Our mission is to empower homeless families with children under age 18 in northern Virginia to return to stable housing and self-sufficiency by giving them the skills, knowledge and hope they need to become productive participants in the community.

Homestretch was founded in 1990 by co-founders Nancy Taxson and Kieran Sharpe as a way to respond to what was then a national crisis of homelessness. The idea was to get homeless families off the street and into safe homes as quickly as possible, where they could then receive further help. It began in the home of Nancy Taxson and then grew larger and larger over the years, as they discovered new needs and worked to address them. Now in our 18th year, Homestretch offers on site a series of services that, when taken together, surround the families with such a holistic array of care that it is possible for the families to make dramatic transformations in their lives.

These services include: subsidized housing and free utilities; intensive case management; employment services; job training; credit counseling, money management, financial literacy and savings program; free tax preparation; ESL classes; GED tutoring; tutoring and mentoring for children; computer literacy; Life Skills classes; parenting help; health and wellness training; substance abuse counseling; domestic violence education and support; psychotherapy; transportation assistance; legal assistance; onsite child care and free or subsidized child care for working parents; micro-loans; CDL classes; a wide variety of children’s services; and access to free food and clothing.

Homestretch has won numerous awards for the outstanding results we have achieved over the years in helping people trapped in homelessness and crisis to move toward stability and independence.