About the Nonprofit
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The mission of Good Shepherd Housing is to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self-sufficiency. For 50 years, Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services (GSH) has supported families and individuals at risk of homelessness or who are homeless in moving to complete housing stability and self-sufficiency. Our innovative services-enhanced housing and services have improved the housing stability and life outcomes of hundreds of struggling households. GSH serves clients who are working but need help to afford market-rate rent by buying condominiums and renting them at an affordable price. We set our rent at an affordable price for a family whose income is at least 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or about $45,000/year for a family of four. The $1,250 - $1,350 GSH monthly rent is the maximum rent for a family at 30% AMI, so the family will not be rent-burdened. Our residents need affordable housing and case management to get back on their feet and provide healthy homes for themselves and their children.
Our program goals are to 1.) Rent affordable housing with supportive services; 2.) Ensure that families in short-term crises can stay in their housing; and 3.) Maintain an active interest in clients’ welfare and provide programs to enhance their independence. With a singular focus on reducing and ending homelessness, GSH transforms the lives of struggling low-income households (mainly 30% to 50% of the Area Median Income) and helps them to achieve housing stability and self-sufficiency.
Through our Affordable Homes & Services for the Community (HOMES) program, we achieve our mission by providing these low-income working households with affordable rental housing (one of the 119 properties managed or owned by GSH). We then support them with case management services with a targeted focus on budgeting and financial management. Working with these households, primarily female-headed families (83% of our residents), our housing program addresses and advances the self-sufficiency and housing stability of over 140 households every year (where 276 adults and 102 school-aged children and youth live in our rental housing).
Through our Emergency Services Program, we prevent homelessness for low-income families residing in southern Fairfax County, Virginia. The program assists families and individuals with a one-time financial grant to help pay rental arrears or past due utility bills, thereby preventing evictions and utility disconnections. Our homeless prevention ES Program keeps 300+ households from homelessness every year.
For our Children's Resources Program, we assist over 100 school-aged children and youth residing in our housing with scholarships so that they’ll be able to attend after-school activities, summer camps, and receive educational support and backpacks filled with needed school supplies.
In January 2023, we launched our innovative “Career Power” program providing intensive career counseling and case management services to the 16-24-year-olds living in our housing ensuring they remain on a path to have a high-quality job by the time they are 30.
