Willow Grove Community Development Corporation

OUR MISSION IS HELPING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS SUBSIDIZED RENTAL HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS; AND SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SUPPORTIVE RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAMS - WE PROVIDE 58 AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING UNITS AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO QUALIFY AS LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. RENTS ARE WELL BELOW MARKET RATES, AND ARE SUBSIDIZED TO ENSURE THAT RENTERS PAY NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME FOR HOUSING COSTS. SUPPORT TEAM HOME VISITS ARE MADE 3 TIMES A YEAR, SUPPLEMENTED BY COUNSELING, CLASSES, AND SOCIAL SERVICES AT THE OFFICE. RENTERS INCLUDE ELDERLY PERSONS, DISABLED PERSONS, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, AND MILITARY VETERANS. APPROXIMATELY 17% OF RENTS ARE SUBSIDIZED BY HUD VOUCHERS, AND 83% ARE SUBSIDIZED BY WILLOW GROVE CDC. DURING 2022 (15) VOLUNTEERS SERVED ON SUPPORT TEAMS. HOUSING COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO ABOUT 1200 PERSONS ANNUALLY. FOR 2023-2025, WGCDC HAS BEEN AWARDED FUNDING FROM UPPER MORELAND TOWNSHIP AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING (6) ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS TO ADDRESS THE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN EASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY. THE FUNDING IS ALSO ALLOTTED TO ASSIST (5) NEW FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS IN THIS VERY CHALLENGING AND EXPENSIVE HOUSING MARKET. WGCDC LOOKS FORWARD TO ACCOMPLISHING THESE AMBITIOUS GOALS ON BEHALF OF THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS WE SERVE.

SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAMS - WE OFFER (2) NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR VERY LOW- INCOME PERSONS OVER AGE 60 SERVING ABOUT 250 PERSONS IN 2022. BOTH PROGRAMS PROVIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION AND ADDITIONAL SERVICES. WE DISTRIBUTE NEARLY 6 TONS OF FOOD ANNUALLY THROUGH THE SENIOR FOOD BOX PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS MONTHLY USDA FOOD BOXES AND CHEESE. THE FOOD IS SUPPLEMENTED BY ADDITIONAL DONATED FOOD, GOODS, AND SOCIAL SERVICES. WE ALSO DISTRIBUTE FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION VOUCHERS, WHICH PROVIDE FRESH PRODUCE FOR QUALIFIED SENIORS. WE ARE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF MONTCO ANTI-HUNGER NETWORK.

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM - WE OFFER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE AND E-FILING FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOME UNDER 60,000. VOLUNTEERS TRAIN THROUGH IRS TO SERVE AS GREETERS, INTAKE INTERVIEWERS, TAX PREPARERS, QUALITY REVIEWERS, AND SITE COORDINATORS. DURING 2020, 351 TAX RETURNS WERE PREPARED BY 10 CERTIFIED VOLUNTEERS. THE OFFICE ALSO OFFERS FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND ASSET-BUILDING ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CLASSES FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION, CREDIT, MORTGAGES, AND HOME BUYER EDUCATION. WE ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY PARTNERS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY HOUSING FAIR GEARED TOWARD FIRST-TIME BUYERS. THE 2021-2022 TAX YEAR THE NUMBER OF TAX RETURNS COMPLETED EXCEEDED 500.