ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - United Way Rallied an Entire Region to Build a Home and a Community Center
During the month of August, United Way of the National Capital Area was called upon to mobilize our community in support of a unique, positive opportunity. We rallied more than 3,300 volunteers to work around the clock for one week,and raised more than $160,000 in cash donations and in excess of $400,000 worth of in-kind donations to help rebuild a home in Hyattsville, Maryland and the Fishing School in northeast Washington, DC.
Here is a list of the generous sponsors - Thank you!
| Allied Waste Services | Digital Magic | Green Mountain Coffee |
| Blimpie's | Maggiano's Little Italy | KFC |
| Coastal Sunbelt Produce | Target | Mary Kay |
| Don's Johns | UPS | Real investors, LLC |
| Geppetto Catering | Keany Produce Company | Showcall |
| Hogan & Hartson LLP | Mama Alli's Ice Ritas | Three Guys LLC/ Benitos Brick Oven |
| La Tasca | Popeye's/Janjer Enterprises, Inc | Beehive Productions |
| National Geographic Society | Tasteful Affairs | Chick-fil-A |
| Stonewall Golf Club | Aspen Group | District Of Columbia Hospital Association |
| Amway Global | Canteen Vending | Foley + Lardner LLP |
| Bloom/ Food Lion LLC | D.C. United | Harris Teeter |
| Cosi | Epic Media Relations | Krispy Kreme |
| Edgewood Management Corp | Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. | Mix 107.3-WRXQ |
| Giant Food | Kenna's Cookies | Restaurant Association of Maryland |
| Hollinger Strategies, LLC | Marriott International | Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, PA |
| Level 3 Communications, INC | Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club | Utz Quality Foods, INC |
| PEPCO Holdings, Inc. | Shoppers Food & Pharmacy | Domino Pizza/ Team Washington |
| Robert G. Bledsoe Bldg. Co. | The PNC Foundation | HM&C Center Stage |
| Subway | Balance The Gym | La Prima Catering |
| Angle Food Company | Cheryl Strzemienski | Rita’s of College Park and Rita’s of Riverdale |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | D.C. Modern Luxury | Sportrock |
| Eggspectations | Fedex Office + Fedex Express | Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center |
Please enjoy many of the moments we shared during this exciting chapter and check back for information on our viewing party in February. Additional photos are also available on facebook. See a thank you message below from Bill Hanbury, President and CEO of UWNCA and a clip from News Channel 8's Washington Business Tonight.
A Message of Thanks from Bill Hanbury, President and CEO
Dear neighbors in the greater Washington region,
A fortunate family and a community center in our region recently
learned that they were chosen as the beneficiaries of a
community mobilization initiated by “Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition” and its partnership with United Way.
This mobilization would not have been possible without your support. Through this project, your United Way built more internal organizational capacity so that in the future, when the needs are even more urgent, we will be ready, willing, and able to deliver on our mission. We’ve learned some terrific lessons from this project concerning our own capabilities and limitations that will drive organizational change in the future.
Thanks to you, we were able to raise $157,500 in cash contributions to date that covers United Way’s cash outlay for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” In addition, this United Way played a role in attracting in excess of $400,000 in in-kind support for the project from more than 100 organizations. From 10,000 meals to 200 bottles of bug spray, the outpouring of support was, and continues to be, amazing.
Additionally, we were completely OVERWHELMED by the volume of volunteer interest for this project. I realize this component of the project was a particular challenge, as volunteer needs shifted throughout the duration of the project. I’m sorry we couldn’t accommodate every person who wanted to volunteer. When opportunities like this arise in the future (and they will), we will do a better job of communicating the dynamic nature of such an endeavor.
I have no doubt that our region will be forever changed as a result of this incredible undertaking. Positive change happened because you were involved.
Kindest regards,
Bill Hanbury
President and CEO, United Way
