N Street Village Renovates Flagship Space to Enhance its Support for Women Experienc ing Homelessness in DC

N STREET VILLAGE RENOVATES FLAGSHIP SPACE TO ENHANCE ITS SUPPORT FOR WOMEN

EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN DC By Heather Mandelkehr

NStreet Village, a Junior League of Washington (JLW) community partner, was founded in 1972 to supply what its founders perceived as a gap in coverage for women experiencing homelessness in the Washington, DC, area. More than four decades later, N Street Village remains committed to providing housing, food, wellness, and other support for unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness.

While each of N Street Village’s five locations focuses on a discrete element of support, the flagship N Street Village location (at 1333 N Street NW) offers numerous resources to support basic needs. Amenities at this site include supportive housing, meals, clothing, showers, and laundry, as well as resources for health care, social support, and wellness. N Street Village’s commitment to the homeless does not stop, with a day center available 365 days per year.

JLW has partnered with N Street Village for nearly 30 years. Twice a month, JLW volunteers prepare breakfast or lunch and serve meals as a group to N Street Village residents. JLW volunteers also chat with residents during the meal and lead them in an activity after meal service has concluded. Recent popular activities have included get-to-knowyou games and “paint-by-sticker” art projects. During the 2018–2019 year, N Street Village was selected as JLW Placement of the Year for updates to its programming and the impact provided by League volunteers.

The flagship location, where JLW members volunteer, recently underwent substantial renovations, which renovated supportive housing units, expanded the day

N Street Village’s renovated dining area provides a clean, bright, and inviting space for residents to enjoy meals and participate in activities coordinated by JLW volunteers. (Photo provided by N Street Village)

AMENITIES AT THIS SITE INCLUDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, MEALS, CLOTHING, SHOWERS, AND LAUNDRY, AS WELL AS RESOURCES FOR HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND WELLNESS.

N STREET VILLAGE LAUNCHED ITS KEEPING OUR PROMISE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IN 2013, WITH A GOAL OF RAISING $9 MILLION. THREE YEARS LATER, N STREET VILLAGE MADE HEADLINES WHEN OPRAH WINFREY VISITED N STREET VILLAGE’S ANNUAL LUNCHEON AND ANNOUNCED A SURPRISE $1 MILLION DONATION TO THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

N Street Village’s renovations sought to further fulfill the Village’s pillars of providing “traumainformed care” and a welcome with dignity and respect (photo provided by N Street Village).

center, created additional spaces for health and wellness services, and ensured building systems could be updated to continue to support future growth.

According to N Street Village’s leadership and staff, in planning for and executing renovations, they sought to further two pillars of the organization’s mission: “trauma-informed care” and a welcome with dignity and respect.

To N Street Village, these two principles mean meeting each woman where she is, without passing judgment. N Street staff were excited to work with designers and engineers to ensure these pillars guided renovation decisions, from emphasizing natural light to adding a new front desk and creating quiet spaces throughout the building.

To fund its renovations and provide an emergency fund for future maintenance, N Street Village launched its Keeping Our Promise capital campaign in 2013, with a goal of raising $9 million. Three years later, N Street Village made headlines when Oprah Winfrey visited N Street Village’s annual luncheon and announced a surprise $1 million donation to the capital campaign. Winfrey’s donation was added to the many other donations given by an overwhelmingly positive community, including additional ‘above-and-beyond gifts,’ as well as hundreds of smaller donations. As a result of this generosity, N Street Village was not only able to complete fundraising and renovations without a lag in program support, but also to expand its offerings and services. A vocational center and workforce development classes help prepare more N Street Village women for the workforce.

Reconstruction to N Street Village’s kitchen and dining area resulted in wellequipped, clean, bright, and inviting spaces where volunteers and residents work together to set up and clean up the meals. This, in turn, has enhanced JLW volunteers’ experience and support of the organization.

N Street Village Vice Chair, Kelsey Sullivan, said the renovated space “allows us to spend more time with the residents and less time prepping or cleaning up—we really get to focus on what we are there for and not get bogged down with more of the ‘administrative’ aspects of serving a meal, which is great.” •