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of Washington DC, to contribute donations. With enthusiasm, the boxes were packaged with care and delivered to men, women and children.
Long after that project ended, with the help of spirited volunteers, Valerie continued to receive gently-used household goods from our friends in the hospitality industry and time and time again, redistributed these goods throughout our community. The spark of grassroots methods fueled our energy and our drive to stay on the road. An emerging network mapped out a plan for the future. While crossing over the KEY Bridge, heading into the heart of DC, this mission clearly bridged the hospitality industry, corporations and volunteers in working together was KEY to ending homelessness.
With a firm commitment to social responsibility and respect for human dignity, KEYS set out on a tangible, goal-oriented mission to serve as catalyst between concerned businesses and charitable organizations and individuals in need. Daily, basic household goods and supplies and furniture are both needed by those living in poverty, and are also being replaced by corporate and private businesses. The innovation to establish a more effective avenue for the Greater Washington, DC metro area to work together in creating solutions for ending homelessness, urged the development of a distribution network to provide everyday basic goods to meet real life needs. Effective October 15th, 2005, KEYS for the Homeless received IRS 501c3 designation.
The allocation of available goods and resources is a win-win strategy in promoting stability and well being in our communities. Advocating in action, we are providing assistance to transition from homelessness and poverty to self-sufficiency and we are responding to the great demand in our region for initiatives that support the core basic needs, stimulate progress and help secure brighter futures for us.
Over the past ten years, over 40 hotels have opened the doors to KEYS and have supported this economically, naturally productive initiative. We reap the benefit of long term relationships. Our goals are having a positive impact in strengthening the model of corporate investment in the communities within which they operate by transferring valuable corporate resources to community agencies in substantial and meaningful ways.
In 2008, KEYS joined The Hotel Association of Washington, D.C. as an Allied Member and the Downtown Business Improvement District supports our endeavors. We now partner with over 40 service providers who care for over 40,000 people annually and in the past 4 years, KEYS has joyfully redistributed over $600,000.In goods, thanks to the generosity of our in-kind supporters, partnerships, funders and volunteers.
We believe you are KEY to ending homelessness and together, we are KEYS for the Homeless!
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