Volunteers Make Difference For Route 1 Nonprofit New Hope Housing

MOUNT VERNON, VA — Addressing homelessness is the main goal of New Hope Housing, a nonprofit that runs several homeless shelters in Northern Virginia and other services. But that work wouldn't be possible without the support of volunteers.

Volunteers got recognition for their contributions to New Hope Housing at the Lyon Park Community Center last week. Executive director Ashley McSwain called volunteers "the lifeblood of nonprofits" like New Hope Housing, which runs Fairfax County's Bailey's Shelter and Eleanor U. Kennedy Shelter and Arlington's Residential Program Center Shelter among other programs.

Director of community engagement Liza Feiler distributed New Hope Housing keychains to volunteers, which she called a "symbol of a successful volunteer program." In the same way, New Hope Housing clients receive the keychains when they complete programs.

Individual volunteers and organizations were recognized for helping New Hope Housing's mission.

One of the individuals recognized was Quenton Rodgers, a new volunteer who has volunteered multiple times for Max's Place, a group home serving disabled adults called Max’s Place. Rodgers has helped with maintenance and cleaning the yard as well as resume-building workshops with help from his wife and daughter, Colette and Paris. He also developed an eight-week wellness curriculum that begins this fall at two homeless shelters.

Maanvi Patoir, a yoga instructor who holds classes at the Residential Program Center Shelter in Arlington made a big difference to one client, Ms. Jessamin. After class, Jessamin shared her struggles with several strokes that required regular physical therapy. Jessamin said the yoga classes provided her with exercise and personal connection when living at the shelter, and she now continues them living at her own housing.

Ben Benita, the DC representative for nonprofit Super Soul Party, works to provide a safe space for people experiencing homelessness. Benita and friends hosted a Superbowl party doubling as a birthday party for a guest at the Residential Program Center Shelter in Arlington with a meal, party snacks, goodie bags, cake, presents and more.

Brad Gillespie was recognized for hosting a men's group at the Eleanor U.
Kennedy Shelter in Fort Belvoir for the past several months. The men's group allows men to discuss topics in a safe space, and clients have shared how important it was to open up and get advice from peers. The success of the program led the Eleanor U.Kennedy Shelter team to seek a women's group. Gillespie previously did similar work volunteering in a prison.

Jenny Roellke was honored for leading Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics
Anonymous meetings at the Residential Program Center Shelter in Arlington for the past year. Roellke shows up early to talk with residents before the meeting and encourage them to speak, as she understands it can be difficult to attend. She has also gotten to know several residents outside meetings to provide additional help and bakes cookies every week for meetings.

Volunteers from Summit Church were also recognized for their work over the last six years. The volunteers have been providing dinners, hosting bingo, and serving when needed. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Summit Church volunteers provided hundreds of bagged meals for

several months to deliver to shelter residents isolating or quarantining in hotels. This summer, they deep-cleaned the Residential Program Center Shelter in Arlington.

People. Animals. Love., a nonprofit, was honored for bringing dogs to the Residential Program Center Shelter in Arlington and Bailey's Shelter over the last two years. Clients were happy to play with the dogs, a form of healing therapy for them.

Hilton Arlington National Landing was named the Community Champion for hosting the "Over The Edge" fundraising event for two years. The event features supporters rappelling down the side of the hotel to raise funds for New Hope Housing. Both events raised more than $400,000, and Hilton also donated rooms, event space, food and drink for VIP night, and more. Hilton staff have also volunteered at New Hope Housing locations, helped clean streets through the Adopt-A-Highway program, provided home-cooked meals, hosted an ice cream social, and donated towels and linens.