Community Corner

Photos: Home Staging Professionals Help Three Mount Vernon Families

The local chapter of the International Association of Staging Professionals gives back by donating their services to three local families in need.

Three families in need living in an Alexandria apartment complex were treated to an "Extreme Home Makeover" on Wednesday.

Each year, each chapter of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals donates their time to help spruce up the homes of families in need or gives a facelift to facilities of organizations helping families in need. The Washington, D.C. Chapter of IAHS has selected three apartments that are part of the Beth El House program for transitioning famillies. These apartments are provided in conjunction with Mount Vernon nonprofit Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services. Last year's project recipient was The Campagna Center in Old Town Alexandria.

"We're staging to live," Jennifer Albert Collins, ASP, 2012 World Wide Staging Services Day Ambassador said. "We're making it personal. It's very different than what we do on a daily basis."

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Home furnishings were donated by the IAHSP, including items that were used in prior staging.

"Some stagers use their inventory for a long time, but they never really use it," Collins explained. "Even though it's in perfect condition, we evolve our styles and we donate what we have."

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Eighteen stagers and Realtors came out and donated their time and services to provide three families with spruced-up homes.

"It's stunning," Kari Warren of Beth El House gasped upon entering one of the apartments.

Collins and Warren partnered up after Collins saw Warren at the Beth El House annual walk-a-thon. It was after Collins was named ambassador. She says Beth El House is an organization that's "close to her heart."

"I earned my Master's Degree in Social Work," Collins said. "They responded and it's such a great match."


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