Opening of Hope House

“That's what St. Ann's does, and that's what Hope House is.

It's a physical sign of hope."

- Cardinal Wuerl at the Blessing of Hope House

(December 7th, 2013)

On December 7th, 2013, friends, family and supporters of St. Ann’s gathered in the chapel for a very special prayer service. After a year of transformation and renewal, St. Ann’s had welcomed the first family into our newest transitional living program, Hope House. Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, delivered a poignant blessing over the new space and for the many families that will heal, strengthen and grow within its walls.

From Faith House to Hope House

This year we expanded our transitional housing program with the opening of Hope House, a new housing unit for homeless single mothers and their children. Our new Hope House residents will have access to a comprehensive continuum of care that not only addresses their immediate housing and living needs, but also prepares them for a career, stable family life, and confident future.

Residents will receive:

• Employment counseling and career planning
• Financial literacy education
• Affordable child care
• Parenting education and support
• Life skills classes
• Supportive counseling
• Case management

A Home for Christmas

By Christmas Eve, we had already welcomed two additional formerly homeless families - two mothers and three children - into Hope House. Before entering Hope House, each of these families had been living in a constant state of fear and insecurity. They often did not know where they would lay their head at night or find their next meal, let alone how they would pay for Christmas gifts for their children.

Because of Hope House, these families now have a home where they can begin to heal from their past and start gaining the skills, confidence and support to help them transition to independence.

A Special Thank You

We could not have opened this new chapter in St. Ann’s history without the continued generosity, advocacy and support of St. Ann’s community.

We are particularly grateful to Scott Bell and the members of Chesapeake Finishing, Inc., who donated their time, expertise and building materials to complete the renovation of the new living space.

The generous support of Mission and Ministries, Inc. (a foundation that supports the work of Daughters of Charity), St. John Neumann Church in Reston, VA, made it possible for us to hire critical staff members to provide loving care to our Hope House families.

The generosity of the TJX Foundation, Holy Trinity Church in NW Washington, DC, and the attendees of our 2013 Nightlight and Happy Hour events helped us to furnish the new bedrooms, living rooms, and dining spaces. Finally, the new kitchens were stocked with supplies from many volunteers from parishes and congregations in our community.