FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Brandon Chiat, Chief Marketing Officer, Bender JCC Phone: 301-348-3795 | Email: bchiat@benderjccgw.org
Building Playhouses, Connecting Communities: Bender JCC and Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland Partner on Community Playhouse Build
Rockville, MD — January 6, 2025 — The Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington (Bender JCC) has joined forces with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland to host a “Community Playhouse Build” in support of affordable housing across the Greater Washington area on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 20, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM). 18 teams of interfaith volunteers from across the Greater Washington area applied and were accepted to roll up their sleeves, don their hard hats, and help construct playhouses which will provide a joyful and safe play-area for the deserving children of Habitat for Humanity homeowners. Thanks to the generous support of local businesses including Ntiva, Minkoff Development, and the Meltzer Group, the interfaith volunteers will participate without needing to meet a minimum fundraising amount, a requirement of past of “Community Playhouse Build” days.
“We are delighted to once again partner with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland in making affordable homeownership a reality in Montgomery County,” said Josh Bender, CEO, Bender JCC. “Having so many volunteers from diverse interfaith organizations is a wonderful statement on the interconnectedness of our Greater Washington community. The volunteer activities at the heart of the Community Playhouse Build foster understanding and a sense of belonging at a time when many people feel disconnected from those around them. Our Greater Washington community is stronger when our neighbors are connected, and community service projects like the Playhouse Build help people build relationships, explore and appreciate differences, and work together toward a better future.”
The Community Playhouse Build inspired participation from a diverse group of faith-based organizations, including volunteers from: Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, Dawoodi Bohras of Washington D.C., The Revelation Universal Evangelical Ministries (The Revelation Church), Spencerville Adventist Church, Christ Congregational Church, Baha’i Community of Montgomery County, Seikh Temple, the Islamic Community Center of Potomac, and five local synagogues. The critical importance of the mission demonstrates that regardless of their different backgrounds, the volunteers are unified in their commitment to improving their community.
“The Community Playhouse Build does more than construct playhouses; it builds bridges in our community by fostering collaboration among people of different faiths, connecting them through a shared purpose, and encouraging understanding by highlighting commonalities over differences,” said Lauren Dworkin, Director of Family Engagement and Social Action, Bender JCC. “No matter your background, we can all agree the children in our community deserve a safe place to play and grow, which is essential to making them feel at home.”
About the Bender JCC:
The Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, Maryland, is a premier community center at the heart of Jewish life in Montgomery County, Maryland, operating a full-scale health and fitness center, preschool, summer day camp, and various arts and education programs. We create a welcoming and inclusive environment, connecting the people of our Jewish community to each other, Israel, and the broader community. We inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to enhance their social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being through programs of excellence rooted in Jewish values.
About Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland:
Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland, Inc. (HFHMM) is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International that serves Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. Since 1982, HFHMM has partnered with the community and low-income families living in substandard conditions to provide decent and affordable housing solutions. HFHMM supports the notion that good, stable housing matters for neighborhoods. Better quality of living leads to stronger citizens and families. Habitat for Humanity is about changing lives, one home at a time. Visit our website at www.habitatmm.org.
