News and Events Links

Awards
Wesley Housing's Work Honored

 
Wesley Housing wins award, best project 2007, HAND
 
 

HAND Names Housing Achievement Award
for Wesley Housing’s Late Founder

At its annual meeting on June 7, the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) paid tribute to Wesley Housing’s late founder by renaming their top award for corporations in her honor.

Hamel Builders, Inc., the first recipient of the Virginia Peters Nonprofit Friend of the Year Award, presented Wesley Housing’s President Al Smuzynski with a $1,000 check. This generous gift allowed children at Whitefield Commons Community Resource Center (Ballston/Arlington) to enjoy camp this past summer.

HAND President and Founder John Spencer recalled how Virginia Peters was

HAND President John Spencer, Phil Gibbs of Hamel Builders, and Al Smuzynski at the HAND Annual Meeting.
instrumental in moving HAND from an idea into a reality. The award’s new name captures the spirit in which Virginia Peters worked for over a quarter of a century to balance the region’s housing landscape and put quality, affordable housing within reach for families who would otherwise face homelessness.

A crowd of over 500 supporters of community development gathered at the Fairview Park Marriott for HAND’s annual meeting and housing expo. Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine gave an inspiring keynote about being creative and forging strategic partnerships to increase much-needed affordable housing in the DC area.