January e-News

Home for the holidays!

A small mircle happend this past holiday season, some hard to house invidiuals celebrated in their new homes!

So while we had much to celebrate this holiday season like a brand-new industrial kitchen, a true classroom, a computer room with multiple screens, a library, and a wonderfully quiet outdoor courtyard and a secure playground. What we are really thankful for, are our Permanent Supportive Housing units, a solution to chronic homelessness. 

Chronic homelessness is a term used to describe people who have experienced homelessness for at least a year — or have repeatedly been housed and then have become homeless again. This happens because the person is struggling with a disabling condition such as: serious mental illness, substance abuse, or a physical disability. Carpenter's Shelter has always been on the lookout to help these individuals and this year we were able to help in that area.

By adding ten of these type apartments to the affordable housing in the top five floors of the building, we have moved ten hard-to-house people home for the holidays! These 10 people had been with Carpenter’s for long periods of time – 9 years on average. They had many things contributing to their extended homelessness and had (in some cases) been through the “system” several times. In short, they needed help. Our permanent supportive housing units became their long-term solution and we will work with them to stably maintain it. This new field of care is part of the shelter's new set of solutions as we embark on our new phase

So, although we’re turning the page to a new chapter, our story is long from being over. We're always looking to improve our service and our response and with these new units being made available we're already seeing good things happen. The feelings around the shelter this holiday season are already looking more positive, Michael Shields our Permanent Supportive Housing Case Manager stated "It's with great joy that we offer these new units to some of our men and women and I am already seeing positive results from our ability to offer them". 

We couldn’t do this without you! With your help and with the help of all of our neighbors we know that we can end homelessness and provide help for those who ask for it. 

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 ...And Counting!

Carpenter’s Shelter Welcomes 2021

Carpenter’s Shelter welcomed in the New Year with many successful end of the year campaigns! We had an astonishing number of donations - so many families and individuals from all across the United States gave to Carpenter’s this holiday season. Thank you to everyone who helped end the year with a bang and to those who gave during 2020!

A special thanks to our new donors, who gave for the first time this holiday season! We adorned a Christmas tree with the notes that individuals sent in, wishing our residents a happy holiday season, and it helped fill our building with a little more joy.

If you or someone you know is interested in giving, please learn more at www.carpentersshelter.org/give or contact Sienna Brown if you’d like to help in some way!

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Winter Shelter is Open

Each year Carpenter's Shelter opens its doors to help those who are homeless live through the coldest and hardest months of inclement weather! 

Carpenter's Shelter got it's start on a cold February night when Father Thomas Anthony Casey who was the pastor of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Braddock Rd. found a homeless man sleeping on the church steps as well as another holed up in his old car, it was a very cold night and Father Casey decided to help them out. He invited them into the church and the rest is history.

Typically, Winter Shelter runs from when the first subzero temps appear, usually mid to late January, through to the end of May. But this year it was decided that it would be best to open the shelter doors to the hardest clients to engage, those who wish to sleep outdoors for various reasons, starting from November 1st to April 30th due to the pandemic.

Denise Ziegler, Winter Shelter Coordinator began meeting with city  officials  at the end of October. Denise organizes the supplies and the resources so that when the doors open those who need shelter will find a warm and welcoming place.  

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Did you get Gift Cards You Won't Use?

It's that time of year... that  "awe it's over" time of year. You may have gotten some gift cards you don't know what to do with, a store you don't shop in, or for things you never buy. Put them to good use and donate them to Carpenter's Shelter.

Gift Cards are always a tremendous help to our clients, especially during these winter months. Gift card donations can be made in person or by mail to:

Quick Calendar

January 19th: Volunteer Orientation! Please join us for our monthly volunteer orientation. If you would like to attend, join our Community Relations Manager Jamila Smith between 6:00-7:00 pm on Zoom by clicking here.

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A few last-minute Donations and
a big Thank you to all who gave this Holiday Season!

Before Christmas Carpenter's received 100's of donations and we are grateful to all of you who took the time to send us your support! We can't do this alone and we are blessed to be in such a caring and wonderful community, here are a few of the donations we received:

Jamila Smith accepts a donation from Mark Paepcke of the Public Health Accreditation Board

Steven Valley accepts a donation from Celestine Brown of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

Shannon Steene accepts a donation from Jennifer Johannesburg and Eli Cole of Home Depot, Reston Virginia

New Staff Member!

We welcome back a long- standing member of the Carpenter's Team!

Denise Ziegler
Winter Shelter Coordinator

Denise started with Carpenter's eight years ago as a Monitor and worked her way up to be an assistant Winter Shelter Mgr. Prior to joining Carpenter's, Denise worked for a Women's Shelter, she has an AA in Business Admin and BS in Criminal Justice from Strayer University. 

Welcome back Denise!

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Here are a few
items that we need!

We always are in need of items to help our clients time here in shelter and in their new homes. Here are a few of those items: