HDC MidAtlantic President Dana Hanchin announced today that the organization has been awarded $12,000 from the Lancaster County Community Foundation to support HDC’s mission by advancing diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the organization. 
HDC, along with eleven other local community benefit organizations who have also received the award, will engage in an 8-month workshop series designed to guide organizational practices through a lens of equity and social change. The cohort will work with a consultant to identify potential ideas focused on building equity and inclusion.
“We are thrilled to receive an award from the Lancaster County Community Foundation to support HDC’s racial equity, diversity and inclusion work. We look forward to learning alongside peer organizations and our friends, so that we may continue to be brave and vulnerable in this space,” said Hanchin. “Together through the support of the Community Foundation, we will bring meaningful change and greater equity to our communities and within our organizations.”
In 2019, HDC named advancing equity a core strategic priority. HDC’s organizational commitment to advancing racial equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI) is rooted in its vision of a world where a safe, welcoming affordable place to call home is open to everyone. HDC believes that utilizing a REDI framework in every facet of its work will help HDC be a better employer, a more trusted community partner, a more robust housing and resident advocate, and an organization that is positioned to increase social justice, equity, and inclusion in society.
Last year, HDC was selected to participate in a 15-month Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training program sponsored by NeighborWorks America to build knowledge and skills, create tools for meaningful conversations, and take action to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and practices in its organizational culture and community engagement. Five HDC employees, who represent a range of expertise from the organization, have been participating in the NeighborWorks training program, and have been leading a larger REDI employee work group.
With support from LCCF, HDC’s REDI team plans to build upon its training from NeighborWorks America and further its commitment to advancing equity by applying the lens of racial equity, diversity and inclusion to all operational and organizational policies and procedures including board governance, community demographics, organization and community culture, human resources, partnerships, resident empowerment, vendor selection and other programs.
The Lancaster County Community Foundation’s cohort begins in December and will conclude in October 2021.
Every voice matters. At HDC, we are committed to raising up resident voices and opening doors so that residents can actively participate in the democratic process, speak out on issues important to them and their communities, and communicate how policies affect their everyday lives. We believe it is important to make the time and space to listen, and to support resident leaders in effectively using their voices. We support resident advocacy opportunities through our Resident Academy of Leadership & Inspiration, Voter Registration Drives, and holding constituent meetings and tours with elected officials.
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Finding a place to live that meets one’s basic needs and budget can feel like a never-ending challenge. The complexity of lower-income families and individuals extend far beyond simply finding a safe, affordable, and welcoming place to call home. At HDC, we are committed to being an ally in speaking to issues, programs, and policies that improve quality of life of our residents. Issues that we know are important to our residents include:
We know we can’t solve the affordable housing challenge alone. We need champions to help change the conversation around what home means and why it matters. We are committed to educating elected officials to understand the needs and challenges of their constituents. We are here to provide solutions that work and offer affordable housing expertise that demonstrates the impact policy decisions have on lower-income families, seniors and those with disabilities. We work closely with and participate in alliances and coalitions to educate and advance shared policy priorities. Our advocacy partners include:
Wendy Smith serves as the Vice President of Property Management, responsible for the overall strategic direction for HDC’s management portfolio and the organization’s largest staff team. Previously, Wendy served as Asset and Operations Manager for a leading real estate firm based in New York City which owned over 11,000 affordable homes. Since 2008, Wendy has held roles in regional level operations for commercial and for-profit housing agencies. Wendy holds a degree in International Studies.
