Celebrating 15 Years
I hope everyone reading this is able to join us at Avalon’s 15th birthday party - Thursday, September 6th. First there’s free cake and ice cream at 201 West William - our first property - from 3-5pm. Then, come join us at Conor O’Neill’s at 318 South Main Street for drinks, appetizers and live music ($15 cover charge) from 5-8pm.
It’s hard to believe that Avalon has hit the 15 year mark. In the supportive housing world, 15 years has special significance because that’s how long some of our key funding requires us to maintain the buildings. But of course, we consider 15 years just the beginning. We have tenants who have been with us from the very beginning who still live at Avalon. What a compliment to our efforts that someone would choose to make their home in an Avalon apartment!
A lot has changed in those 15 years. Supportive housing wasn’t even an identified model when we first started. Now, it’s acknowledge as the key to a community’s efforts to end homelessness. We’ve been building our model around enhanced property management and supportive services since the beginning. Now, HUD in Washington and MSHDA in Lansing are promoting the same thing.
But our roots are here in Ann Arbor, where this community has supported our efforts right from the start. That’s why we decided to invite everyone we could reach to a party right where it all began. So come on our on September 6th to say hello, enjoy some cake and ice cream, and then come to Conor O’Neill’s for dinner, if you can. We’d love to see you. - Michael