We are proud to annouce that we exceeded our fundraising goal for our first ever virtual brunch! The IHT staff, board and committee members are humbled by the outpouring of support from our community. With your help IHT is able to keep our mission going strong. The MV Times published an article about our successful brunch fundraising campaign and you can read it by clicking here.
photo of Tisbury ribbon cutting by Christopher Anderson
COVID-19 has changed everything for everyone and we’re all doing our best to adapt. This week the MV Times published an article about how we’re working hard, including our first ever virtual brunch, to continue our mission to create year-round affordable housing on the Island. Click here to read the article.
photo by Arletta Charter Photography
These are challenging times. We’re often separated from the people we love and in many cases our work. The grocery store isn’t the place to socialize with friends like it was two weeks ago and even a walk in the park requires lots of thought and planning. There’s extra stress, worry and hand washing with less hugging, high fiving and hand shaking.
But, there are also so many more examples of courage, perseverance, determination and simple kindness.
With so much information out there it’s hard to take it all in. We thought it would be helpful to provide links to the websites of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, the State of Massachusetts the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act. These trusted sites provide useful information and facts that can help sort through the confusion.
It’s more important than ever to remember to stay connected to each other because we know that standing together we’re always stronger. At IHT, as we continue our urgent work to end housing insecurity here at home, we’ll reach out to share important information and to update you on our progress.
In the meantime, please keep yourselves and each other safe and healthy.
Vineyard Haven Harbor photo by Drew Kinsmen
We recently held our first remote IHT homeownership lottery via a video conference. Six families were selected to purchase new homes on Greenwood Ave in Tisbury. It was an incredibly joyful moment in these challenging times. The smiles, cheers and excitement were just as touching as if we were all in the room together!
Here at IHT we’re using every tool we have to keep ourselves and our community safe and healthy as we all cope with the impacts of COVID-19. We’re working remotely and collaborating with our staff, board and partners via the technology we have in place.
Our plan is to continue our work that has now become even more urgent. We’re doing everything we can to move these families into their new homes over the next several months, and we remain committed to our mission to end housing insecurity here on the Island.
We’ll keep you up to date on our progress and we’ll be sure to share any good news we have.
We’re all in this together and we thank you for your tremendous support.
The IHT duplex Lake Street homes are pictured above. The Greenwood Ave duplex homes utilize the same design and construction.
IHT worked with the non-profit Harbor Homes MV, as well as local clergy and towns, to purchase a property in Vineyard Haven on Tashmoo Ave. The newly renovated house will become home to 6 people who can’t meet the minimum requirements to qualify for affordable housing. Housing insecurity on the island impacts many year-round residents and the homeless are particularly vulnerable to the health and safety risks they face each day without a place to live. Please click here to read the full article in the MV Times.
photo by George Brennan
