Better Together
DC Holiday Drive
2025
This year the Better Together DC Holiday Drive is more than a seasonal effort. It is a call to come together as one community after a year of challenges unlike any we have seen before. Across the District, and especially East of the River, families continue to face real hardship as cuts to programs like TANF and other supports have left many struggling to make ends meet.
The Holiday Drive is our way of standing in the gap. It is about more than raising funds, food, and toys. It is about renewing our commitment to each other and continuing our legacy as a light in the city.
We are creating a collective impact that represents the past, present, and future of DC residents and the communities we serve.
As we launch this year’s effort, we invite everyone to take part in Giving Tuesday and to join us for our annual Ward 8 Thanksgiving and Christmas community impact events. These are moments where we show what it truly means to be better together.
This season is a reminder that our strength has always been found in unity. By coming together, we honor who we are and who we will become. Thank you for any donation towards this effort. We are Better Together.
Our Mission:
Powered by the East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership (ERCPCP), Better Together DC builds on a 25-year legacy of faith-based leadership and civic partnership. We advance community development through collaboration, trust, by strengthening neighborhoods, supporting families, and creating spaces where residents, organizations, and businesses thrive together.
Our mission is to empower individuals and families east of the Anacostia River through collaborative, community-based solutions that drive lasting transformation. Through school-based initiatives, and neighborhood partnerships, and re-entry support, we are helping reconstruct safe, thriving communities.
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Better Together DC
November 2025
Calendar of Events
Housing Choice Fund
The Housing Choice Fund is a purpose-driven real estate investment vehicle launched under Better Together DC to expand access to quality housing and strengthen community ownership across Washington, DC.
The Fund focuses on the acquisition and operation of single-family and multifamily properties that are government-backed and supported by housing incentive programs such as Section 8, tax abatements, and local affordable housing initiatives. This strategy minimizes risk while maximizing both financial performance and social impact.
Rooted in the mission of faith-based community development, the Housing Choice Fund aligns investors, public partners, and residents around a shared vision of equitable growth — preserving affordability, promoting stability, and creating long-term pathways to wealth for DC families.
First Street Village Opportunity Zone Fund
With the ownership of an entire city block, ERCPCP is poised to bring its mission full circle. First Street Village is bigger than an Opportunity Zone Fund — it’s a declaration.
A hub where displaced citizens can rebuild, where families can thrive, and where East of the River can reimagine its future. Anchored by inclusive housing, a forthcoming Family Success Center, and vibrant arts programming, First Street Village represents ERCPCP’s deepest truth: community safety begins with community stability.
Youth & Family Empowerment
When families succeed, communities thrive. Our work centers on equipping DC youth and families with the opportunities, tools, and support they need to maintain healthy lives. Our programs focus on prevention, connection, and building foundations that last for generations.
Wellness & Recovery
ERCPCP promotes mental health and community wellness through collaborative programs in Washington DC. In partnership with the Department of Behavioral Heath (DBH), local schools, churches, and nonprofits, we address crisis and trauma through art, diaolgue, and restorative practices. In 2025, we joined the city-wide Trauma Response Community Engagement Program (TRCEP). We hold weekly workshops, community canvases, and education-focused events.
Public Safety & Mentorship
Our team works daily to guide, support, and uplift youth in Washington, DC. Through our longstanding partnership with the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), ERCPCP we have helped many justice-involved youth build brighter futures over 15 years.
Community Development & Housing
We believe safe, stable housing is the foundation of personal and community transformatio, we have a 25 year legacy and continue to provide provide affordable housing for DC's most vulnerable citizens and families in transition, including returning citizens.