Doing Right By Our Neighbors - From the CEO
Celebrating the opening of Lon’s House - County Executive Marc Elrich with IW CEO Courtney Hall
Dear Friend:
Two events this month embodied the vital work that Interfaith Works does every day. In the end, that work is centered on doing right by our neighbors.
Together with Interfaith Works and other providers, Montgomery County held its annual service to honor the memory of those who had experienced homelessness and passed away in the previous year.
Members of our staff and other providers shared heartfelt remembrances of people who have been helped by our programs. One such person was Tony:
“Tony always boasted that he was once known as the Mayor of Takoma Park, as he knew everyone when he walked down the street. He in many ways would later become the Mayor of Progress Place. Even after he was housed down the street and many days worked doing landscaping, he would come for his evening meal and be ready to banter with staff and other guests. Tony could both make great jokes and take them too, and even on his hard days, conversations almost always ended with his big smile.”
In addition to honoring the lives of people we have lost, this event (see story here) provides an important reminder that experiencing homelessness takes a heavy toll on health. Overall, the average life expectancy of people experiencing homelessness is 42 to 52 years old, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania.
In addition, the homeless population is trending older. National data indicate that people aged 50 and older now make up one-third of the population of people experiencing homelessness, and that percentage is expected to increase.
We must respond. That is why we are proud to launch IW Lon’s House, a supportive housing program for senior men with disabilities who previously experienced homelessness. Like our Becky’s House and Priscilla’s House programs, Lon’s House will provide eight men with a place of stability, safety, and community in a smaller, residential setting.
As we celebrated the opening of Lon’s House last week at a brief ceremony, I looked around at our staff and the many community partners attending who helped make this new program possible. I felt proud to be part of a compassionate community that works together to find and implement creative, responsive solutions that meet the needs of our neighbors.
As County Executive Marc Elrich noted in his remarks during the opening ceremony, the reality is that we probably need five or 10 more Lon’s Houses. Perhaps we will get there in time. But for today, we joyfully celebrate the opening of Lon’s House, where, as always, we will be doing right by our neighbors.
With gratitude,
Courtney Hall, CEO
IW’s Liz Krueger shares remembrances of neighbors who have passed away.