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 Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, 2025-2027 

In 2024, GCAAR’s Board of Directors voted to continue the partnership we established with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland (HFHMM) in 2022.  

 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 our latest three-year partnership, GCAAR sponsors 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 also have the opportunity to participate in Build Days and volunteer at the Habitat ReStore to further give back to this important initiative.

Partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, 2024-2026

Our partnership with Junior Achievement was designed to support financial literacy education to approximately 12,000 Montgomery County seventh graders. Junior Achievement’s Finance Park® program is an innovation in experiential education designed to prepare middle school students for life and work in the real world. From goal setting to saving, budgeting, shopping and bill paying, students experience what it takes to successfully navigate today’s complex economy. In addition to financial support, some of GCAAR’s REALTOR® members will also be trained to serve as volunteer youth mentors. 

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.

Read about one special homeowner in D.C. that was helped by Yachad in 2023, thanks to support from GCAAR: Bernedette Cowan Wilson's story