Woodley House

02/18/2026

Last year, our Crossing Place program welcomed 110 residents who were struggling with an acute psychiatric crisis. Our highly trained, compassionate team helps every Crossing Place client work toward regaining a measure of stability, so they can return home or move on to the next phase of their recovery.

More than 85% of Crossing Place clients previously experienced homelessness, and more than 60% have a co-occurring substance use disorder. Crisis stabilization programs such as Crossing Place save our health care system money, because the alternative for many of these individuals is to be hospitalized, which is significantly more expensive.

In 2027, Woodley House will mark 50 years since we opened Crossing Place as one of the country's first community-based alternatives to hospitalization. We know the work of Crossing Place remains as important as ever in the DC community.

If you'd like to learn more about Crossing Place's intake process or how to make a referral, call us at (202) 830-3517.

02/11/2026

In 2025, Woodley House's small but mighty food pantry fulfilled 1,061 orders from 172 unique households. This represents a 60% increase in demand compared to the year before.

Food insecurity continues to affect neighbors across DC, including many of the housing-insecure clients we serve. Our food pantry is expanding its reach through word of mouth, and thanks to the generous donations that help fill our shelves!

We are grateful for Aidan Montessori School, All Souls Episcopal Church, Maret School and other neighbors who are supporting the pantry with donations year-round. Food drives are a great way to engage students and community members in Woodley House's work. Thank you for standing alongside us.

02/05/2026

Four years ago, when we pledged to double the number of people Woodley House serves annually, we didn’t imagine how quickly or dramatically the community need would grow as well.

We're proud to say that Woodley House served 602 individuals across our programs in 2025, which is more than twice our number from 2022. This is also the most individuals ever served by Woodley House in a single year.

But 602 is much more than just a number. These are individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis, or emerging from a period of homelessness, or struggling with food insecurity. Every person who comes through Woodley House's doors is treated with the utmost care, compassion and dignity.

The need continues to grow every day. With your support, Woodley House is stepping up again in 2026, to serve more Washingtonians facing mental illness and housing instability. Thanks for standing alongside us.

01/27/2026

In this bitterly cold winter weather, it's important to find some warmth. At Woodley House, we're grateful for the recent donation of plush Bella Sonni comforters from our good friends at KEYS for the Homeless.

For many years, Valerie Johnson, the president and founder of KEYS for the Homeless Foundation, has been facilitating donations of high-quality household goods and foods that we use in our housing programs, or distribute to the community through our food pantry.

These comforters will help furnish the new homes of our Permanent Supportive Housing clients, many of whom are transitioning out of a period of homelessness. Thank you to Valerie and KEYS for the Homeless for supporting Woodley House and our neighbors through this winter and year-round.

01/25/2026

We didn't know Carol Sauer. But we know her story all too well: A loved one descending further and further into mental illness, their family exhausting all avenues for helping them.

At Woodley House, our staff does everything we can to build rapport with individuals (and their families) who are suffering serious mental illness and sometimes coming out of a period of homelessness. Over 68 years, our housing programs have supported tens of thousands of Washingtonians on their recovery journeys.

But we know that, sadly, sometimes the illness is too hard to overcome. Thank you to Carol's family for sharing her story and helping to break the stigma. No family is alone in this.

Carol Sauer, 66, spent more than two decades homeless in Northern Virginia and was a well-recognized figure at a bus stop in Arlington.

01/21/2026

We’re pleased to announce that Woodley House recently promoted Anne Loiret to Revenue Cycle Management and Compliance Officer. Congrats, Anne!

Anne leads compliance initiatives, process and quality improvement, and data-driven performance efforts that support our financial stability and mission. She also oversees the revenue cycle to ensure accurate billing across programs. In short, Anne makes sure that Woodley House is doing the best we can to help our residents achieve stability in their lives.

Anne says: “I very much enjoy collaborating with our dedicated team and programs, and I value working in a mission-driven organization that supports DC residents with mental health needs. Woodley House aligns with my interests in social justice, equity, housing access, and improving health outcomes. It helps me feel more connected to my community and more engaged in local and national issues.”

01/15/2026

We are proud to formally introduce Nieshia Kornegay as Woodley House's Senior Director of Program Services. Congrats to Nieshia on this well-deserved promotion!

Nieshia has been showcasing her talent, skill and compassion at Woodley House since joining our staff in 2013. In college at West Virginia State University, Nieshia worked in the school's disability services department, and realized she had a passion for helping people who needed a lot of support.

After graduating, she began as a residential counselor at our Holly House group home. Nieshia next became a residential specialist in our Supported Independent Living (SIL) program. Then she stepped up to be a program manager for both SIL and Permanent Supportive Housing.

"I'm glad that Woodley House acknowledged me and continued to give me promotions and see my growth," Nieshia says.

A native of DC's Ward 7, Nieshia continues to reside in the District with her family. She's also relishing her new role and the opportunity to continue learning, growing and supporting more people.

"I love Woodley House," she says. "We go above and beyond for our clients, for the people we serve."

Our residents and staff are very fortunate to have Nieshia as a leader of Woodley House!

01/13/2026

Woodley House is pleased to share that Candace Crooks recently joined our Board of Directors. And our Finance Committee is already benefiting from her skills and experience.

Candace is a seasoned accounting and finance professional with experience in corporate accounting, financial analysis, and compliance. Over the course of her career, she's partnered with leadership to enhance financial controls, optimize processes, and provide strategic financial insights across organizations.

Candace is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University. Outside of her professional life, Candace enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with her family.

“I believe that stable housing, compassion, and mental health support are cornerstones of human dignity. Woodley House does more than provide services — it creates pathways for people to rebuild their lives with respect and hope," Candace says. "Being part of this mission allows me to use my skills to help strengthen a community where every person has the opportunity to recover, grow, and thrive.”

Welcome, Candace! We hope your Woodley House experience is as thrilling as a zipline adventure.

01/08/2026

Woodley House has occupied our group home in Woodley Park for 68 years! After all that time, any building will show signs of wear and tear.

Thanks to the generosity of two anonymous donors, we were able to give our group home, known as Valenti House, a much-needed facelift over the holidays. With a fresh coat of paint and some fixes to the building's facade, Valenti House has a fresh look to start the new year.

Woodley House owns and operates five standalone properties across Northwest D.C. We maintain our buildings as best we can, with tremendous pride. Because providing beautiful, dignified housing for vulnerable neighbors is what we do.

01/05/2026

Last month, we were honored to host a visit from Lamont Carey, director of DC Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, at our residential programs in Woodley Park.

DC MOCA is a key link between the DC government and distinct community groups, helping to expand relationships, amplify cultural initiatives, and coordinate outreach. Under MOCA's oversight are the Mayor's offices of veteran affairs, returning citizen affairs, African American affairs, LGBTQ affairs, and many others.

At Woodley House, we're always seeking new partnerships to connect us with individuals who could benefit from our homes and services. Thanks again to Director Carey and his MOCA colleagues for helping us strengthen these bonds across the District. We look forward to working together even more in 2026.

12/19/2025

From all your friends at Woodley House, we wish you a holiday season filled with joy and good mental health!

Posted here are some highlights of our Beethoven's Birthday celebration earlier this week. Our residents and staff had a great time, as always.

12/16/2025

Did you know Woodley House has celebrated the birthday of composer Ludwig van Beethoven every December for more than 60 years? And we'll do so again today, December 16.

The Beethoven's Birthday tradition is our inclusive way of enjoying the holiday season, inviting residents, staff and friends to share their diverse musical talents.

And tradition is incredibly important at Woodley House. When you make a donation, you're supporting our 67-year tradition of providing dignified housing and critical support to men and women who face severe mental illness.

If you haven't yet made your 2025 contribution, you can do so here: https://woodleyhouse.org/ways-to-give/

Thanks for being part of this tradition!