50th Anniversary Stories
Jubilee Support Alliance: The Connection to the Business Community, Then and Now
For many years, the Jubilee Support Alliance (JSA) was Jubilee Housing’s connection to the Washington DC business community, especially in the commercial real estate sector. Many will remember the extraordinary Garage Sale Galas, the annual wine tastings hosted by The Washington Post’s wine columnist Michael Franz, and the corporate team-building Jubilee Workdays. These events raised money for Jubilee Housing and introduced thousands to the organization.
While the JSA link to the business community changed when JSA was incorporated into Jubilee Housing and members joined the Advisory Council, companies and business leaders have remained committed to Jubilee Housing’s vision. Business leaders from many industries and sectors, many of whom started as JSA members, serve today in various capacities, including board members, advisors, tutors, Jubilee to College volunteers, event Table Captains, etc. Those early days of business support were important to developing a network of contacts who are regularly called upon to raise funds, lend expertise, and expand awareness about Jubilee’s housing, programs, and services.
We talked to Lyles Carr, Jim Mustard, Jane Galbraith Mahaffie, and Bradley Flickinger, four former JSA board members, about their memories, why they continue to be involved, and the importance of the partnership between Jubilee and the business community.
Senior Vice President of The McCormick Group
VP of Regional Sales of Kastle Systems
Founder and CEO of Mahaffie Consulting
Senior Managing Director of CBRE
What was the allure of JSA?
Lyles Carr: “It was almost a rite of passage for people coming up in the real estate community. There was a level of peer motivation to be involved with a cause that was appropriate for the industry.”
Jim Mustard: “I got involved through Harold Nelson, who is a former JSA board member and commercial real estate client. I was invited to join Harold’s table for a gala, which was a networking opportunity but also an opportunity to learn about Jubilee Housing.”
Jane Mahaffie: “JSA had an amazing group of businesspeople focused so hard on raising awareness and dollars for Jubilee. It was a very tight bond among board members to raise as much money as possible with fun events.”
Bradley Flickinger: “It felt like all heart in those days. We weren’t particularly sophisticated owners and operators of apartment buildings. But what we lacked in long-term strategic planning, we made up for in creativity and commitment to the mission.”
Why were you moved to be a long-time champion of Jubilee?
Lyles: “I appreciated the holistic approach that moved people towards independence. Jim Rouse used to say that sometimes people trying to pull themselves up by their bootstraps might need someone to reach down and help. Jubilee helped move people away from dependence and towards an independent quality of life.”
Jim: ?I’m passionate about Jubilee’s mission. Over the years I’ve seen how the organization’s staff, services, and footprint have grown. It’s been inspiring to me.”
Jane: “Jubilee needed help, and at first most pointedly with fixing the buildings. It was natural for me to stay on past Board service to the Advisory Council. Affordable housing was a cause near and dear to my heart and Jubilee was doing it right – services and housing.”
Brad: “Originally, I was just looking for an opportunity to get involved in the community. It was only AFTER I started spending time at Jubilee that I came to appreciate the deep need for affordable housing. The community-based model has been a continual inspiration and has kept me connected.”
Why do you think others were motivated to be involved?
Lyles: “There are not enough philanthropic dollars to provide the services that underserved people need. And there’s only so much government can do. The business community was motivated by self interest to support Jubilee in helping the underserved move to independence and to stabilize the Adams-Morgan and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.”
Jim: “When you bring like-minded people together and you explain what Jubilee does, everyone agrees that it’s an incredibly motivating experience. Jubilee is the right thing to do for the city and the people who live in the Jubilee community. I also like to get young professionals involved. They might come to an event, like a hard hat tour, and then they often go off in their own direction and get deeply connected. Involvement in Jubilee might start with networking but the work with the organization is always much richer than that.”
Jane: “Jubilee was creating and remodeling housing and treating their residents with full complement of services. I think each person could find something in that that touched them. And our events were fun, and the business networking didn’t hurt either.”
Brad: “The difference between Jubilee and most other board opportunities was the ability to be involved on the ground. Spending time with residents, for example at Jubilee Work Day and the Elf Store, really made this a different kind of board.”
Tell us more about the partnership between Jubilee and the business community.
Lyles: “Do well by doing good.” That’s what motivates the broader real estate community. It’s the way the community, which is an interdependent ecosystem of bankers, developers, brokers, and builders, works. When you’re seen doing good, you also have the opportunity to do well. It motivates business leaders to be contributing members of that community.”
Jim: “Back in the day, JSA was created to go out and fundraise, especially by recruiting companies to bring in corporate dollars. Our job was to invite people, especially in commercial real estate, to become involved. We wanted the business community to see what we were doing, which was transforming Adams-Morgan and Mount Pleasant and beyond. The partnership between Jubilee and the business community is good for the city as a whole.”
Jane: “The business community should and for many does support worthwhile nonprofits in the DMV. They have always been important for the sustainability of Jubilee. Fundraising for sure but also for knowledge and resources that Jubilee can rely on in their development of affordable housing.”
Brad: “There is a symbiotic relationship between the Washington business community and Jubilee. Jubilee needs the time, talent and treasure of the business community. And the business community needs places where people can afford to live without commuting for hours each day.”
What do you think of the work Jubilee is doing now?
Lyles: “Jubilee today is more impactful than ever before. From the programs to the concept of justice housing, to people coming home from incarceration, and the investment through community partners. Today Jubilee can control the destiny of the organization and broadly be more impactful. There’s a sharper focus on the need for the work.”
Jim: “I’ve been on the Jubilee board for 7-8 years, and we’ve never been as busy as we are now, and that’s a great thing. We have 4-5 buildings in the pipeline. Jubilee continues to prove that through hard work and dedication we can move the needle on homelessness. Why stop there? We’re going to keep growing and prove we can handle many things at one time.”
Jane: “Jubilee has become one of the preeminent affordable housing developers in DC. For that to occur, along with the ability to continue to focus on a neighborhood to allow services to be administered, is an outstanding continuation of the ethos of the original calling for Jubilee. In recent years, I have also listened hard to their discussion surrounding additional growth in justice housing and feel this is also a critical component of housing the most at-risk people in our city.”
Brad: “I continue to be impressed with the growth of the Jubilee community under Jim Knight’s leadership. What started as a way to preserve affordable housing in the neighborhood has grown in both breadth and depth. But the commitment to the Adams Morgan community and Justice Housing has never wavered.”
One last thought from Jim: “I went out one night for a Father’s Day dinner in Mount Pleasant with five guy friends from the Northern Virginia suburbs. After dinner we were walking through Admas-Morgan, and I was telling them about the buildings and the area. I explained the history and growth of Jubilee. They wanted to know how I knew so much about this neighborhood. I was proud to tell them how deeply involved I am in Jubilee’s work, and they’ll all be invited to the next event!”
Jubilee wishes to thank all the past members of the Jubilee Support Alliance and great volunteers that still help us advance our mission every day!