78 YEARS HEARTBEAT COMMUNITY

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2015 IN REVIEW In 2015, the Greater Washington Urban League (The League) continued to build on its legacy of over 78 years supporting the citizens and communities of the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County. The League serves the full spectrum of homeownership. In 2015, the League served 935 individuals through first-time home-buyer seminars and trainings. Of these, 578 were supported by the Home Purchase Assistance Program, and 214 of those (more than a third) went on to purchase homes. Through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the League aided 218 families facing crisis and potential eviction, providing a supportive buffer in dire times. Hundreds more received Tenant Based Rental Assistance, Short Term Rental Mortgage and Utility Assistance, and foreclosure counseling. With Pepco donations, the League was able to pay $72,000 in gas bills for 174 families (369 individuals). With contributions from DC Water the League reduced past due amounts by $116,641 for 351 families (1,010 individuals). All of these families would have been without critical, essential utilities without the support of the League and its partners. Of course, settling into or maintaining a residence is only one part of a full and vibrant life. The League helps people thrive professionally too. Adults seeking the challenges and rewards of owning their own businesses can participate in the Entrepreneurship Center Program to receive training, resources and a direct connection to capital through a network of partner banks. In its pilot year, the ECP served 117 unique clients with 160 one-on-one counseling sessions and 35 distinct group training sessions and events. Through our workforce development and employment programs, we assist individuals expanding their career options and / or gain meaningful employment. For example, to benefit the Silver Line Metro project, we recruited over 250 potential candidates and referred 171. In all these programs, the League invests in tomorrow by helping communities thrive today, and the surest investments are in our children. Through a myriad of dynamic programs with partner organizations, the League provides opportunities and hope for youth. The League’s partnership with the Comcast Cares program provided an array of educational and experiential learning opportunities for 41 students, and a partnership with State Farm allowed 25 students and their families to learn about STEM programs and other educational opportunities. Nine students received the League scholarships and summer internships, totaling over $29,500, and all recipients were given Southwest Airlines travel vouchers to assist with their travel. Our partnership with the Washington Nationals resulted in 22 youth participating in a Nationals Baseball Clinic, and the combined efforts of the 2015 toy drive resulted in more than 1,500 toys, games, and books collected and distributed to families and children in need. Finally, two deserving youth (and one chaperone) were able to attend the National Urban League Youth Summit for education and leadership experiences with 500 other youth from around the country. We are proud of these numbers and prouder for the quality of life that has been improved from this work. From toy drives to scholarships, and housing support that spans the full spectrum of first time home-buying assistance to emergency rental assistance (and the utilities in between), our programs reach thousands of individuals working to turn houses into homes and bringing lives and communities to life. 4
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT At the Greater Washington Urban League, we are committed to challenging existing paradigms around issues such as affordable housing, economic parity, homelessness and education. We are unwilling to believe that tough, stubborn problems are impossible to be mitigated, changed or eliminated. In all of our efforts, we invest in tomorrow by empowering our communities to thrive today. Through a myriad of dynamic programs with partner organizations, the League provides opportunities and hope with and for the communities we serve. All around us are challenges and opportunities that require our attention. At the end of the day, it’s about people, our neighbors, our children, and the responsibility we have to ensure that we offer a hand up to. Through our work with more than 65,000 clients, we’re building on our commitment to help create and maintain a more inclusive community where the most vulnerable living among us aren’t ignored, marginalized or silenced. We also understand the importance of providing our children and young people with the educational undergirding they need to compete in the 21st century. That’s why we’re mentoring young people, offering them guidance in safe spaces and exposing them to STEM and tech workshops, seminars and related activities, as well as preparing young people for college and providing qualified students with scholarships if they decide to pursue higher education. We also stand as a beacon for to those seeking to buy and live in their own home; a sounding board and guide for those dealing with foreclosure; and a strong advocate for affordable housing in neighborhoods across the Washington metropolitan area. Our programs reach thousands of individuals working to turn houses into homes and bringing lives and communities to life. The League’s impact is clear. It is reflected in the hundreds of school children who received book bags and school supplies at the beginning of the school year; it is the more than 800 calls a month staff receives seeking money to pay off rent up to five months in arrears; it is disabled residents who receive rental assistance, it is the thousands of families who own their own homes thanks to the League support; it’s the job created and the economic empowerment of the entrpreneurs we have coached and more widely, employment training, work with returning citizens, parental education programs, health and fitness sessions, health screenings, and much, much more. While we report on our impressive impact numbers, we must always remember that there are real people behind the facts and figures. We have served with the residents of this community for decades, and we are committed to doing so for decades to come. MICHAEL AKIN CHAIRMAN - BOARD OF DIRECTORS, GREATER WASHINGTON URBAN LEAGUE 78 Years as the Heartbeat of the Community 5
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78 YEARS HEARTBEAT COMMUNITY

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