Organization - Friends Of The Falls Church Homeless Shelter

The mission of the Friends of the Falls Church Homeless Shelter, Inc. is to better the lives of single adults who are experiencing homelessness in the Falls Church area by providing temporary shelter and other services and assisting these individuals to access permanent affordable housing and/or services needed to maintain a stable housing environment.

Description:
Emergency housing for the homeless in Falls Church is in critically short supply, especially in the winter months. In 1995, a group formed an Advisory Board, the “Friends” to address this need. The Falls Church Winter Homeless Shelter began operations in January 1996, as part of the Falls Church Community Services Council (FCS). The Friends, in partnership with New Hope Housing, manage and operate the Shelter. In FY2009, the Friends became an independent corporation and were designated a 501(C)3 organization. Incorporation as a separate entity enabled the Friends to expand its services at the Shelter and become more active in providing additional services to assist individuals who are experiencing homelessness in the Falls Church area access permanent affordable housing and/or services needed to maintain a stable housing environment.

Since 1996, the Winter Shelter has operated from December 1st to March 31st, providing a warm bed, meals, and counseling to individuals in the Falls Church area unable to find shelter. The facility is located at 217 Gordon Road in the City of Falls Church. It is open each day of the season between 6:00pm and 8:00am.

Beginning in December 2009 the Friends contracted a part-time Case Manager, through New Hope Housing, to help Winter Shelter residents year-round. The Friends also established a Resident Assistance Fund to help residents meet their goals.

The Friends have also been active in Housing First. From October 2008 to May 2010, the Friends, in partnership with New Hope Housing, placed a former resident of the Shelter, who had been chronically homeless, in a local studio apartment. The Friends subsidized her rent and New Hope provided case management services.

The Friends of the Falls Church Homeless Shelter takes pride in being a grass roots organization. The Board of Directors is composed of volunteers and is responsible for overall management of the operations, recruiting volunteers, fundraising, and contracting for shelter operations and with the City of Falls Church for the facility and meeting City guidelines. Approximately 80% of the funds required to run the Shelter has come from private sources, including individuals, faith communities, businesses, schools, and foundations.

The Friends utilize over 200 volunteers to cook and deliver a hot evening meal and breakfast, to provide food staples and other supplies, to help staff and maintain the Shelter, and to oversee operations, and to do fundraising and community education. Many of our volunteers come from area faith communities.

Contact person: Kimberley Lamon-Loperfido, Secretary, (email)

Address:

Friends Of Falls Church Homeless Shelter, Inc. P.O. Box 6979 Falls Church, VA 22046 (See a map)

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: East Falls Church