JHP OPENS A NEW SHELTER:
GREATER SERVICES FOR DC’S HOMELESS FAMILIES

In late January, JHP won a contract to establish and operate a brand-new shelter for homelessfamilies. Our new facility is called the Naylor Road Program, named for its location in Southeast DC. We are already at full capacity with 28 families—32 adults and 54 children. Each family has its own apartment, with private kitchen and bath. We are proud to offer 24-hour care with wraparound services including: extended weekday and weekend case management hours that accommodate our client’s work schedules, guest speakers on life-skills topics, and community meetings to build camaraderie and accountability among residents.

In the near future, we will begin a volunteer tutoring program for the children, group counseling and discussion groups, recreational activities such as exercise and arts and crafts, and financial literacy training with mandatory savings plans for all residents. The Naylor Road Program (NRP)’s holistic approach to poverty alleviation addresses immediate issues such as the need for food, shelter, and clothing, but it also addresses the underlying issues of structural violence and cyclical poverty that propel patterns of generational homelessness or push families into first time homelessness. Like our other programs, NRP is employment focused, requiring all clients who are able to actively seek employment and meaningful activity. We maintain that employment and steady income act as catalysts for changing destructive habits into the responsible behaviors necessary for long term success.