Greetings!

I was recently named one of “Affordable Housing’s Influential Women” by Affordable Housing Finance Magazine. As the national affordable housing crisis continues, and in many places worsens, it was good to see the magazine profile leaders committed to building diverse, vibrant, healthy communities. I was truly humbled to be named among them.

There’s no doubt that we have our work cut out for us. Only 28 out of every 100 extremely low-income families can afford their rental homes, and one in four renters uses half of their paycheck on housing costs. Across America,
2.5 million children are homeless.

The above numbers can seem overwhelming, and are just a few examples of how dire the crisis has become.

But just because the picture is grim does not mean that it is hopeless! Mercy Housing and the stories profiled in this newsletter demonstrate how we can all help to create stable, thriving communities. As you’ll read in the following pages, Mercy Housing is committed to providing more than a home. We’re in the business of giving people the tools they need to flourish.

But we can’t do it alone. Caring people like you are critical to the effective delivery of our mission. We need your dedication and support in order to provide the safe and affordable homes that millions of people so desperately need. I encourage you to read these pages and learn about the people you are helping and how your support is changing the world.

Live in hope,

Jane Graf
President & CEO