Who We Are Housing and Neighborhood Development Services (HANDS) is celebrating its milestone 35th year as a nonprofit recognized as an innovator in comprehensive, sustainable, resident-driven neighborhood revitalization. We work in Orange, New Jersey and nearby communities to amplify the underappreciated strengths of income constrained residents and organizations. Our goal is to help them build and sustain healthy communities and a vibrant local living economy that generates opportunities and outcomes rivaling those found in more affluent towns and cities. Since 1986, HANDS has developed 197 deteriorated properties into homes for more than 460 families and locally run businesses including 42 artist and creative economy small business spaces; written and refined two neighborhood plans that leveraged over $15 million in neighborhood investment; and spawned the creation of three independent organizations. We do this work by building safe and healthy affordable housing for residents and affordable commercial space for entrepreneurs and small businesses. We bolster our economic development activity with innovative community empowerment initiatives that inspire neighbors to become leaders. We design, develop, and implement these programs and initiatives using a comprehensive definition of community health – underpinned by a strong built environment, education, health/healthcare, economic and social system – to anchor our holistic approach to community development. Where We’re Going The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare a systemic impediment to community revitalization: the huge and growing disparity in wealth and income between residents of cities like Orange and residents of more affluent towns. Therefore, HANDS is linking a longstanding commitment to affordable housing with new efforts to build personal, family and neighborhood income and wealth. We are empowering business owners, homeowners and all residents to take control of their future well-being and to ensure the revitalization of their community. We have developed these three new and reimagined initiatives to spearhead our efforts. * FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES TRAINING –workshops to families to increase their capability to accumulate savings and plan their financial future * SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES - coaching/training, new technology, equipment, or access to capital to stabilize and grow operations, retain jobs and increase vibrancy * HOME IMPROVEMENT GRANTS – small grants to homeowners to upgrade the systems and safety of their homes improving the livability and financial value Inspired and empowered stakeholders are an essential ingredient for our continued success.