Invest in Success

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By donating to our organization, you are making it possible for low-income families in Frederick to improve their education, health, and career opportunities which allows them to actively contribute to our thriving community. Thank you for your commitment to the growth of Frederick!

By clicking the link below, you will be redirected to our PayPal donation page. You can donate as little or as much as you like.

Why Donate to HACF Family Services?

The Housing Authority of the City of Frederick’s Family Services Department empowers individuals and families in our community by providing comprehensive support services within the framework of affordable housing. We are dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency, fostering well-being, and creating opportunities for upward mobility, ensuring that every resident has the resources and tools needed to thrive and build a brighter future. We are an excellent organization to implement this program for several reasons:

Community Knowledge: As a major provider of low-income housing through Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers, we have strong institutional knowledge of the field, and we know the families we serve; where they are, how to reach them, and how to help them meet their needs and grow.
CORES Certification: As a CORES Certified organization, we have demonstrated a strong commitment, capacity, and competency in providing resident services coordination. This certification signifies our adherence to industry best practices and our dedication to delivering high-quality services.
Integrated Approach: We integrate multiple essential systems, including employment, education, finance, social support, and health. By addressing various aspects of residents’ lives, we provide a comprehensive approach that goes beyond housing access, ensuring connections are made and momentum is built towards prosperity.
Resident Empowerment: We recognize and support the agency of residents, giving them a voice and shared power in shaping the design, culture, and operations of their community. We prioritize resident well-being, equity, and greater resident-centered practices and processes.
Data-Informed Operations: We leverage data to make informed decisions, prioritize measurable impact on residents’ health and well-being, and continually improve our services.
Advocacy: We have a dedicated commitment to overall health advocacy including continuing education in generational trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and building trauma-informed processes throughout our organization. We have also built connections with individual schools and administrators, and developed knowledge of special education advocacy to help families partner with their schools.
Collaboration and Partnerships: We facilitate partnerships and collaborations centered around resident outcomes. We value accountable and collaborative partnerships, ensuring alignment of goals and outcomes with our partners to improve resident outcomes in a meaningful way.

By combining our community knowledge, administrative infrastructure, CORES Certification, integrated approach, resident empowerment, data-informed operations, advocacy, and collaborative partnerships, we are uniquely positioned to effectively meet the needs of the community and drive positive change. We know that we can’t control all the forces that affect low-income residents disproportionately, but we can, and we do, work within those confines every day to move people toward greater prosperity and children toward a better future, and we can do more of it with your support.

Success Stories

George and Tina (not actual names) fled the Congo in 2008 as refugees. They lived doubled up with relatives for several years in Frederick until they were able to obtain an apartment in Lucas Village with their young daughter. They both worked low-paying service industry jobs, she as a cashier at Popeye’s and he as a stocker at Giant Eagle. They both enrolled in Frederick Community College and worked hard over the next several years to obtain degrees, hers in accounting and his in engineering, while also working. They were both active participants in our Family Services programs (including Family Self Sufficiency) and both continued their studies toward their bachelor’s degrees. In 2016, she completed her bachelor’s degree in accounting, and in 2017 he completed his degree from UMD College Park in engineering. They were both able to secure jobs in their professional fields, improve their credit and savings and purchase a house in 2019. Through their participation in our Family Services programs and their regular and consistent connection with our case management, they moved to prosperity and self-sufficiency.

Leo (not actual name) grew up in Lucas Village (a Public Housing community) the son of non-English speaking immigrants. After high school, he participated in several business training programs and was able to obtain essential certifications and experience to succeed in the insurance industry. He and his wife participated in financial management workshops and saved to qualify for home ownership. Their young son was involved in play groups and early learning programs in Lucas Village, as well. They participated in the Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency program and were able to reach their credit, income, and savings goals. They purchased their home in December of 2022. Their regular and consistent connection with Family Services helped them on their journey to self-sufficiency.

Sarah (not her actual name) and her two young sons came to us from Advocates for Homeless Families. She was in early recovery and working to build a strong recovery program. She enrolled in Frederick Community College to get her Surgical Tech degree. She was healing from trauma and determined not to repeat the cycle for her own children. She participated in counseling and connected several times a week with her Family Services case manager.

Her children participated in our early learning programs. Family Services assisted her with school expenses, car repairs, gas cards and childcare expenses while she was in school and needing to get to and from her internships. Once she graduated and obtained a full-time surgical tech position, she also began improving her credit and savings. Within two years, she was able to qualify for a mortgage and was able to buy a home in 2018. Both the financial and case management support helped her on her road to homeownership.

Donors & Community Partners