Collaboration is key to our work at Good Shepherd Housing. (In fact, we embody these principles in our mission statement.) I can point to a recent, and very successful, example of collaboration in our partnership with HomeAID Northern Virginia, a nonprofit organization supported by the local homebuilding community and dedicated to renovating homeless shelters and homes.

Some years back, Good Shepherd purchased two 30-year-old townhouse units in Lorton. Since then, both of these have provided safe and suitable housing to our client families. At the same time, the units were beginning to show their age—especially in the roofs for both units and in the exterior fencing and interior railings at one of the units.

HomeAID Northern Virginia was able to help us with needed renovations for these units. Through its alliance with John Darvish Contruction, an Ashburn-based roofing contractor, we were able to have the two roofs replaced over a period of two days.

In addition, another HomeAID participant, CarrHomes, a Fairfax-based home builder, replaced the interior stair and guard railings, making both extra secure for our tenants. CarrHomes also helped to replace an exterior fence, which had been in much disrepair for some time. Take a look at the photo of our spanking new fence!



Finally, Piedmont Energy Analysis conducted an energy audit on the two units. We hope to take its recommendations on energy efficiency to the next level by replacing the windows with thicker and stronger glass.

It was through the efforts and generosity of HomeAID Northern Virginia— through what was a great collaborative effort with its home builders and contractors—that our tenants have better and more fit accomodations. We thank them for their work. We can only hope that future partnerships with nonprofit organizations like HomeAID Northern Virginia will materialize.

I attend many events every month. After so many, it gets difficult for any given one to stand out over time. And then there is the Catalogue for Philanthropy's annual launch event - - wow!

Join the Team! 

This weekend Art at the Center hosted a community art event for families supported by Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services. Children and families gathered at the studio to create artwork around the theme of dreams for their home and community.

by: David Levine

Yesterday was a special, but maybe not so special, day at Good Shepherd. It was the first of the month. As if by cue, the phones rang off the hook. People were calling for help with a rent payment or utility bill. They knew the first of the month is when we are flush with assistance money—if only for a week or so, until the money allocated for the month runs out.

We know the statistics are grim for our community. Not a day passes where we don’t read about our deteriorating social condition—that the national poverty rate is at its highest level in 11 years; that 1 in 4 children in Washington, DC, live in poverty; or that nearly 7 percent of Virginians received food stamps last year.

These statistics show one side of the issue. For want of a better word, these statistics tell us the “demand-side” of the problem. They say more people are in need, often a very dire need for food and shelter. It is what we know is true. You only need to visit the Good Shepherd office on the first day of the month.

On the flip side, these statistics don’t depict the “supply-side” of the problem. The supply-side tells us how much affordable housing has been created. The supply-side numbers say we are solving homelessness by providing the needy with housing.

Here again, the statistics look grim. According to one housing provider, since 2003, 3 million units of affordable housing have been lost to condominium conversions or market-rate rental upgrades. Part of the problem has been the loss of profits at banks and at the two housing government-sponsored agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These entities used to play a large role in the creation of affordable housing (mainly through their purchases of low-income tax credits). Part of it, too, may be NIMBYism and severe local budget constraints.

Whatever the reason, at a time when need is growing, it is clear additional affordable housing resources are not growing in sync with the need. At Good Shepherd we do are best to increase the affordable rental housing stock—but we are just one part of the answer to addressing the need.

Emergency shelters, transitional housing, and economic crisis, oh my!

We have a Guest Blogger from Bethany House today: Jennifer Wassermann, Development Associate, Bethany House of Northern Virginia

In a world where 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence¹and 1 in 4 Fairfax County families cite domestic violence as their reason for homelessness², it is no wonder emergency shelters like Bethany House of Northern Virginia (BHNV) are perpetually full and in need of more space to serve families in crisis

The economic crisis that is facing the nation severely impacted the transitional housing and affordable housing markets. More families on the brink of homelessness placed a greater demand on transitional housing programs - a demand the transitional housing programs were not fully prepared to meet. As a result, there existed significant waiting lists for families hoping to move into transitional housing units. The consequence for BHNV was we were unable to move our families into transitional housing units (like Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services) in the expected time frame. BHNV made the decision to hold onto our families until space became available rather than risk the families becoming homeless. BHNV's emergency shelters remained at capacity throughout the year, nevertheless, BHNV was able to serve fewer families overall.

BHNV works together with organizations like Good Shepherd Housing to meet the needs of people in crisis and help them rebuild their lives. During this time, collaboration between nonprofits continues to be crucial. BHNV provides services for four to six months and prepares families for the next step, but without nonprofits like Good Shepherd Housing our families won’t have anywhere to step toward the future. Emergency shelter and transitional housing go hand in hand.

As much needed funds are poured into transitional housing, let’s not forget about the emergency shelters who prepare families for transitional housing. Victims of domestic violence do not plan to be victims and need time to recover from the trauma before jumping into transitional housing. Just as our bodies need rest and food, so it is with meeting the needs of families in crisis. Emergency shelters will always be needed just like transitional housing programs will always be needed – both are vital.

BHNV provides safe housing and comprehensive support services to women and children who are homeless and destitute as a result of domestic violence. BHNV was started over 30 years again by Doris Ward who saw the struggles faced by victims of abuse: a long wait through courts, limited resources, and a lack of safe shelter. You can visit the website at www.bhnv.org or the blog at www.bhnv.wordpress.com.

¹2005 CDC Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey

2 Point in Time Survey, prepared by the Community Planning Group of the Continuum of Care, Fairfax County, Fairfax/Falls Church, Virginia, March 31, 2008.

I can safely say I've become a seasoned veteran at Good Shepherd! Although I joined GSH just a little over 3 weeks ago, I have met a number of our clients. It has been a rewarding and eye-opening experience. Many are people who have experienced catastrophic events - job loss, chronic health problems, or the death of a family breadwinner. As a result of these or other difficult events, many of these people have witnessed the same outcome, the loss of steady income and housing. If nothing else, I learned from my work here at GSH that the precariousness of life is real.

I thought about one person whom GSH helped. An MBA degree holder, she was an Army veteran injured in the first Iraqi war, the Desert Storm campaign. After the war, she developed many health issues, including several related to her vision, and was soon unable to hold down a job. So a difficult spiral followed, where she had mounting medical bills and falling income. It is a story sadly repeated time and again. Nearly ten percent of all Virginians, some 739,000 people, live below the federal poverty line. That number measures the size of the problem. At the same time, this number never really tells you how they got there in the first place.

by: Shannon

By Karen Jupiter