May 2016

COMMUNITY SERVICE NEWSLETTER

Making a Difference!

AHF CELEBRATES AMERICA’S PARKS AND OUTDOORS In an effort to place emphasis on the beauty of our planet, Atlantic Housing Foundation properties organized events for residents to get involved in the spirit for Earth Day 2016. Did you know that one acre of trees absorbs the carbon dioxide produced by driving a car 11,000 miles? Or that increased public

alongside young residents to teach them the importance of green thumbs in a community. Pictured below is a snapshot from Atlantic

access to places for physical activity leads to a

Housing Foundation property Waters at Bluff

quarter increase in people exercising 3 or more

Springs in Austin, TX. Even in metropolitan areas

days a week? These facts, produced by the

like Austin, Waters at Bluff Springs’ Resident

National Recreation and park Association, are

Coordinator Joann Gonzalez was able to work

just a few factors that make America’s parks

alongside young people in the community to get

essential to strengthening communities’ health

her hands dirty and build a community garden

and producing strong community ties.

that will be appreciated for years to come.

In observance of Earth Day, Atlantic

These small community gardens are

Housing Foundation established their charitable

microcosms of the vast national parks our

campaign for the month of April as Parks and

country has at every corner! First established

Recreation Month. Properties across the

solely as Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the

organization’s portfolio organized activities that

American National Parks system now consists

allowed residents and other members of their

of over 407 sites, covering more than 84 million

communities to appreciate the camaraderie and

acres of land. In 2014 alone, more than 290

beauty these public, open spaces have to offer.

million people visited America’s national parks,

Resident Coordinators at many properties

making these attractions an economic force in

took this as an opportunity to plant public

addition to the fantastic heath and beauty

gardens around the residential communities

qualities we benefit from every day.

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Waters at Bluff Springs Residents Coordinator Joann Gonzales and residents of Waters at Bluff Springs in Austin, TX plant a community Garden in observance of Earth Day.

Partnership Spotlight: Unity Fellowship Community Church Occasionally, partners of Atlantic Housing Foundation will stand-out as organizations or individuals that go above and beyond their call of service for communities in need. This month, we would like to recognize the Unity Fellowship Community Church in Orangeburg, South Carolina for answering the call for service at our property Roosevelt Gardens. Rev. Jerome Anderson, a graduate of Georgia Southern University and Duke University, is the founder and senior pastor of Unity Fellowship Community Church. He and his wife, minister Tina Anderson, are the parents of three children-- Angel, Auston, and Alyvia. In addition to his work at Unity Fellowship Community Church, Rev. Anderson is the Vice President of the Oranceburg Ministerial Alliance, the chairman of the Bootstraps Mentoring Foundation, and a member of the Orangeburg Alliance for Community Development, Orangeburg Interfaith Alliance and the Orangeburg Community Scholarship Alliance. Just this year alone, UFCC has organized several activities for families in Roosevelt

Day dinner for women, toy drives for kids during the holiday season, and Thanksgiving dinners for those in need. Roosevelt Gardens’ Property Manager,

BEARKAT MIXER

Carolyn Jackson, has seen the contributions of the Unity Fellowship Community Church firsthand. Carolyn says that the best way to describe the work of the UFCC is a quote by Albert Schweitzer saying, “There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.” She believes that Reverand Jerome Anderson and his wife Tina exhibit that level of human service day-to-day. Carolyn continued by saying, “We simply cannot fully express our level of gratitude to the UFCC for the work they do in our community. It truly is a blessing to our residents.” Carolyn concluded by expressing her excitement with continuing to develop and foster the Atlantic Housing Foundation’s partnership with the UFCC. The Unity Fellowship Community Church meets at 1852 Joe Jeffords Highway, Orangeburg, South Carolina 29115 regularly on Sundays and Wednesdays. Visitors are always welcome and fellowship is always encouraged.

Gardens, including men’s breakfasts, Valentine’s

Reverand Jerome Anderson and wife Tina of UFCC

Arbors of Sam Houston Bearkat Mixer/Crawfish Boil A celebration in the Huntsville, TX community, the Bearkat Mixer (hosted by the Arbors of Sam Houston) is a community building crawfish boil open to all. This year, over 1,000 members of the community attended this fun event just outside the campus of Sam Houston State University.

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MARCH FOR BABIES

March for Babies The AHF team walked the full 5 mile trek after raising funds and educational awareness for children born prematurely. Pictured left (left to right) Kendall Scudder, Amy Dodds, Jaisler Lazo, Chad Lawrence.

EARTH DAY

March of Dimes, organized by Heather Ridge Apartments and AHF After decades of increases, the rate of

Siting her own personal experience with

premature birth in the United States has now been

premature childbirth, Resident Coordinator Amy

on a steady decline for the last several years. This

Dodds of Heather Ridge Apartments spearheaded

decline – to 9.6 percent today – has saved

an Atlantic Housing Foundation March of Dimes

thousands of babies from being born too

team to help contribute to this cause.

soon. It also has saved our nation

“Having a daughter that is a March of

billions of dollars in excess health care costs. Despite this progress, about 380,000 babies are born prematurely each year. 

Dimes baby, I know the importance of

Dallas Area March of Dimes

programs like this and the impact that it can have on families across the country.” The team participation consisted of

In 2003, the March of Dimes

team fundraising at local Dallas/Fort

launched the Prematurity Campaign to

Worth properties followed by a 5 mile walk

address the crisis and help families have full-term,

around White Rock Lake with over 30,000

healthy babies. We’re funding lifesaving research

participants! “What a great opportunity to give

and speaking out for legislation that improves care

back to our community in such a fun, life changing

for moms and babies. Worldwide, 15 million

way,” Dodds continued.

babies are born prematurely each year.

Coming Soon:

LITERACY

SPOTLIGHT

Literacy Awareness Month During May, properties will hold events highlighting literacy.

Core Values Our next issue will begin our Core Value Series with Excellence

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Community Gardens Residents and employees at Arbors of Sam Houston, Arbors of Denton, and Arrowood Apartments organized unique community garden projects that engaged their respective communities on Earth Day about the importance of parks and wildlife and maintaining the beauty of our planet.

ATLANTIC HOUSING FOUNDATION

Part of the AHF Family

About our organization, Core Values Atlantic Housing Foundation was organized   in South Carolina in 1999 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Atlantic Housing's purpose is to: 1) Foster, support, acquire, construct, rehabilitate, and operate qualified affordable housing for low-income persons and families, elderly, and mentally or physically disabled persons where no adequate housing exists for such persons; 2) Provide, acquire, construct, rehabilitate, and/or operate student housing; and 3) Provide housing at schools and scholarships for qualifies students from lower income families to enable such individuals to find their way out of subsidized housing through educational opportunities.

About Us Atlantic Housing is a community housing

Core Values Throughout the growth and operation of our organization, Atlantic Housing Foundation remains mindful of the following core values: Excellence We deliver remarkable results and regularly exceed our own and those of our residents’ expectations. We will be at the top when measured against appropriate business standards of performance in every function, in every

long-term employment and

department, in every community.

professional advancement of all our associates.

Continuous Improvement

Our recruitment and retention effort will focus on

We will strive for constant improvement and innovation in all that we do. We question why we

those individuals who share our values. Integrity

do things and seek to improve current methods.

The highest ethical standards will guide

We will find ways to improve systems, tools and

everything we do. We interact with each other

development organization ("CHDO"), as

ways of working together. We will not become

and the communities we serve in a way that is

designated by the Texas and South Carolina Tax

complacent in our work. We will always seek

respectful, fully transparent and

Code. Atlantic Housing owns and operates an

new ideas and possibilities to further our

ethical.

existing affordable housing portfolio consisting

mission. We are open to taking risks — and

Teamwork

of approximately 7,600 apartment units in over

failing.

30 apartment communities in 22 cities and 3

Accountability

states.   Atlantic Housing's Board of Trustees and

We promote and support a diverse, yet unified, team. We work together to meet our

We accept our individual and team responsibilities and we meet our commitments.

common goals. Passion

staff support the charitable efforts of AHF

We take responsibility for our performance in all

through their extensive experience in

of our decisions and actions.

believe in Making a Difference. We strive to help

accounting, finance, real estate development,

Human Capital

and improve the communities where we work

law, property management, compliance and community services.

The development of our people is essential

improve their lives through education, service

provide training and education to encourage the

and community.

Editor:

Do you know of an AHF person, event, or

Kendall Scudder, Manager of Community Services

newsletter? If so, contact the editor of our newsletter to provide input on future

and live. We seek to assist our residents

to our growth and future success. We will

Provide Input program that you would like featured in our

As an organization, we aspire to and

Contact

editions. We would love to hear from you

P: (496) 206-8904

and showcase alternative viewpoints of our

F: (469) 206-8999

ongoing mission to Make a Difference!

E: [email protected]

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ATLANTIC HOUSING FOUNDATION 5910 N Central Expy., Ste 1310 Dallas, TX 75206