By: Whitney Hicks, Development and Communications Associate
In February 2008, The Washington Post ran an article featuring two Community of Hope residents, twins Marcus and Marquise Adams. A year and a half later, we caught up with the twins and their family in their new home in Southeast DC.
The twins, along with their mom and three older brothers, now live in a four-bedroom apartment and are part of Community of Hope’s Home Now Permanent Housing Program. The Home Now program provides the Adams and families like them with case management and other supportive services within their own homes.
Ms. Adams loves having her own apartment, where she and her family have been for a year. “It’s so much better,” she says. “Not that I wasn’t grateful being at Community of Hope because I did have a place to stay, but having your own house gives you a little more flexibility.”
Ms. Adams says that the landlord handles regular maintenance and even let the family keep their cat after talking with their Community of Hope Case Manager. And they find the neighborhood peaceful, quiet and safe.
The twins also love being in their own home and like their school, too. Currently sixth graders at DC’s Caesar Chavez Public Charter School, Marcus and Marquise are happy to talk about all their subjects and new teachers for this year. Marcus said, “I like science. I like math. I like the problem-solving. I like the writing teacher. She’s in the classroom in the morning and at lunch.”
Not everything’s a piece of cake because they’re in their own home. The twins take three buses ninety minutes each way to get to school. Yet, their mother encourages the commute; she doesn’t want the twins going to the neighborhood school. According to her, they receive a much better education and stay out of trouble at Caesar Chavez.
Ms. Adams says their biggest challenge today is “trying to stay financially stable and making ends meet.” Community of Hope is there to help ensure that the Adams family and others like them stay on their feet and in their homes.
