UpdateSpring 2011

The Asfaw family* was terminated

from their Medicaid health insurance in

2008 because Mr. and Mrs. Asfaw made

just over the maximum required income

level to qualify. When their ten year old

son, Marcus, fell during a soccer game and

hurt his leg, the family didn’t know what to

do. They couldn’t afford to pay for a doctor

out of pocket, and they didn’t have health

insurance. Luckily, they found out about

Community of Hope’s health clinic.

Community of Hope provides health

services to our patients regardless of their

ability to pay. The Asfaw family was put on

a sliding fee scale which charges patients a

small co-pay based on their fi nancial

situation. Marcus told the doctor that his

knee hurt.

Marcus was referred to

Washington Radiology Associates (WRA)

for x-rays. Because of Community of

Hope’s special relationship with WRA,

Marcus was able to receive x-rays without

any hassle and with a short wait time even

without insurance. When it was determined

that Marcus needed to see a specialist,

Community of Hope’s Enrollment

Specialist, Lisa Branham, sat down with

Mrs. Asfaw to reassess her family’s

fi nancial situation. Lisa discovered that

with recent changes in Medicaid policy as a

result of healthcare reform, the Asfaw

family would now qualify.

The process was long and complicated.

After the insurance offi ce received their

application, Lisa had to work hard to

encourage the site supervisor to move

forward quickly on this case. Mrs. Asfaw

was so worried about her son that she

called Community of Hope everyday to

check on the status of the application. Lisa

was able to successfully sign up the Asfaws

for health insurance, and Marcus saw a

specialist the following week.

The specialist told Mrs. Asfaw that if

they had waited any longer to get Marcus

in, his hip could have been permanently

damaged. He may not have been able to

walk again! He was sent directly to the

hospital the same day and went through

surgery the following morning.

We are so happy to report that Marcus

is now well on his way to recovery. With a

little bit of help from Community of Hope,

Marcus was able to get the medical care

he needed. Today Marcus is back to doing

what he loves best: playing soccer.

and I drove her straight to the

emergency room. Fortunately, it was

not broken, and she is now recovered.

We didn’t hesitate to go to the

emergency room for this and other

sports injuries because we knew that

our health insurance would cover

the cost of any care she might need.

For people without health insurance,

though, a sports injury – or any major

illness – is a disaster. Community of

Hope’s mission is to support those in

need in times of crisis and despair. But

we cannot do it alone; it takes many

hands to mend the holes in a

fragmented safety net in the District.

Our long time supporters play a

critical role in sustaining our programs.

You can read more about some of these

supporters in this newsletter. These and

other benefactors provide unrestricted

funds that fi ll funding gaps and cover

necessary client and staff expenses. In

addition, our volunteers provide help

with everything from design projects

to painting the walls. Your generosity is

essential to the services we provide and

allows us to fi ll in gaps for people when

they are in need. Thank you for being a

vital partner in our mission!

The story of Marcus Asfaw (“A

Little Help Goes a Long Way”)

reminds me of just how lucky my

family is. Just last week, my

youngest daughter got kicked in the

ankle at the end of a soccer game late

on a Friday night. We were worried

the ankle was broken, so my husband

A Little Help Goes A Long Wayby Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate

In A Time of Uncertainty, Our Supporters Go the Extra Mileby Kelly Sweeney McShane, Executive Director

Photo: Mike Morgan Photography

Suppo r t i ng Fami l i e s w i t h Hea l t h ca re , Hous ing & Educa t i on

IN THIS ISSUE:Funder Spotlight: Gallup, p.2

Students Make Magic, p.2

Take A Virtual Journey, p.3

2010 By the Numbers, p.3

1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 805Washington, DC 20036Phone: 202.407.7747Fax: 202.232.1014

#8389 #38754

Non Profit Organization

POSTAGE PAIDPermit No. 115

Dulles, VA

*Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the identity of the patients.

WISH LISTWe want to serve our families with dignity and respect by providing items in good to excellent condition for which there is a need. Before

donating items, please contact Julia Kernan-Schloss at (202) 232-7356 or jkernan-schloss@cohdc.org.

Sheets & Blankets/Comforters � twin & full

Shower Curtains

Plastic Storage Bins � medium & large with lids

Garment Racks or Armoires � with poles for

hanging clothing

Lamps � table or standing/pole lamps

Furniture � dressers, sofas, loveseats & bed

frames (metal frames preferred)

Dishes � cups, plates, silverware (sets preferred)

Pots & Pans

Vacuum Cleaners (must be in good working

condition)

Laundry Baskets/Hampers

Towels & Washcloths

Grocery Store Gift Cards

Microwaves

FIND US ONLINE:www.communityofhopedc.orgFacebook � www.facebook.com/communityofhopedcTwitter � www.twitter.com/cohdc

have been better! These items came just

in time as the children were gearing up

to return to school.

In addition, Gallup made a

generous donation to Community of

Hope’s family strengthening program.

With this support, Community of Hope

has been able to provide direct

assistance to children and families in

our housing programs which helps them

to obtain a GED, attend educational

classes, and access various services.

We could not keep the doors open

without our supporters. We are grateful

to Gallup and our other supporters who

understand that children do better when

their families and their communities are

strong. Thank you, Gallup!

Funder Spotlight: Gallup, Making the Difference in ChildrenÊs Livesby Canute A. Knott-Malcolm, MPH, Grant Writer

Community of Hope is dedicated to

improving the lives of children in our

housing programs, and we realize it

takes a village to do so. Fortunately,

employees at civic-minded companies

like Gallup are equally committed to

making a positive difference in the lives

of children.

Each year, volunteers from

organizations such as Gallup dedicate

their time, energy, and efforts to serve

Community of Hope’s clients. Last

summer, Gallup’s employees distributed

over 90 backpacks, pens, pencils,

notebooks, and art supplies to the

children at Girard Street Apartments,

Community of Hope’s transitional

OUR MISSION

Community of Hope works to improve the

health and quality of life of low-income,

homeless, and underserved families and

individuals in the District of Columbia

by providing healthcare, housing with

supportive services, educational

opportunities, and spiritual support.

Caty Poulin, Chair

Robert Chambers, Vice Chair

Allegra Hall, Secretary

Kenneth Balch, Treasurer

Rose E. Alford

Tonya Dixon

Fido Ebba

Juli Anne Harkins

Ana Villamil Kelly

Chris Kerns

Folasade Moonsammy-Gray

Cornelius Steele

Kelly Sweeney McShane, Executive Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 805Washington, DC 20036Phone: 202.407.7747Fax: 202.232.1014

2010 By the Numbers

Take A Virtual Journey Through Our Girard Street Apartments

Ever wondered what a

homeless shelter looks like?

Community of Hope’s

transitional shelters look just like

other apartment buildings in DC

with kitchens, living rooms,

bathrooms, and bedrooms. To see

a more in depth look of one of our

Girard Street apartments, visit our

website at

www.communityofhopedc.org.

We will take you on a photo

journey of Renee Johnson’s unit.

From left to right: Renee Johnson, Community of Hope client and her case manager, Denise Negron-Bennett.

HOUSING

“A little Consideration, a little Thought for others, makes all the difference” - Winnie the Pooh

From left to right: Community of Hope Resident Monitor Wilbur Fairley, Gallup employee Kevin McConville, and Community of Hope Girard Street Program Manager Ruth Schickel presenting the school bags donated by Gallup.

Volunteer Spotlight: Students Make Magicby Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate

Chandra, National Cathedral School student and Community of

Hope volunteer

HEALTHCARE

The National Cathedral School (NCS), an

all girls’ school grades 4 through 12, is located

on the grounds of the Washington National

Cathedral. The Upper School students are

required to complete community service

hours in order to graduate, although students

at all grade levels are encouraged to

participate in community service. The girls at

NCS have fully embraced this idea! Indeed,

year after year volunteers from NCS help

Community of Hope clients and staff in a

variety of ways.

In June 2010, a group of NCS volunteers

put together motivational packets for the

children at our Girard Street Apartments,

congratulating them on their successful

school years. The NCS girls brought

construction paper, stickers, markers, and

enthusiasm to the project. The children at

Girard Street loved the letters and were even

more motivated to do well in school for the

w We served a total of 279 families through our housing programs in 2010.

w Girard Street Apartments served 49 households. 33 households exited Girard Street Apartments, and 100% of these went to

positive permanent housing situations. The average length of stay during 2010 was 9 months.

w Hope Apartments served 19 households. 9 households exited Hope Apartments in 2010, and 68% remained sober for at least

6 months. The average length of stay was 13 months.

w Our Home Now Permanent Supportive Housing Program served 113 families, and 100% of these households have remained

intact. Only 1 of the 113 families served has returned to homelessness. That’s a 99% success rate in ending homelessness for

these families, all of whom had been chronically homeless.

w Community of Hope launched our Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). Between March and

December 2010, we helped 108 families. Of these 108, we helped 52 families leave shelter to move into permanent housing,

and we helped prevent 56 families from becoming homeless.

w During 2010, the Housing Specialist prevented 31 households from being evicted.

w In 2010 Health Services provided 13,276 visits to 3,667 patients. This consists of 8,211 medical visits to 2,843 patients, 3,102

dental visits to 1,052 patients, and 1,130 behavioral health visits to 205 patients.

w eClinicalWorks, our electronic medical records system, was launched at our Adams Morgan health clinic on

Monday, July 26, 2010.

w 22 % of our patients are uninsured. 95% earn at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. Most of our patients (96%) are

members of a racial or ethnic minority group, and 28% are best served in a language other than English (i.e. are English

Language Learners or have Limited English Profi ciency). Almost 20% of our patients were 18 years old and under.

next year.

From canned food drives and bake sales

to outings with the children at Girard Street,

NCS volunteers have really made a difference

in the lives of Community of Hope’s clients.

Chandra, an 11th grader at NCS, started

Making A Greater Impact in the Community

(MAGIC), a community service club, at the

beginning of this school year to encourage

her classmates to get more involved. The

members of MAGIC come out to Girard

Street monthly to play board games, decorate

cookies, and take the kids to the park.

Chandra has been volunteering for many

years and hopes to spend the rest of her life

giving back to the community.

Chandra is just one of the many NCS

students who have volunteered their time

at Community of Hope. We are grateful for

their hard work and hope that others can take

inspiration from their example.

shelter in Columbia Heights that serves

homeless families with children.

Needless to say, the children were

extremely excited, and the timing couldn’t

have been better! These items came just

in time as the children were gearing up

to return to school.

In addition, Gallup made a

generous donation to Community of

Hope’s family strengthening program.

With this support, Community of Hope

has been able to provide direct

assistance to children and families in

our housing programs which helps them

to obtain a GED, attend educational

classes, and access various services.

We could not keep the doors open

without our supporters. We are grateful

to Gallup and our other supporters who

understand that children do better when

their families and their communities are

strong. Thank you, Gallup!

Funder Spotlight: Gallup, Making the Difference in ChildrenÊs Livesby Canute A. Knott-Malcolm, MPH, Grant Writer

Community of Hope is dedicated to

improving the lives of children in our

housing programs, and we realize it

takes a village to do so. Fortunately,

employees at civic-minded companies

like Gallup are equally committed to

making a positive difference in the lives

of children.

Each year, volunteers from

organizations such as Gallup dedicate

their time, energy, and efforts to serve

Community of Hope’s clients. Last

summer, Gallup’s employees distributed

over 90 backpacks, pens, pencils,

notebooks, and art supplies to the

children at Girard Street Apartments,

Community of Hope’s transitional

OUR MISSION

Community of Hope works to improve the

health and quality of life of low-income,

homeless, and underserved families and

individuals in the District of Columbia

by providing healthcare, housing with

supportive services, educational

opportunities, and spiritual support.

Caty Poulin, Chair

Robert Chambers, Vice Chair

Allegra Hall, Secretary

Kenneth Balch, Treasurer

Rose E. Alford

Tonya Dixon

Fido Ebba

Juli Anne Harkins

Ana Villamil Kelly

Chris Kerns

Folasade Moonsammy-Gray

Cornelius Steele

Kelly Sweeney McShane, Executive Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 805Washington, DC 20036Phone: 202.407.7747Fax: 202.232.1014

2010 By the Numbers

Take A Virtual Journey Through Our Girard Street Apartments

Ever wondered what a

homeless shelter looks like?

Community of Hope’s

transitional shelters look just like

other apartment buildings in DC

with kitchens, living rooms,

bathrooms, and bedrooms. To see

a more in depth look of one of our

Girard Street apartments, visit our

website at

www.communityofhopedc.org.

We will take you on a photo

journey of Renee Johnson’s unit.

From left to right: Renee Johnson, Community of Hope client and her case manager, Denise Negron-Bennett.

HOUSING

“A little Consideration, a little Thought for others, makes all the difference” - Winnie the Pooh

From left to right: Community of Hope Resident Monitor Wilbur Fairley, Gallup employee Kevin McConville, and Community of Hope Girard Street Program Manager Ruth Schickel presenting the school bags donated by Gallup.

Volunteer Spotlight: Students Make Magicby Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate

Chandra, National Cathedral School student and Community of

Hope volunteer

HEALTHCARE

The National Cathedral School (NCS), an

all girls’ school grades 4 through 12, is located

on the grounds of the Washington National

Cathedral. The Upper School students are

required to complete community service

hours in order to graduate, although students

at all grade levels are encouraged to

participate in community service. The girls at

NCS have fully embraced this idea! Indeed,

year after year volunteers from NCS help

Community of Hope clients and staff in a

variety of ways.

In June 2010, a group of NCS volunteers

put together motivational packets for the

children at our Girard Street Apartments,

congratulating them on their successful

school years. The NCS girls brought

construction paper, stickers, markers, and

enthusiasm to the project. The children at

Girard Street loved the letters and were even

more motivated to do well in school for the

w We served a total of 279 families through our housing programs in 2010.

w Girard Street Apartments served 49 households. 33 households exited Girard Street Apartments, and 100% of these went to

positive permanent housing situations. The average length of stay during 2010 was 9 months.

w Hope Apartments served 19 households. 9 households exited Hope Apartments in 2010, and 68% remained sober for at least

6 months. The average length of stay was 13 months.

w Our Home Now Permanent Supportive Housing Program served 113 families, and 100% of these households have remained

intact. Only 1 of the 113 families served has returned to homelessness. That’s a 99% success rate in ending homelessness for

these families, all of whom had been chronically homeless.

w Community of Hope launched our Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). Between March and

December 2010, we helped 108 families. Of these 108, we helped 52 families leave shelter to move into permanent housing,

and we helped prevent 56 families from becoming homeless.

w During 2010, the Housing Specialist prevented 31 households from being evicted.

w In 2010 Health Services provided 13,276 visits to 3,667 patients. This consists of 8,211 medical visits to 2,843 patients, 3,102

dental visits to 1,052 patients, and 1,130 behavioral health visits to 205 patients.

w eClinicalWorks, our electronic medical records system, was launched at our Adams Morgan health clinic on

Monday, July 26, 2010.

w 22 % of our patients are uninsured. 95% earn at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. Most of our patients (96%) are

members of a racial or ethnic minority group, and 28% are best served in a language other than English (i.e. are English

Language Learners or have Limited English Profi ciency). Almost 20% of our patients were 18 years old and under.

next year.

From canned food drives and bake sales

to outings with the children at Girard Street,

NCS volunteers have really made a difference

in the lives of Community of Hope’s clients.

Chandra, an 11th grader at NCS, started

Making A Greater Impact in the Community

(MAGIC), a community service club, at the

beginning of this school year to encourage

her classmates to get more involved. The

members of MAGIC come out to Girard

Street monthly to play board games, decorate

cookies, and take the kids to the park.

Chandra has been volunteering for many

years and hopes to spend the rest of her life

giving back to the community.

Chandra is just one of the many NCS

students who have volunteered their time

at Community of Hope. We are grateful for

their hard work and hope that others can take

inspiration from their example.

shelter in Columbia Heights that serves

homeless families with children.

Needless to say, the children were

extremely excited, and the timing couldn’t

UpdateSpring 2011

The Asfaw family* was terminated

from their Medicaid health insurance in

2008 because Mr. and Mrs. Asfaw made

just over the maximum required income

level to qualify. When their ten year old

son, Marcus, fell during a soccer game and

hurt his leg, the family didn’t know what to

do. They couldn’t afford to pay for a doctor

out of pocket, and they didn’t have health

insurance. Luckily, they found out about

Community of Hope’s health clinic.

Community of Hope provides health

services to our patients regardless of their

ability to pay. The Asfaw family was put on

a sliding fee scale which charges patients a

small co-pay based on their fi nancial

situation. Marcus told the doctor that his

knee hurt.

Marcus was referred to

Washington Radiology Associates (WRA)

for x-rays. Because of Community of

Hope’s special relationship with WRA,

Marcus was able to receive x-rays without

any hassle and with a short wait time even

without insurance. When it was determined

that Marcus needed to see a specialist,

Community of Hope’s Enrollment

Specialist, Lisa Branham, sat down with

Mrs. Asfaw to reassess her family’s

fi nancial situation. Lisa discovered that

with recent changes in Medicaid policy as a

result of healthcare reform, the Asfaw

family would now qualify.

The process was long and complicated.

After the insurance offi ce received their

application, Lisa had to work hard to

encourage the site supervisor to move

forward quickly on this case. Mrs. Asfaw

was so worried about her son that she

called Community of Hope everyday to

check on the status of the application. Lisa

was able to successfully sign up the Asfaws

for health insurance, and Marcus saw a

specialist the following week.

The specialist told Mrs. Asfaw that if

they had waited any longer to get Marcus

in, his hip could have been permanently

damaged. He may not have been able to

walk again! He was sent directly to the

hospital the same day and went through

surgery the following morning.

We are so happy to report that Marcus

is now well on his way to recovery. With a

little bit of help from Community of Hope,

Marcus was able to get the medical care

he needed. Today Marcus is back to doing

what he loves best: playing soccer.

and I drove her straight to the

emergency room. Fortunately, it was

not broken, and she is now recovered.

We didn’t hesitate to go to the

emergency room for this and other

sports injuries because we knew that

our health insurance would cover

the cost of any care she might need.

For people without health insurance,

though, a sports injury – or any major

illness – is a disaster. Community of

Hope’s mission is to support those in

need in times of crisis and despair. But

we cannot do it alone; it takes many

hands to mend the holes in a

fragmented safety net in the District.

Our long time supporters play a

critical role in sustaining our programs.

You can read more about some of these

supporters in this newsletter. These and

other benefactors provide unrestricted

funds that fi ll funding gaps and cover

necessary client and staff expenses. In

addition, our volunteers provide help

with everything from design projects

to painting the walls. Your generosity is

essential to the services we provide and

allows us to fi ll in gaps for people when

they are in need. Thank you for being a

vital partner in our mission!

The story of Marcus Asfaw (“A

Little Help Goes a Long Way”)

reminds me of just how lucky my

family is. Just last week, my

youngest daughter got kicked in the

ankle at the end of a soccer game late

on a Friday night. We were worried

the ankle was broken, so my husband

A Little Help Goes A Long Wayby Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate

In A Time of Uncertainty, Our Supporters Go the Extra Mileby Kelly Sweeney McShane, Executive Director

Photo: Mike Morgan Photography

Suppo r t i ng Fami l i e s w i t h Hea l t h ca re , Hous ing & Educa t i on

IN THIS ISSUE:Funder Spotlight: Gallup, p.2

Students Make Magic, p.2

Take A Virtual Journey, p.3

2010 By the Numbers, p.3

1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 805Washington, DC 20036Phone: 202.407.7747Fax: 202.232.1014

#8389 #38754

Non Profit Organization

POSTAGE PAIDPermit No. 115

Dulles, VA

*Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the identity of the patients.

WISH LISTWe want to serve our families with dignity and respect by providing items in good to excellent condition for which there is a need. Before

donating items, please contact Julia Kernan-Schloss at (202) 232-7356 or jkernan-schloss@cohdc.org.

Sheets & Blankets/Comforters � twin & full

Shower Curtains

Plastic Storage Bins � medium & large with lids

Garment Racks or Armoires � with poles for

hanging clothing

Lamps � table or standing/pole lamps

Furniture � dressers, sofas, loveseats & bed

frames (metal frames preferred)

Dishes � cups, plates, silverware (sets preferred)

Pots & Pans

Vacuum Cleaners (must be in good working

condition)

Laundry Baskets/Hampers

Towels & Washcloths

Grocery Store Gift Cards

Microwaves

FIND US ONLINE:www.communityofhopedc.orgFacebook � www.facebook.com/communityofhopedcTwitter � www.twitter.com/cohdc