The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc. 
Emergency Homeless Shelter

Providing Unconditional Love to People Living in Crisis

Who Are the Homeless?
Homelessness in Loudoun County has been on the rise for ten years.  A growing shortage of affordable housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty are mainly to blame.  

Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked.  Low-income people struggle to pay for housing, groceries, childcare, health care, and education.  Imagine the difficulty of choosing between these necessities when limited resources will not cover them all.  Often it is the rent payment that must be eliminated.  Being poor equates to being an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets.  

Loudoun County’s lack of affordable housing and high cost of living mean that many homeless people are actually working full time or have only recently lost their job. Some people move into the county for a better paying job only to find out that they cannot afford housing.  Others experience job layoffs, divorce, drug or alcohol abuse or other trauma that leave them with insufficient resources to pay rent.  Many come to the shelter struggling with mental health issues or are veterans with a medical disability.

Homelessness inevitably contributes to serious health problems.  Illnesses that are closely associated with poverty – tuberculosis, AIDS and malnutrition ravage the homeless population.  Health problems that exist subtly at other income levels such as alcoholism, mental illness, diabetes, hypertension, and physical disability are prominent in the population living on the streets.  People without shelter fall prey to parasites, frostbite, infection, and violence.  

Who Cares for the Homeless?
The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc. (GSA) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) Christian organization that has been providing walk-in emergency shelter, food, clothing, transportation, and counseling for the homeless of Loudoun County, Virginia since 1983.  GSA received its state certificate of incorporation in 1991.  GSA Board Members are local volunteers committed to maintaining a prominent Christian emergency homeless shelter in Loudoun County.  The Board, working with the Executive Director, coordinates the use of volunteers, applies for state and federal grants, and solicits donations in an effort to build community awareness of homeless issues in Loudoun County.  

GSA has begun to develop critical programming to meet the needs of many of the non-served homeless, including an innovative street outreach program that will touch those living on the street and not fortunate enough to receive emergency housing.  Our Six Stage Development Model  assesses the needs (sick, abused, hurt, unloved and powerless) of homeless people and attempts to engage them in accessing support services such as shelter, clothes, and food, financial, legal and medical aid.

We receive homeless men, women and children from social services, police departments, mental health, Dulles International Airport (political refugees), hospital emergency rooms, drug and abuse treatment facilities and churches referrals at all times of the day and night.

Currently GSA manages an 18 bed emergency walk-in women’s and family shelter in Lucketts, a 13 bed men’s shelter in Ashburn and a homeless drop-in center in Leesburg (8 additional cots).  GSA is the very important first step in the continuous process of transitioning our homeless residents back into the mainstream workforce.  In addition to addressing the basic needs for emergency housing, food, clothing and transportation, GSA makes use of an individual’s time at the shelter to help them become stable enough to live on their own.  The homeless often come from dysfunctional families and unconsciously carry on unforgiving behavior. Our staff members attempt to instruct these families that through the act of forgiving, we can put an end to the cycle of hurting behavior caused and maintained by previous generations of the family.   Each individual is focused on securing permanent housing in the community and becoming self-sufficient.   Safety Conferences are held with our new guests to determine what stage they are at when they register.

Calendar Year	Men 	Women	Children	School Children	Total Served	Bed nights	Meals	
2004	115	52	27	7	194	9,054	22,635	
2003	133	38	   9	 9	180	 5,922	14,805	
2002 	135	67	100	71	302	13,455	33,638	
2001	141	89	97	62	327	12,406	31,015	
2000	116	89	95	67	300	11,941	29,853	
1999	  71	83	87	60	241	12,050	30,125	
1998	  60	68	62	40	190	8,239	20,598	

The Good Shepherd emergency homeless program offers short-term (30-89 days) seven-days-a-week emergency shelters for men, women and children who are temporarily homeless and who need assistance establishing relationships with other non-profits, county and business community services.  On a typical day, Good Shepherd houses 30 men, women and children in safe, comfortable, home-style quarters surrounded by caring staff members who maintain a loving environment.  As a temporary shelter, residents must agree to seek permanent housing and must be employed or actively seeking employment.  Residents must also abide by a strict set of rules, including a 10 p.m. curfew and a prohibition on alcohol, drugs and weapons. To help prepare our guests for life after the shelter and to develop the discipline of saving, residents are also required to place a percentage of their income in an escrow account maintained by The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc. Groceries are provided through the support of individual donations, neighboring supermarkets, local churches and service organizations like LINK or Loudoun Interfaith Relief.  Low cost or free clothing is available to residents from The Good Shepherd Thrift Store.  In 2004, Good Shepherd distributed 416 vouchers to 127 families for a total of $24,500.00 in vouchers for clothes and household items to support people in need.  

The children of homeless parents are assisted in registering in nearby public schools and provided transportation until county school bus transportation is made available.
Homelessness can have detrimental effects on children’s cognitive, emotional, physical and psychological development. Risk factors facing homeless children include poverty, family problems, parental loss, violence and drug use.  Children may experience the loss of family members, friends and familiar neighborhoods; disruptions in school attendance; and exposure to strangers and threatening situations.  All of these stressors increase a child’s risk for physical and mental health impairment.  

Goals for the parents include understanding the basic development needs of children and how homelessness impacts those needs, learning techniques and strategies to meet their children’s needs, and developing the self-confidence and competence to make wise family decisions.  Goals for the children include providing a secure, nurturing place where children can express their emotions, providing opportunities for regaining self-worth and a sense of accomplishment, and developing strategies for children to communicate their needs to the adults in their lives.

History & Future of Homeless Programs
The Good Shepherd came into existence when Pastor Charlie Grant began taking homeless people into his own Sterling home over twenty years ago.  At the time, Pastor Grant was Chaplain to the Sheriff's Department.  With no youth shelters in Loudoun County, Sheriff’s Deputies would call Pastor Grant and ask him to pick up homeless youth.  During the winter of 1983, Pastor Grant took in fourteen homeless people and began his trademark pursuit of organizing the community to establish the first organized homeless shelter called Loudoun County Emergency Housing Alliance (LCEHA).  This predecessor to Good Shepherd began soliciting funds and the homeless were housed for a short time at the Sterling Motel. 

Pastor Grant persuaded area developers to allow LCEHA use of vacant residences to house the homeless.  He approached developers, whose own workers often counted among the homeless, and worked with them in the spirit of mutual responsibility to address this problem. They came up with a proposal to help other homeless in the county, namely, to use as shelters those homes that were on the land slated for development, but that usually lay unoccupied for two or three years before new building. The first houses were near the intersection of Route 28 and the W&OD bike trail.  When those homes were removed for a new housing development, another house was provided near the Potomac Baptist Church.  Later still, the homeless were housed near Cascades Parkway and then for two years in Leesburg.  Homeless persons capable of responsibility were assigned positions as house monitors supervising the residents and property.

Since that time, the Good Shepherd Alliance has grown and now operates a shelter for men on Ryan Road near Ashburn loaned to us by the Brambleton Partnership Group and a family shelter near Lucketts on property owned by Good Shepherd.  This property includes three houses, a shed, and a garage.  The property also supports families in detached homes.  All guests have access to computer workstations.  These workstations assist homeless and impoverished people to search the Internet to inquire about job opportunities in the Loudoun work force and access much needed assistance through public and private agencies.   The Drop-In Center on Sycolin Road in Leesburg opened its doors in February 2004.  On the coldest nights, when all community shelters are filled, it will function as a safety net for men and women who are without shelter for the night (known as the Warming Center).  By day, it is designed to help restore dignity and hope to people who are struggling to get back on their feet.  The center currently provides guests with case management, access to mail boxes, storage lockers, and telephone, fax, Internet, tools that are critical in a job search.  More basically, the center provides laundry and shower facilities, toothbrushes and warm socks.  Last year Good Shepherd took someone in for the night 26 times and during the day provided 125 meals, 184 showers, 68 laundries, 53 faxes and 95 requests to have internet access. 

Good Shepherd is a Christian organization promoting spiritual growth through optional Bible Study and offers advice that includes referrals to various public and private agencies for assistance.  Good Shepherd is continually seeking services from organizations within the county to assist our residents in their struggle to obtain individual housing and self-sufficiency.  We cannot solve today's homeless problems with the same thinking that brought the problem into existence.  We must empower ourselves to initiate new thinking and training processes that equip homeless people with the skills to develop self-sufficiency, resolve family life problems, work effectively with referral programs and successfully transition back into the mainstream workforce. 

We need volunteers in the thrift store.

The Daily Points of Light Award is given by The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, in partnership with the Knights of Columbus and the Corporation for National and Community Service.  It is designed to honor individuals and organizations that have made a commitment to connect Americans through service to help meet critical needs in their communities and in the nation, especially those focused on the goals for children and youth set by the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future.  The Good Shepherd Alliance was selected as the Daily Point of Light for Wednesday, August 11, 2004.  Supreme Knight, Carl A. Anderson, of the Knights of Columbus said, “The Knights of Columbus extends sincere congratulations to The Good Shepherd Alliance.  We thank you for putting your values into action and for giving unselfish service to others with such energy and commitment.  You are an inspiration to us all.”

How Can You Help?
Due to the tremendous increase in shelter residents, the Good Shepherd now must apply for federal and state grants to defray increased operating expenses.  Located at 20921 Davenport Drive in the Regal Shopping Center at Countryside on Route 7, the Good Shepherd Alliance Thrift Store is the organization’s major source of revenue. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Loudoun and other nearby residents can support the work of Good Shepherd by shopping at the store and by donating clothing, furniture, household appliances and kitchenware.   Donations are tax deductible. Loudoun residents can also donate funds via local churches, corporations, civic groups, and community businesses. 

The Good Shepherd currently maintains several vehicles. The vehicles are used to transport shelter residents to social service offices, medical facilities and job interviews.  The vans are also used to pick-up donations and to transport food to the shelters. Good Shepherd Alliance has developed a commuter service for our residents to help them obtain better job opportunities. Loudoun residents can donate time to help with transportation, and facility or vehicle maintenance.

The Good Shepherd participates in the Combined Federal and the United Way of the National Capitol Area campaigns.  The organization donation identification number for these campaigns is 8920.  Monetary donations can be mailed to:

The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 650399
Sterling, Virginia 20165-0399

For additional information, please contact Office Administration and Social Services at 703-433-2631; Men’s House Monitor at 703-887-5773, Thrift Store at 703-444-5956 or visit the Good Shepherd web site at http://www.loudounhomeless.org.

SER Solutions provided computers and technical expertise.

The Good Shepherd needs the continuous financial and volunteer support of our local residents, churches, businesses, and government.  The staff and volunteers of Good Shepherd believe in the power of selfless service, providing the homeless with an unconditional love.  This love includes commitment and compassion to service the sick, abused, hurt, unloved and powerless.   Unconditional love that flows freely is the simplest and purest of all acts.  We believe we are an enlightened community.  As our society continues to undergo a major conscious-raising, we must understand that human beings need to support one another.  Our society is changing so rapidly that we frequently need to remind ourselves why we must remain a loving and merciful community.  “And he sat down and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant to all.” [ Mark 9:35 KJV].

Lockheed Martin designed and installed a wireless network.

Note: The Good Shepherd uses a network of community volunteers to assist us in maintaining our facilities and work with homeless men and women.  The organization has called on local painters, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers, car mechanics and landscapers to restore living spaces, vehicles and outdoor areas.  Software engineers and technicians have helped to establish computer workstations at all of our facilities.) Physicians, dentists, lawyers, and counselors support our residents living in crisis situations.  Many high school students volunteer and supply much needed support as tutors for children at the shelters and sorting and hanging of clothing and replenishing items on the shelves at our thrift store located at the Regal Center in Sterling.  

We pray that you will be responsive to our plea for support.  Jesus said, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in" [Matthew 25:35].  This is the mission of The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc.

Mark Gunderman
Vice Chair, GSA Board of Directors
1600 North Argonne Avenue
Sterling, VA 20164
703-367-7410

The number of homeless men has been rising in Loudoun for 5 years.  The reason the registration number count for men dropped from 2001 to 2002 was because the GSA simply did not have the manpower and resources to house all men requesting registration in 2002 (83 men turned away).  In 2003, GSA registered 133 men and turned away 191.  In 2004, GSA registered 115 men and tuned away 220.  We are the only men’s shelter in Loudoun County.

The number of homeless people turned way from our shelters did not warrant any record keeping until 1999.  However since the 9-11 tragedy, the number of people calling to register in our shelters has increased and thus the number of people being turned away has skyrocketed.  This was due to many people losing jobs I the service industry.  In 2004, Good Shepherd turned away 612 people (220 men, 188 women and 204) children back into the streets.  The reason the number of registered homeless people is down dramatically from 2002 is that we just lack funding, space and manpower.  GSA has established a street outreach program that will identify the number of homeless people who are not able to secure a shelter bed yet live in our community.  These people will be registered with our Warming Center and Drop-In Center programs throughout 2005.

The number of children of homeless parents registered in our shelters continued to rise from 1998 through 2002.  In 2002 we registered 100 children and turned away families comprising 151 children.  This was the first time in the shelters 20 years of operation that 100 children of homeless parents resided here in any one-year period.  71 of the 100 children attended local public schools.  Due to lack of space and because we transitioned to another location, we did not register but 9 children in 2003.  The number of children to register rose in 2004 to 27.