Saving Families from Eviction
A community-driven initiative dedicated to preventing evictions and supporting families in crisis.
WHAT IS PROJECT SAFE?
Project SAFE, Saving Families from Eviction, is a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to providing relief to families and individuals from the immediate threat of eviction from their homes.
Project SAFE was formed in September 2024 as an outgrowth of community efforts to save about 80 families, mostly recently settled Afghan refugees, from being evicted from apartments in Silver Spring. The Muslim Community Center (MCC), a mosque on New Hampshire Avenue, had been receiving calls for help with rental assistance, which by early September had reached an alarming number. Upon receiving notices from the Sheriff’s Office that eviction was to happen within days,
families who were already left with no resources were terrified that they would be on the street with young children and nowhere to go.
MCC sent out a call to volunteers from the community to go to the apartment complex with the most families at risk to determine the scope of the problem. On that one Saturday in early In September, it was determined that about 88 families were going to be thrown onto the street within the next few weeks. This was a large-scale community problem that required a broader outreach than just MCC. From the initial set of volunteers, Project SAFE was formed.
Our first task was to determine how these families had fallen into these dire straits in the first place. The problem stemmed from the fact that relief agencies who had been helping refugees settle in the U.S., found that as COVID funds dried up, they ran out of funding. A shortage of affordable housing, which forced the agencies to place families in apartments with high rents, plus the curtailing of rental support for newly arrived families created the crisis.
The jobs available for the refugees are generally low paying. Thus even working full-time or more, there is no way for the breadwinner of the family to meet the housing cost for the family.
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Recipes & Handouts
What does Project SAFE do?
We have been meeting with the county and state agencies, as well as with the relief agencies, to
forestall the evictions until funds can be found to keep people housed. Aside from the fact that
the homeless shelters are at capacity, housing people in a shelter is more expensive than keeping
them housed in their apartments. County Council member Kristin Mink and State Delegate Lorig
Charkoudian have also been helpful in bringing people and resources together to stave off the
evictions.
We are collecting and distributing funds to pay the arrears and to provide rental relief. We are
looking for less expensive housing options for families to relocate to. We are looking for job
opportunities to match adults with an employer. We are providing cultural competency advise to
help people navigate our systems and our resources. We also provide household items and
furniture. Our volunteers make sure children have been enrolled in school and help with
emergency medical issues.
Who is Project SAFE?
We are still a small group, but we are looking for local partners, individuals and organizations like us who cannot stand the thought that in Montgomery County, there will be a family with young children put out on the street. We feel particularly committed because almost all the Afghan refugees at risk came here on special SIV visas because of their work with US forces in Afghanistan. Knowing that the Taliban is ruthlessly hunting down these individuals and their families, our country provides visas for them to relocate to the US with a promise of assistance from relief agencies responsible to get them housed and settled. The disconnect between what the agencies were expected to do and the reality on the ground has led to the current crisis. We are looking for partners such as charitable organizations, faith-based groups, book clubs, etc. and individuals to join us in this urgent endeavor.
Who does Project SAFE help?
Anyone at immediate risk of being evicted from their home regardless of background, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or any other identifying characteristic.
What can I give?
Good question. We are in need of:
1) Funding. You may give through this link.
2) Volunteers
3) Furniture (new or lightly used)
4) Household goods
5) Clothing for children, especially for winter
6) Toys for children
7) Wheelchairs
8) Tutors
Where does the money that I donate go?
The Faith Alliance for Community Equity and Sustainability (FACES) provides legal oversight and
serves as the 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor to Project Safe. This means they are hosting the project
and ensuring compliance with nonprofit regulations.
How is the money being disbursed to tenants? How can service providers know if their clients at
the Enclave may be eligible for this monetary support?
The Project Safe team is managing casework for each family in need, collecting and verifying
necessary information. We are all volunteers. All funds received will go directly to families in
financial and housing crisis. Service providers can contact Project Safe directly via email to check
if their clients are on the case management list and eligible for assistance. Verification may be
obtained through info@faith-equity.org
Our Gallery
Dr. Tasnuva Khan along with Nosheen Hayat, a registered nutritionist, delivered an information session on nutrition and health to prepare kids for a healthy Ramadan. This program was specifically geared towards the health and wellness needs of 5 to 11 yr. old children, parents and caregivers. Dr. Khan and her team distributed handouts and conducted a demonstration for healthy smoothies and protein packed overnight oats at Muslim Community Center. Total of 108 people (43 adults and 45 children and 10 MCC Sunday School Staff members) attended and engaged in our program.
