Community of Hope provides housing assistance for families throughout the District (photo: COH)

by Sam Brinton

Since Community of Hope (COH) opened in Columbia Heights in September 1980, the District has experienced many demographic and economic changes, but the nonprofit healthcare and housing organization has not wavered in its commitment to the people of DC. Now based in Ward 8, Community of Hope has expanded its reach, with housing and health centers in Wards 1, 5 and 8, drawing patients and families from across the city.

Community of Hope’s mission is to “improve health and end family homelessness to make Washington, D.C. more equitable.” COH provides access to affordable healthcare at health and resource centers across the city. After the closing of Providence Hospital labor and delivery unit and United Medical Center’s obstetrics unit in 2017, COH’s Family Health and Birth Center, located in Ward 5, became the only birth center serving expectant mothers in the eastern half of the District.

Community of Hope provides affordable access to healthcare for DC families (photo: COH)

The second prong in COH’s mission, to make DC more equitable, is their focus on ending family homelessness. COH offers services for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing, while also maintaining facilities for temporary housing and permanent supportive housing for families at-risk of homelessness. These facilities, including the Girard Street Apartments in Columbia Heights, provide families a safe and stable environment to access other resources and avoid entering the shelter system. The Triumph, which COH operates in Ward 8, is part of Mayor Bowser’s plan to replace DC General with seven smaller short-term family housing facilities in each Ward (except Ward 2).

Map of Community of Hope centers and the families served by their mission (image: COH)

Leah Garrett, COH’s Vice President of Development and Communication, spoke to Petworth News about COH’s commitment to continue to serve District families as demographics across the city have changed. Despite relocating their headquarters to Ward 8, COH has maintained health and housing programs in their original home of Ward 1. In Adams Morgan, the Marie Reed Health Center was recently renovated as part of the larger Marie Reed Learning Center renovations completed in 2018. As the surrounding neighborhoods have changed, COH has seen a growing number of residents travelling from Ward 4 to take advantage of the Center’s services. In Ward 5, COH announced earlier this year their plan to relocate and expand its Family Health and Birth Center.

As a housing and healthcare provider, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced COH to rethink their services and ability to provide care. They have seen a reduction in the number of families served, but have continued to provide healthcare and housing across their various centers. They are continuing to expand their telehealth and teledentistry services. As the closing of schools, libraries, and offices have impacted families’ access to the internet, COH has expanded the wireless internet capabilities of their centers to better accommodate families’ need for online DCPS access and other services. Additionally, COH anticipates a potential rise of families at-risk of experiencing homelessness when the eviction moratorium in DC expires.