Alexandria Community – where 31% face food insecurity – will have access to nutritious and healthy food and community resources
Samuel Madden Homes is being redeveloped and redesigned by Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Fairstead, Mill Creek Residential and The Communities Group
ALEXANDRIA, Va., February 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — ALIVE!, the largest private safety net in Alexandria dedicated to fighting poverty and hunger, will build a new food and service center at the redeveloped Samuel Madden Homes.
In late 2021, the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority (ARHA) selected Fairstead, Mill Creek Residential and the Communities Group to work with the agency to redesign and redevelop the Samuel Madden public housing area to create new affordable mixed-income housing create , community resources and public space. The team was selected for their proven track record of producing quality, affordable housing, community engagement and vertically integrated expertise. Since the selection, the team has worked with ARHA, the City of AlexandriaResidents of the Samuel Madden Homes and community stakeholders to refine development plans and will receive their final reviews from the Planning Commission and Alexandria City Council this month.
“Food insecurity is increasing Alexandriaand the emergency benefits for low-income families introduced during the pandemic are about to expire,” he said Jenna AyersCEO of ALIVE! “Being a part of the new vision for the Samuel Madden Homes, ALIVE! help to increase our impact and reach even more families in need Alexandria. But our mission doesn’t end with food. Once we connect with a family, we work with them to understand their needs and provide the services they need to improve their lives. You can come into an ALIVE! Food Hub location for free groceries and vacations in conjunction with other support offerings such as education, human resources and health services.”
This food hub is badly needed Alexandria There, 31% of families face food insecurity, according to a 2022 survey by the Capital Area Food Bank. ALIVE! currently serves around 17,000 individuals and 4,500 households per month. The new location will be open to everyone Alexandria community and helps ALIVE! serve even more families and expand their impact. The organization sees the Food Hub as a channel to connect its customers and the community with additional services tailored to their needs – from financial and legal services to healthy cooking demonstrations.
“ALIVE! Having on-site at the newly remodeled Samuel Madden Homes will be a huge benefit to ARHA residents as many are already recipients of their important services.” ARHA General Manager Keith Pettigrew said. “The new food and service center from ALIVE! will be an exceptional addition not only to our location but to this area of the city in general. Its convenient location will allow them to reach more community members. We would like to thank everyone at ALIVE ! and our development partners for the coordination and planning required to make this a reality.”
“As we worked with our partners on the vision for the new Samuel Madden Homes, we knew we wanted to ground the plans to the needs of the community. Through the partnership with ALIVE! for a new neighborhood food center and Hopkins House for an early learning and childcare center, we are addressing the needs of the wider community while providing quality housing,” said Noah HaleDirector, Development, at Fairstead.
Fairstead, Mill Creek Residential, The Communities Group and the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority plan to create a community of 532 units of affordable, workable, marketable housing in Old Town that will also include 5,000 square feet of public open space, the LIVING! Food Hub, an early childhood learning and child care center operated by Hopkins House, and 13,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.
Last summer ALIVE! opened her first food center in the west end from Alexandria, which serves hundreds of families each month. The organization opens its second food hub in February. ALIVE! has long been a proponent of creating affordable housing, as access to food and shelter is vital to her work to create a community of holistic support and services.
Photos of the Samuel Madden Homes and ALIVE! you’ll find here.
About ALIVE!
Founded in 1969 as Alexandrians ecumenically engaged by 14 faith communities in response to increasing poverty, ALIVE! has grown to 49 member churches.
ALIVE for more than 50 years! has provided food, temporary housing, basic furniture and household goods, and emergency financial assistance to help families in crisis pay medical bills and utilities, and ultimately avoid eviction. To learn more, visit www.alive-inc.org.
About Fairstead
Fairstead is a purpose-driven, vertically integrated real estate developer specializing in the creation of sustainable, quality housing. The company’s national presence spans more than $7.8 billion in assets and identified pipeline. With offices inside new York, Maryland, South Carolina, Coloradoand Florida, the Fairstead team manages more than 170 communities nationwide and operates its comprehensive real estate platform, which includes acquisitions and development, venture capital investments in proptech, design and construction, energy and sustainability, property management, marketing and leasing. The company also manages one of the most proactive community impact programs in the industry to provide on-site support services to residents. For more information visit www.fairstead.com.
media contacts
ALIVE!: [email protected]
ARHA: [email protected]
fairground: [email protected]
SOURCE Fairstead
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