of Loudoun County) consisting of 3rd and 4th grade boys, which he manages.
“Every year between our fall season and winter training,” McDonough explained, “we help those in our community through a special winter service project. This year, we partnered with HomeAid to help support the Builders for Babies diaper drive.”
Each of the 12 Cavalry players went out in their community and raised $150 and used those funds to purchase baby essential items, such as diapers, wipes, shampoo, diaper cream, bath towels, and gift cards for formula, for new mothers residing in local shelters. They brought their items to the Cavalry team party in December, where they loaded their collection into bins as a team. “This gave us an opportunity to talk about HomeAid’s mission and the importance of giving back and helping those in our community,” he said. ”It was a special experience – the boys really took pride in seeing the result of their efforts and having the chance to celebrate it together really helped them experience how great it feels to give.”
Thank you to our Board Members for delivering these much-needed diapers all over Northern Virginia – from Alexandria to Warrenton – and to the following companies and individuals for their donations and coordinating drives!
Patti Brownstein
Bowman Consulting
Buhl Electric Co., Inc.
Cavalry Baseball
christopher consultants
Custom Builders Council (NVBIA)
Intercoastal Mortgage
John Marshall Bank
K. Hovnanian Homes
Madison Homes
M&T Bank
Richmond American Homes
Thompson Greenspon
Toll Brothers
Van Metre Homes
Van Metre Base
WC Ralston Architects
Wetland Studies & Solutions
The following nonprofit partners – and the mothers and children they serve – were the grateful beneficiaries of this year’s Builders for Babies:
ACTS, Dumfries
Alive! House, Alexandria
Bethany House, Alexandria
Catholic Charities, Woodbridge
Cornerstones, Reston
FACETS, Fairfax
Fauquier Emergency Family Shelter, Warrenton
Good Shepherd Housing, Alexandria
Henry & William Evans Home for Children, Inc., Winchester
Katherine Hanley Family Shelter, Fairfax
LAWS, Leesburg
Loudoun Hunger Relief, Leesburg
New Hope Housing, Alexandria
NVFS – Multicultural Center, Falls Church
Patrick Henry Family Shelter, Falls Church
Second Story, Vienna
VOACHES, Leesburg
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM), Chantilly
Windy Hill Foundation, Ashburn
Supporter Spotlight
The Washington Post and HomeAid - A Continuing Partnership in 2020
Eric Martin
The Washington Post has played a leading role in our community for decades, keeping us informed and connecting us to the people and organizations that make the D.C. metropolitan area so vibrant and vital. The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) and, in turn, HomeAid Northern Virginia, have also long partnered with the Washington Post and benefited from its support and interest in our mission. Over the last several years, for example, the Washington Post has advanced our efforts to expand our network of Builder Captains through builder recruitment and appreciation events at Washington Nationals and Washington Capitals games each year. Most recently, Eric Martin, sales manager for the Washington Post, ably stepped into the shoes of our previous partner at the Post – Advertising Manager Howard Bomstein – and we have found in him the same kind of commitment, enthusiasm, and interest in helping advance our mission, increase our impact, and work to end homelessness. Read on to learn more about one of our newest partners.
Q: What has most surprised you in learning about HomeAid Northern Virginia’s mission and work to end homelessness in Northern Virginia?
A: I first learned about HomeAid through the Washington Post’s association and partnership with the NVBIA, and as I have gotten to know HomeAid, I’ve been surprised by the fervent support of the builder community. HomeAid has truly assembled a network of highly engaged business leaders in Northern Virginia, and I’m amazed at how generous they are with both their money and their time.
Q: The Post has been a long-time supporter; how has HomeAid’s mission fit with the Post’s philanthropic efforts?
A: Philanthropy has always been core to the identity of the Washington Post. It was extremely important to the Graham family, and it remains so under [current owner] Jeff Bezos.
Q: What do you love most about working for the Post and working with clients like HomeAid?
A: I am very lucky. I had the opportunity to work at the Washington Post from 2006-2012, while it was under the ownership of the Grahams. Don Graham truly cared about his employees and was as comfortable in the boardroom as he was shooting the breeze with interns in the Post cafeteria. I returned to the Post last year and it has been amazing to see the energy and focus Jeff has brought to the organization.
The Washington Post continues to experiment and find unique ways to connect our advertisers to our ever–growing audience and create unique value. It is a lot of fun to be a part of that. Our partnership with HomeAid is extremely important to the Washington Post, and one thing I have learned is that homelessness can affect anyone. The stories of those who have been helped by HomeAid are so inspiring, and it is amazing to be able to play a small part in supporting an organization that provides such an impact.
Announcements
2020 Impact Report Coming Soon
HomeAid Northern Virginia’s Annual Impact Report is in production now; be sure to check your mailbox in February to find out what we built in 2019, how many people we served, how many family memories we helped make, how much funding we raised, and how we helped our nonprofit partners focus their funding on programs and services instead of construction!
Rock the Red
Thanks to our longtime supporters and partners at The Washington Post, 18 homebuilders joined us on December 11 for a Builder Captain Appreciation & Recruitment Event at DC’s Capital One Arena, where we all enjoyed the Post’s corporate suite and rooted the Washington Caps to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins. It was a great night of camaraderie, education, and networking, in an informal and festive atmosphere. Thank you, Washington Post!
Call for Spring Interns!
HomeAid Northern Virginia is now accepting applications to fill two spring intern positions for our events and marketing departments. We are a small, dynamic non-profit, and working with HomeAid is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys a fast-paced work environment and who wants to make a difference in their community. Click here to apply.
Gary Chandler
Board Member Appreciation
At our December Board meeting, held at the Van Metre Homes offices, we were happy to present Gary Chandler with a token of gratitude for his hard work as our president throughout 2019. Thank you, Gary, for your continued dedication and commitment to HomeAid and our mission.
Left to right: Chip Helme, Jack Gallagher, Mike Sandkuhler, John Darvish, and Scott Canan
We also had the pleasure of presenting Chip Helme, Jack Gallagher, Mike Sandkuhler, John Darvish, and Scott Canan with our 2019 Perfect Attendance Award! This is the second year we’ve made a point of thanking the board members who are able to prioritize HomeAid and our monthly meetings. We understand the effort that goes into accommodating our meeting schedule, and we are grateful for our board’s enthusiastic participation.
Save the Date
NVBIA President’s Ball – Saturday, January 25, 2020, Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, McLean, VA
3rd Annual GolfAid Fundraiser for HomeAid Northern Virginia – Thursday, March 5, 2020, Top Golf Loudoun, VA – Registration now open!
NVBIA Meet the Builder – Thursday, March 19, 2020,Waterford Springfield (note new location), Springfield, VA
Housing Forum – Thursday, May 14, 2020, Reston Community Center, Reston, VA – This event is geared towards those who work in the field.
11th Annual Builders and Friends BBQ – Thursday, June 18, 2020, The Barn at One Loudoun, Ashburn, VA
6th Annual Golf Tournament – Friday, September 18, 2020, Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club, Leesbury, VA
19th Annual Gala & Auction – Saturday, November 14, 2020, Lansdowne Resort & Spa, Leesburg, VA
In this newsletter:
Executive Director & CEO Corner
Jason McDonough Elected 2020 HomeAid Northern Virginia President
Make a New Year’s Resolution to Give Back to Your Community
Don’t Golf? No Problem
Builders for Babies Drive Supports 18 Local Nonprofits
The Washington Post and HomeAid – A Continuing Partnership in 2020