Benning Terrace Residents Kick Off October with a Community Block Party

The families and neighbors of Benning Terrace spent Saturday hopping on moon bounces, playing arcade games, and listening to live music during the DC Housing Authority's latest Rebuilding Our Communities Block Party.

Part of our Rebuilding Our Communities event series, the ongoing programming also includes property-specific cookouts and other celebrations. These community engagement events aim to foster community among DCHA residents, build connections among residents and staff, and facilitate connections to local service providers offering education, workforce development and other opportunities.

DCHA staff knocked on doors of every household to ensure residents received a bag of free groceries, kids were able to take advantage of a toy giveaway, and free haircuts were available. And DCHA Executive Director Keith Pettigrew joined the festivities, listening to our residents and thanking DCHA staff and service providers for their support.

Free food from various vendors, face painting, caricatures, and loads more activities and games made for a fun fall day. In addition to the live entertainment, our residents were able to learn more information about various resources that are available to them around the District.

Nearly 50 service providers participated in the Block Party, offering resources and sharing information on education and workforce development programs, job opportunities, and other services available for youth, seniors, and families in the District. Nonprofits, academic institutions, private employers, and DC government agencies make up the service providers.

DCHA is grateful for the service providers who helped make this event possible:

Howard University, Office of Corporate Relations | C3 Cares | Brotha's Huddle | Peace for DC | Y Not Youth | Academy of Hope | Adult Public Charter School | Life Enhancement Services LLC | DC Department Of Employment Services | DC Tutoring and Mentoring Initiative | Unity Health Care | The Love More Movement | DC Commission on Poverty | Drug Enforcement Administration | So Others Might Eat | DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement | Capital Youth Empowerment Program | DC Office on Aging and Community Living | Homeland Security and Emergency Management | DC Office of Unified Communications | DC Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education | DC Department of Human Services | Hands on Hearts | DC Office of the Tenant Advocate | DC Department of Behavioral Health | DC Department of Aging and Community Living | Alliance of Concerned Black Men | University Legal Services | University of the District of Columbia | WMATA | GOOD Projects | The Nationals Baseball Club | InnerCity Collaborative | Capital Youth Empowerment Program | George Washington University | NCHCW - National Center for Housing & Child Welfare | Capitol Riverfront BID | United Planning Organization (UPO) | Prestige Healthcare Resources | Momma's Safe Haven | Edgewood Brookland Collaborative | Capital Bikeshare | goDCgo | Living Classrooms Foundation | DC Central Kitchen | DC Public Library (DCPL) | Hidn TrezHER, Inc. | United Healthcare | Campaign to Reduce Lead Exposure and Asthma | Everyone Home DC | Black Girl Health Foundation