Arlington Tomorrow Foundation ATF Annual October-2017

2017
ANNUAL REPORT
2017 marks the beginning of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation’s second decade of
fulfilling our promise of contributing to a thriving Arlington.
This year, the Foundation’s board added grants of more than $1.6 million to its 10-
year history of giving, with contributions targeting both large-scale capital endeavors and
ongoing human service programs dedicated to improving the daily lives of our neighbors.
We invite you to learn more about our 2017 efforts and enjoy two profiles on Arlington-
based organizations dedicated to transforming the way we serve local homeless families
and ensuring Arlington’s most vulnerable children don’t go hungry.
PROFILE:
Grant to Arlington Life Shelter will serve homeless families

James Mihills has noticed
“We want to return families to self-sufficiency as soon as possible. We help them
a shift in the city’s homeless
get back on their feet, so they can take care of themselves and their loved ones.”
population.
- Jim Reeder, Arlington Life Shelter Capital Campaign Manager

During the six years he has
served on the Board of Directors
far, it has raised roughly half the money.
for the Arlington Life Shelter, he
Jim Reeder, Capital Campaign Manager, said the
has watched as more families sought help. Today, about
new facility will help meet its mission. The project will
half of the shelter’s clients are families.
increase square footage from 13,000 to 27,000, and its

“The face of homelessness has changed. Many
capacity from 80 to 120 people a night.
years ago, people envisioned a single man panhandling

A typical stay at the Arlington Life Shelter is about
on the street,” Mihills said. “In reality, a number of
three months, Reeder said. New amenities like the
families have suffered due to a lack of affordable
housing, loss of job, illness or other domestic situation.” playground and an expanded children’s clubhouse will
help children navigate this transition while their parents

A grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation
look for a job. The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation will
will help the 30-year-old shelter address the evolving
have naming rights for the playground.
homeless population.

“When kids come here, they have lost a sense

The Foundation has pledged $750,000 to help the
Shelter build a second facility that will provide housing, a of normalcy,” he said. “We want to give them the
playground, a commercial kitchen, expanded dining room opportunity to play, blow off some steam and have a
little stability during a tough situation.”
and an employment services lab with interview space.

Arlington Life Shelter hopes to break ground on the

Earlier this year, the Shelter launched a capital
new project in spring 2018.
campaign to raise $4.2 million for the new facility. So