Organizations administer over 2,500 homes in Philadelphia, Mid-Atlantic region

Contacts:

Mission First Housing Group: Becky Lang Staffieri, 215-651-4858, rstaffieri@missionfirsthousing.org
ACHIEVEability: Louis Zimmer, 215-592-6440, adinf@msn.com

PHILADELPHIA, September 15 – Two local nonprofit organizations, which for more than a quarter century have worked independently to serve at-risk, vulnerable and underserved individuals and families, today announced plans to form a strategic alliance that will “at once, broaden and strengthen the ability of each to serve the people of Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic Region.”

ACHIEVEability and Mission First Housing Group, when combined, will administer more than 2,500 homes for low-income populations, including veterans, elderly and the disabled, and single-parent and homeless families, throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, and elsewhere in the Middle Atlantic states.

“Integration of two organizations with robust histories and shared values,” said Walter M. Kubiak, chief executive officer of Mission First Housing Group, “is an opportunity to leverage the property management and operational expertise of Mission First with the social service, event management and fundraising capabilities of ACHIEVEability. It will create a platform for growth by Mission First into services and adds dimension to ACHIEVEability’s real estate holdings.”

The boards of directors of the organizations signed a memorandum of understanding last week. It is anticipated that the strategic alliance will become official before the end of the year. At that time, ACHIEVEability will become a member of the Mission First family, with the executive director of ACHIEVEability becoming a member of the Mission First leadership team. At the same time, members of that team will join the ACHIEVEability board of directors, currently headed by Timothy S. Thornton.

Susan Patton, who has been serving as interim executive director of ACHIEVEability since May 2013, will continue in that role as a search for permanent leadership commences.

“The ACHIEVEability name and our model of providing quality social services to those in need will remain unchanged,” Thornton said. “In a nonprofit and affordable housing environment where scale matters, this union will enable us to better serve our community and families. I am confident,” he added, “that this alliance will prove to be a model of collaboration that will be the envy of nonprofit leaders across the region.”

“As a proud funder of ACHIEVEability for more than 20 years, United Way would like to congratulate ACHIEVEability for taking this strategic step to preserve their inspiring mission of breaking the generational cycle of poverty,” said Kevin Dow, Senior Vice President of Impact and Innovation for the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. “This alliance will allow the combined organization to serve even more of the basic needs of Philadelphians and reflects sound management in a challenging funding environment for area nonprofits.”

Mission First Housing Group develops and manages affordable, safe and sustainable homes for people in need, with a nonprofit, mission-driven focus on the most vulnerable. We ensure our residents have access to resources to help them live independently. We deliver housing that provides long-term benefits to residents and neighborhoods, alike. Mission First is a full-service real estate organization developing high-quality, green community assets across the Mid-Atlantic region. Mission First currently provides affordable housing and services to nearly 3,000 people in over 2,500 units, serving low income populations that include veterans, elderly and the disabled. More information at www.missionfirsthousing.org.

ACHIEVEability is a nonprofit organization that for more than three decades has worked to permanently break the generational cycle of poverty for low-income, single-parent, and homeless Philadelphia families through community service and our holistic Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Our participants work, pursue post-secondary degrees and engage in personal development workshops. We transform lives and communities through education, affordable housing, supportive services and the powerful possibilities of personal accountability. More information at www.achieveability.org.