Mary House

Volunteer organization working directly with homeless and refugee families and pregnant mothers. Operating 13 sites for over 40 families. Providing shelter, transitional and long-term supportive housing, food, clothing and furniture.

Why do we exist?

Mary House provides housing and other services related to the social and economic needs of homeless families, distressed women, and children. Mary House works predominantly with the low-income Latino population of Washington, D.C. We have no salaried staff; each of the five full-time volunteer staff, including co-founders Bill and Sharon Murphy who live at Mary House with their four children, receives room, board, health insurance, and a nominal stipend per month.

What have you accomplished?

Mary House has sheltered more than 400 families and has cared for hundreds more in its 27 year history. In one case, a family came to Mary House with six children from a one room basement apartment in Mt. Pleasant. The family paid $450.00/month to share a space with rats, no ventilation, and inadequate cooking facilities that included a hot plate for preparing meals. They moved into transitional housing, developed a month-to-month budget during the first year, and expanded to a twelve month budget plan during the second year. The mother began English classes and the father studied for the GED. After living in transitional housing, the family was moved into a larger apartment and the long term supportive housing program. The mother studied to become a licensed day care provider and father passed the GED. Currently, the family is applying to a low-income home ownership programs in the city.

	How do you help people in my community?		Why do you need my support?
	How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?		Can I Volunteer? How?