Inspire Celebration 2026
Support Families Beyond Housing — Support the Inspire 2026 Campaign
By supporting the Community Partners Inspire 2026 Campaign, you are supporting families living in HOC communities in their quest for wellness, opportunity, economic mobility and personal growth. Your support fuels their progress toward economic self-sufficiency and is an investment in the future of Montgomery County.
Empowering People Through Education
Community Partners expands access to education and lifelong learning opportunities that build strong academic foundations and pathways to success. Our programs contribute to positive outcomes among resident participants such as increased college enrollment and completion and attainment of professional certifications.
Fueling Small Businesses & Workforce Opportunity
We equip residents with the skills, training, and resources they need to secure employment, build careers and launch businesses – all of which contribute to increased family financial stability. For example, Community Partners-funded programs in FY26 supported approximately 500 adult participants and helped formalize 29 new businesses.
Inspiring Future Innovators
Our programs prepare youth to succeed in school and thrive in their future careers through exposure to new possibilities, mentorship and skill-building activities. We project that we will serve more than 1,000 youth through STEM programs and our STEM Back to School fair.
Enhancing Stability & Wellbeing for Families and Seniors
Scores of Community Partners initiatives promote health and personal connections for HOC’s families and senior residents. Our programs serve more than 1,500 senior residents each, helping them achieve and maintain well-being, reduce social isolation, increase financial stability and develop connections that lead to stronger communities.
The Mission
The mission of Housing Opportunities Community Partners is clear and straightforward: empower residents and Wait List registrant customers of the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) to thrive. Contributions to Community Partners support thousands of Montgomery County youth, adults and seniors in their quest for wellness, opportunity, economic mobility and personal growth.
The Landscape
In addition to the ever-more-daunting challenge of securing a safe, affordable home, low- and moderate-income families in Montgomery County face myriad other obstacles to household stability and their ability to provide opportunities for their children to thrive.
Community Partners, the nonprofit social service affiliate of Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), has worked for the past 25 years to address those needs for families living in Montgomery County’s affordable housing.
Many adult residents living in HOC housing have realistic aspirations of creating a small business and building a more secure family future, but need an enhanced knowledge base, mentors and/or capital/other resources to launch those ventures and succeed long-term.
HOC-resident youth are unable to access many out-of-school science and arts activities that would nurture their academic achievement, talents and interests solely because the cost of participation is beyond their parents’ reach. Consequently, they fall behind in school, fail to reach their full potential and a cycle of unrealized potential is perpetuated.
The Promise of Community Partners
HOCP and HOC work together to provide tuition assistance to low-income adults pursuing degree and vocational training programs, to help them obtain livable wages and eventually leave affordable housing programs.
Community Partners supports residents at every stage of their life through a cradle-to-career model that provides:
- Youth development and education programs that prepare children for long-term success
- Workforce development, financial capability and entrepreneurship support that create pathways to economic mobility for adults
- Resident services that strengthen stability, health and community connection for seniors
Looking ahead, Community Partners is also investing in innovation-driven programming, including emerging, technology-enabled initiatives designed to equip residents to thrive in the evolving workforce.
A Cradle-to-Career Model for the Montgomery County Landscape
Community Partners’ cradle-to-career model offers a transformative approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering long-term community success. By providing a continuum of support, we address the needs of individuals at every stage of life, from early childhood development through educational milestones, career training and beyond. Success is evident in improved academic achievement, higher graduation rates and increased workforce readiness among participants.
995 Youth — Anticipated Annual Impact
- Expand pre-school readiness programming for early learners
- Encourage home learning and connect families to literacy resources, including libraries, schools and mentoring programs
- Support families in opening 529 College Savings Plans and Baby Trust Funds
- Offer STEAM scholarships to increase academic enrichment opportunities
1,410 Adults — Anticipated Annual Impact
- Enhance small business development programming and entrepreneurial support
- Deliver financial literacy training and credit-building support
- Support adults in improving rental histories and accessing homeownership pathways
- Provide tuition assistance for adult education and continuing education pathways
600 Seniors — Anticipated Annual Impact
- Expand partnerships to provide transportation access, food support and community-based services for older adults
- Launch onsite gardening and wellness programs to promote healthy living
- Reduce social isolation through technology access and senior companionship programs
- Provide financial literacy programming for seniors and families
- Support community-based health education and screenings through Community Health Workers
Inspire 2026 Campaign and Event Sponsorship Opportunities
| Benefits | Legacy Builder: $25,000 | Visionary Partner: $15,000 | Developer: $10,000 | Architect: $5,000 | Foundation Supporter: $2,500 | Opportunity Starter: $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP Breakfast Donor Appreciation Program Update | ✓ | |||||
| Speaking Opportunity at Inspire 2026 | ✓ | |||||
| Featured Program / Resident Spotlight | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Employee Engagement Opportunities | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Exclusive Program or Partner Tour | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Inclusion in Impact Storytelling, Campaign Updates, or Donor Communications | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Recognition Across HOCP Platforms, Website, Event Materials, or Supporter Wall | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Program Support Recognition | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Inspire 2026 Invitations | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Join Us for the Inspire 2026 Celebration
October 15, 2026 | 5:30 – 8:00 P.M.
HOC Headquarters Offices
1328 Fenwick Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910
The Inspire 2026 Celebration — the culmination of our Inspire fundraising campaign — will bring together leaders, partners and supporters who believe in and have invested in the work of Community Partners.
Whether you are a recurring benefactor or new supporter of our mission, we invite you to join us in the celebration of Building What’s Next — Together.
To become an inspired partner or to give in other ways, contact:
Dr. Marsha Koger, HOC Staff Liaison
Marsha.Koger@hocmc.org | 240-627-9730
Deadline for donations and pledges is September 18 to ensure full recognition benefits.
