The DC suburbs are some of the most affluent in the nation but there is no denying the pockets of extreme poverty that exist within them. ECHO’s programs address the most critical community needs – often precipitated by lack or loss of employment, relocation, physical or mental health problems, or the break-up of a family. Here, as elsewhere, the pandemic was a precipitating factor: many ECHO clients became unemployed when the hospitality and service sectors were decimated.
So, ECHO offers assistance with a utility bill as the cut-off date nears, support for monthly rent when a client loses a job, clothing for an upcoming interview, a gas gift card that lets an employee get to and from a job, essential housewares for a new apartment, and food for a family who has no other resources – assistance that can make the critical difference.
