Who We Are

LYNN C. FRENCH, Executive Director
202-387-7091, ext. 207 lfrench@hopeandahome.org
Lynn has spent the last 30 years working in community development and housing policy in Washington, DC, focusing on equitable development. She worked at the Council of the District of Columbia, drafting legislation and supporting the work of two Council Members in a variety of bills affecting rent control, the Comprehensive Plan, and drafted the Homestead Housing Preservation Act of 1987. Ms. French was appointed Homestead Program Administrator at the DC Department of Housing and Community Development from 1987 to 2001. Under her leadership more than $50M of private capital was leveraged to facilitate the renovation of over 2,000 substandard and dilapidated housing units that were sold to first time homebuyers. In 2001, Ms. French served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Homeless and Special Needs Housing in the Executive Office of the Mayor. During her tenure, Ms. French coordinated implementation of sweeping improvements in shelter conditions and facilitated the development of supportive housing and housing first programs.

GRACE DICKERSON, Education Coordinator
202-387-7091, ext. 205 gdickerson@hopeandahome.org
Grace works with parents and schools to ensure that the children receive the educational resources to which they are legally entitled. She helps children gain admission to private and charter schools and offers them incentives for academic achievement. She is a strong advocate with an ability to make education issues and student assessment results easy for parents to understand.

ROSA MOOTON, Office Manager
202-387-7091, ext. 500 rmoonten@hopeandahome.org
Rosa manages Hope and a Home's office, greets visitors, responds to calls from families who are in need of affordable housing, assists with the selection of families for our Transitional Housing Program, handles correspondence and paying bills, and provides clerical support for other staff.

DARNELL MCWILLIAMS, Maintenance Specialist
202-387-7091
Darnell oversees the physical operations of Hope and a Home properties. He is responsible for the general maintenance of our apartments, for preparing homes for occupancy by new families, and for responding to emergency maintenance calls.

EDISON PARK, Education Specialist
202-387-7091, ext. 206 epark@hopeandahome.org
As the Education Specialist, Edison works under and alongside the Education Coordinator to provide the best educational resources possible for the youth of our families. He will help to be an advocate for better schools, after school programs, tutoring and mentoring help, and activities for workshops.

MARY JO SCHUMACHER, Family Support Coordinator
202-387-7091, ext. 203 mschumacher@hopeandahome.org
Mary Jo provides guidance to our parents through weekly in-home visits, quarterly goal-setting meetings, and annual progress evaluations. She has years of experience connecting with families on a personal level while also holding them accountable for the goals they set for themselves.

CRYSTAL STEWART, Job Readiness Coordinator
202-387-7091, ext. 208 cstewart@hopeandahome.org
Crystal works with the adults in our program to identify their occupational strengths, improve upon their deficits and prepare themselves for better employment. She also oversees our Work and Thrive program which provides job training workshops for neighborhood teenagers and helps them find rewarding summer jobs with local businesses.

LAVERNE E. BREWSTER, Family Support Worker
202-387-7091, ext. 202 lbrewster@hopeandahome.org
LaVerne provides support and guidance to Hope and Home families through weekly in-home visits, quarterly goal-setting meetings, and annual progress evaluations. She advocates for appropriate community resources for our families when needed. LaVerne is a graduate of Hope and a Home and has been on staff since October 2008.

DALIA M. JOHNSON, Development Assistant
202-387-7091, ext. 201 djohnson@hopeandahome.org
Dalia assists the Executive Director in the creation and implementation of fundraising strategies, and manages the online and social-media presence for Hope and a Home. She also manages the donor database for foundation, corporate, individual and in-kind giving.