Octoberfest!!
Carpenter's Shelter's annual Octoberfest Online Auction opens for bids THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8TH at 12am midnight and runs through Friday, October 22nd.
Participants will have two full weeks to bid high, bid often and make a difference at Carpenter's Shelter! All funds raised during Octoberfest go toward serving the more than 600 children, women, and men experiencing homelessness who receive services from Carpenter's Shelter annually.
So... what do you have to look forward to? For those looking for luxury, we have week-long tropical vacations, exciting trips in the United States, and tickets to lots of local sites you've been dying to go to! We have concert and museum passes, brewery tours, and plently of fun activites for the entire family! And so much more...
We have local Alexandria artwork, gift baskets stuffed to the brim with goodies, treats for your furry friends. With our largest selection of items EVER, there's something for everyone to choose from! Start your holiday shopping this week at our Octoberfest Online Auction!
What will YOU bid on? Check out the full list of auction items here. And make sure to mark your calenders for Friday, October 8th when the bidding begins!!
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Job Coaching: Unlocking Potential
Mr. K works on a resume with his Job Coach, Kathy Brown
Mr. K has his eyes on the future and he knows the right job can be a big part of his path forward. He is grateful for the Job Coaching program at Carpenter's Shelter. He recently sat down with volunteer Job Coach, Kathy Brown. "We put together a resume and she worked with me on how to talk about my skills and experience to employers. It was really helpful!"
Kathy Brown has been volunteering at Carpenter's Shelter as a Job Coach since 2017. She is available to meet weekly one-on-one with residents to help them with resumes, applications, interview attire, and prepping for interviews, especially figuring out how to answer the tough questions. "I love being a part of someone's process of self-discovery. We start by identifying their skills and interests, and oftentimes, residents are a little surprised about how many skills and interests they actually have. I try to be very encouraging and build their confidence. I've met a lof of wonderful people through the years at Carpenter's Shelter."
A computer lab was incorporated into the shelter's new building which provides the perfect location for job coaching sessions. High speed internet is available for residents to continue their search after meeting with their Job Coach.
After working with Kathy, Mr. K and his Case Manager sent his resume out to multiple potential employers. He has experience in construction and served as an apprentice to an electrician. "I am a very positive person so I am hopeful I will get something soon!"
Board Hub
Featuring our award-winning Board of Directors
Today's Guest: Edith Bullard
 Edith Bullard is the Director of Communications at ACLU of Virginia. She has served on the Board since 2015 and is currently our Board Chair.
What brought you to Carpenter's Shelter? My first exposure to the Shelter was when I worked for a marketing agency that did pro bono work for the Shelter. We did everything from annual reports, end of year mailers, to videos and some media outreach. I’ve always been impressed by the commitment and passion shown by the staff and volunteers of Carpenter’s Shelter, and the Shelter’s reputation and regard in the community. Plus I have the fortune of working with a really great board that is equally committed to the success of the Shelter, but more importantly to finding permanent housing solutions for the children, women, and men that we serve.
What are you most proud of? The Carpenter’s Shelter board is great group of men and women committed to eradicating homelessness. I’m proud that in adopting the bold vision of wanting to eradicate homelessness we realized that we needed to be bold and try new and different approaches. To that end the Board has taken on issues that have not always been easy – like launching the Capital campaign, committing to the re-development of the Shelter, tackling the issues of racial equity, and more. Additionally, the Board has looked for new approaches that can help us better serve our clients, staff, and community. The newly established Innovation Committee is comprised of a group that are looking forward to solutions and approaches that have not been tried before.
I’m also proud of the great relationship that the Board has with Shannon Steene, our Executive Director, and the whole Carpenter’s Shelter team. I think it is a relationship built on trust, transparency, and honesty. There is so much passion and energy among board members to really make a difference in serving people who are homeless in ways that address root problems and not just the symptoms. Yes we need to be able to provide shelter, but we hope that one day our solutions and partnerships may prevent people from ever needing to come into Shelter.
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Ten Carpenter's Shelter residents were thrilled to receive MacBooks donated by Brazen Technologies! Residents reported a variety of uses for the laptops including job and housing searches and connecting with family and friends. Kierra L. (below) was especially thrilled, "I plan to use my MacBook to create a website to sell my homemade soaps and lotions."
Courtney Washington
Jackie Bostick started as a Shelter Monitor in April 2020 and was recently hired as a Housing Stabilization Case Manager. Jackie received her Master's degree from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2021.
ShaKim Holland-Deskins 
Current Needs: