GCAAR's charitable partnerships

GCAAR Cares supports pathways to homeownership by promoting financial literacy and stability, fostering homeownership opportunities, and advancing housing security in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, MD.

This work will, when possible, be done through a lens of racial justice and focus on traditionally underserved communities. We will leverage the talents, knowledge, and funds of GCAAR and our members.

Each year, GCAAR identifies a strategic charitable partner for a three-year engagement based on the above mission statement and criteria. Below are our current charitable partners.

Partnership with Capital Area Asset Builders, 2021-2023

Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) works to ensure local individuals from traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities have access to education, resources and tools to make homeownership a reality. Our partnership has already produced money management webinars that reached more than 425 individuals who may not have thought owning a home was possible.

Take a look at how some aspiring homeowners in our community are benefiting from this program:

• Once homeless, now on the path to homeownership: Ronald Armstrong’s story
• CAAB and GCAAR continue to help with homeownership journey: "This program has been a Godsend"
• Workshop participants put their best financial food forward: Sarah and Mario Aguila

GCAAR 2022 President Harrison Beacher with CAAB's Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz and Markia Smith

Partnership with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, 2022-2024

Our 2022 partnership with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland (HFHMM) will support homeowner education for the recipients of Habitat for Humanity homes, supporting pathways to housing and volunteer engagement of GCAAR members.

HFHMM's mission of building strength, stability, self-reliance and affordable housing dovetails with GCAAR's focus of fostering homeownership opportunities for everyone, especially in traditionally underserved communities. As part of the three-year partnership, GCAAR will sponsor HFHMM’s Homeowner Education programs, through which all participating families must complete at least 40 hours of homeowner training on budgeting, civic engagement, home maintenance and other topics. GCAAR members will also have the opportunity to participate in Build Days to further give back to this important initiative.

Read more about our partnership with HFHMM.

GCAAR volunteers from Build Day on April 28, 2022

Partnership with Yachad, 2023-2025

Our partnership with Yachad (Ya-hUd) focuses on wealth creation of families in lower-income communities of color by preserving housing where families currently reside. Yachad’s Healthy Housing Remediation Program preserves and makes safe existing housing while building new equity for single-family homeowners. GCAAR’s financial support will be matched by one of Yachad’s community partners to budget for repair and remediation services for an additional 20-25 homes – and our members will be invited to help as volunteers.