Carpenter’s Shelter

About

On a cold winter night in 1982, Father Tony Casey of Blessed Sacrament opened the church doors to provide shelter to two men sleeping in freezing conditions.  With the help of two volunteers and ten cots, the basement of Blessed Sacrament became a place of refuge for the homeless. In 1988, we officially became Carpenter's Shelter, and we are currently open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving approximately 750 homeless men, women and children annually. Through our Continuum of Care, clients are provided with emergency residential shelter, case management services to ensure clients transition into permanent housing as quickly as possible, education and employment programs, scholarship opportunities, access to the Carpenter's Shelter clinic and community case management once moved out of the shelter. From November-April, we coordinate Winter Shelter for the City of Alexandria with assistance from Alfred Street Baptist Church and Church of St. Clements. Winter Shelter provides overnight shelter for hunderds of individuals each winter.  Lastly, Carpenter's Shelter operates the only day shelter in the City of Alexandria that provides the chronically homeless with access to basic needs including shower and laundry facilities, mail and phone services and snacks.It is only because of the support from volunteers and donors that we are able to serve the 750 homeless and formerly homeless men, women and children that cross our threshold each year. Join the Carpenter's family, and help us end homelessness in our community!