Community Service means providing a service to an organization which serves the community for no pay. Community Service Volunteers help in many different ways. Here are some examples:

• Helping in an organization’s office with filing, phones, mailings, or data entry

• Helping an organization with bake sales or yard sales

• Distributing flyers

• Cleaning up parks, public areas, schools

• Working with children

• Coaching a team

• Tutoring

• Visiting in nursing homes or hospitals

• Caring for animals at an animal shelter

• Helping at neighborhood community centers

Community Service can be a highly rewarding experience. In addition to helping others, Community Service provides participants with opportunities to develop their skills and interests and to develop contacts with people who could possibly serve as references when participants look for employment or enroll in educational programs.

Public Housing leaseholders and all other household members who are age 18 to 61 ARE REQUIRED to perform Community Service if they meet all the following criteria:

• Are Unemployed
• Do not have a disability
• Not taking classes or in school
• Not involved in a formal vocational program
• Not a participant of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program

The following household members ARE NOT REQUIRED to participate:

• Residents age 62 and older
• Individuals who have a disability
• Individuals who are the primary caretaker of a family member with a disability
• Residents who are working
• Member of a household receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) through the Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS)
• Residents participating in a formally recognized vocational, “Welfare-to-Work” Program or the Family Self-Sufficiency Program
• Residents who are taking a class or who are in school

If you believe you are exempt from the Community Service Requirements, please complete a Community Service Requirement Waiver and enclose one of the letters or documents listed below. This form needs to be completed and sent to: Community Service, Housing Opportunities Commission, 3930 Knowles Avenue, Suite 206, Kensington, MD 20895.

• SSI (Supplemental Security Income) Letter
• SSDI (Social Security Disability Income) Letter
• Social Security Letter
• Letter from the FSS (Family Self-Sufficiency) Program
• Letter from a vocational program verifying participation
• Letter from an educational program verifying participation
• Copy of a pay stub or letter from employer
• Verification of legal blindness
• Verification by family member that resident is the primary care giver for a legally blind person or person with a disability.

Yes. Parents of young children still must volunteer eight (8) hours of Community Service each month, even if there are other adults in the household who are working. Please note that you are responsible for making your own childcare arrangements, however there are some volunteer opportunities for families with young children.

You might be providing Community Service already! Do you help out at a school, camp or hospital, at the Public Housing site where you reside, or at a place of worship, such as a church? The hours you help out could count toward your Community Service. (Note: If you help out at a place of worship, activities pertaining directly to religious worship, such as singing in the choir or serving as a deacon, are not considered Community Service. Activities which serve the entire community, such as helping with charitable events, in a nursery program, or with the administration or maintenance of the building are considered Community Service.)

PLEASE NOTE: Community Service must be done under the auspices of an organization. Cleaning-up one’s neighborhood or a local park or helping a neighbor with chores or errands does not count as Community Service unless performed for a specific organization which can verify your service.

See Ways to Volunteer

Yes. Participation in the activities below can count towards your monthly hours:

• Participation in a Resident Association or Home Owners Association

• Participation in a class, such as English language or computer training

• Participation in an Employment Support Group

• Attendance at an educational workshop or lecture

• Attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings

You are required to provide eight (8) hours of Community Service each month.

You can make-up missed hours during the following months. Each year, at your Public Housing Re-Certification, you must be able to show that all the adult household members required to perform community service have completed all their hours. If everyone does not complete the hours, your household could lose its eligibility for Public Housing.

If you are unable to do your community service hours for a month or longer due to a medical problem or hospitalization, send a letter from your doctor to the Community Service office (Community Service, HOC, 3930 Knowles Ave., #206, Kensington, MD 20895). The letter must indicate how long you will be unable to work. You will be excused from Community Service hours during the period of time indicated on the doctor’s letter.

Fill out a Community Service Quarterly Report form. It covers a three month period. You will need to list the name of the organization you are volunteering at, the dates and the number of hours you volunteered each month. Your volunteer supervisor from the organization must sign the form, as well. If you fulfill hours by attending a class, workshop, or group, or by “on-the-job” training, identify the nature of the activity, location and have the instructor, group leader or supervisor sign in place of the volunteer supervisor. Mail the form at the end of the three months and a new one will be sent to you.

Call the Housing Opportunities Commission Community Service Line at (240) 773-9394 or call your Resident Counselor.