Spotlight On

Mission:
N Street Village empowers homeless and low-income women to claim their highest quality of life by offering a broad spectrum of services and advocacy in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. It provides affordable rental housing for low and moderate-income individuals and families.

Background:
N Street Village, founded in 1973 by the Luther Place Memorial Church, grew out of the social upheaval following the death of Martin Luther King and the explosion of the homelessness population after the de-institutionalization of chronic mental patients. The Reverend John Steinbruck, pastor of Luther Place, worked with faith-filled activists who wanted to see the church as a serving, acting organization. N Street Village as a ministry of hospitality, of welcoming the stranger, is its founding principle.

Luther Place Memorial Church originally opened its doors for the homeless by providing sleeping mats on the floor to both men and women. Over the ensuing years, N Street Village focused on homeless women because fewer programs were available to them in DC. By the mid 1970s, the Church, in cooperation with other faith-based organizations, turned over its block of townhouses to a wide variety of services, including housing, a medical clinic, and a food and clothing distribution center. In the late 1980s, the Church led an inter-religious and community-based effort to build an affordable housing complex with supportive services in the location formerly occupied by the townhouses and the Church’s parking lot.

N Street Village is the winner of The Washington Post's 2006 Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management.

Current Programs:

• 51 affordable apartment units
  
• Bethany Women’s Center
  
• Case management
  
• Wellness Center
  
• Luther Place Night Shelter
  
• Permanent and transitional housing
  
• Addiction recovery services and housing
  
• Rehabilitation and employment services including GED preparation

Funding Needs:
N Street Village seeks support for its programs and services.

The "Spotlight On" highlights the activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community. The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible representation of the region's nonprofit sector.

If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight," e-mail a description of your organization, following the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org, with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.