County and Community Celebrate New Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter
Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony
August 4, 2007
Pictured from left to right: Candace Hoskins, Project Architect, Wisnewski Blair & Associates, Ltd.; Patty Edfors, Member of the Board of Shelter House, Inc.; Emily Oehler, President, Junior League of Northern Virginia; Linda Wimpey, Chair, Community Council on Homelessness; Gerry Hyland, Mount Vernon District Supervisor; Catherine Hudgins, Hunter Mill District Supervisor; Linda Q. Smyth, Providence District Supervisor; Gerald E. Connolly, Chairman, Fairfax County; Katherine K. Hanley, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia; Penelope A. Gross, Mason District Supervisor; Elaine McConnell, Springfield District Supervisor; Sharon Bulova, BOS Vice Chairman and Braddock District Supervisor; Peter Murphy, Planning Commission Chairman; Patrice M. Winter, Councilwoman, City of Fairfax; Dana W. Paige, Director, Fairfax County Department of Family Services.
On August 4, 2007, county officials and community supporters cut the ribbon to symbolize the opening of a new shelter for homeless families in the western section of Fairfax County.
Named for former Providence District Supervisor and Board Chairman, Katherine K. Hanley, the new shelter will house up to 20 families at a time, providing temporary shelter as families move toward self-sufficiency and permanent housing. This is the first new homeless shelter the county has opened in more than 20 years.
The Department of Family Services manages the shelter and contracts with a nonprofit organization, Shelter House, Inc., to conduct its day-to-day operations. The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services oversaw the shelter’s design and construction.
The day’s celebration, attended by about 200 people including employees of almost every county department, was evidence of a combined effort and countywide commitment to address the issues of homelessness in our community.
Katherine Hanley, now the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia, was the keynote speaker. Sharing the podium were Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Connolly, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Catherine Hudgins, and Springfield District Supervisor Elaine McConnell, along with faith community and nonprofit organization leaders.
For more information, please contact:
Homeless Services
Children, Youth and Families Division
Fairfax County Department of Family Services
703-324-7127, TTY 703-222-9452
Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request.