News

April is volunteer appreciation month! We truly could not provide safe spaces and opportunities to youth in crisis throughout Northern Virginia without YOUR support. Our dedicated volunteers give of their time and resources everyday. Just last year 1,821 volunteers gave 14,228 hours of their time to help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re recognizing just a few dedicated volunteers by asking them why they believe in Second Story.  [Continue reading]

Gangs are an age-old concern for the DC Metro Area. Ever since the late 80’s MS-13 has been a reliable threat. Their presence rises and falls, but within the past five years law enforcement has seen an uptick in gang recruitment, and gang violence has become Northern Virginia’s enemy #1. Earlier this year a brutal murder of a teenage girl by one of her friends shocked and appalled our community. Learn more about gangs in our community and how Second Story is breaking the cycle at the ground floor.   [Continue reading]

As we celebrated Dr. King last month I was reminded of some of his renowned words, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?’” As we step away from the holiday frenzy and back into the rhythms of our daily lives I invite you to ask this question of yourselves, too.  [Continue reading]

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Second Story! I hope you are savoring the excitement of the season. When we think of the holidays we think of joy, peace, love, family, and comfort, but the reality for a homeless or at-risk young person is often much different.   [Continue reading]

1 in 10 young adults aged 18-25 experience homelessness every year, and about half of them experience homelessness in the form of couch surfing.  [Continue reading]

November is National Runaway Prevention Month. According to National Network for Youth, between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away every year. A life on the streets introduces a young person to an array of dangers: drugs, truancy, depression, sexual exploitation, even suicide. In Northern Virginia, though, there is another option: Second Story for Teens in Crisis.   [Continue reading]

For 45 years Second Story has been coming alongside homeless and at-risk youth, offering them safe shelter and ensuring they have the opportunities necessary to reach their full potential. Our mission has remained steadfast throughout these years -- to provide safe shelter and opportunity to homeless and under-served youth. Your support is the consistent, faithful thread woven throughout our history. As federal funding and grants ebb and flow, your contributions allow us to pursue our mission with visionary confidence.   [Continue reading]

For the seventh year in a row, Second Story has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the leading charity evaluator in America. This is the highest rating possible; only 4% of charities in America receive this kind of long-standing achievement.  [Continue reading]

At Second Story we believe that when families flourish, individuals flourish, and by responding to the needs of the family we are completing the circle -- strengthening communities and supporting young people even more effectively. Everyday Second Story is empowering men and women through the Culmore and Springfield Family Resource Centers. Just last year over 13,000 people were served through these centers.   [Continue reading]

As I approach my 20th year as CEO of Second Story, I reflect on all the ways we have grown and developed since I started. Amidst the change something rings true for me: dedication. Dedication of our staff, dedication to support young people, and your dedication as a community.  [Continue reading]

At Second Story, we are committed to addressing mental health and mental illness in a way that heals the whole person, strips away stigma, and works toward health and hope.  [Continue reading]

Technology is woven into the fabric of young people’s lives, their relationships, and their consciousness. To care about a young person is to care about their online presence and take proactive measures to ensure their safety.  [Continue reading]

Can you believe summer is already over? It is already the third week of school for the young people in our programs. A new school year should be an exciting moment in any child’s life, so we seek to ensure that every young person in our community can face this season with the resources to succeed.   [Continue reading]

Traffickers and abusers prey on the vulnerable, the ones with no place to go and no one looking out for them. “Pedophiles and criminals know to go to low-income places because the kids are more vulnerable,” says Nandred Navarro, Vice President of Community-Based Services at Second Story. The statistics are clear: a young person without a safe place to stay is more at risk to be sexually abused or trafficked.   [Continue reading]

The young people in our programs are in the middle of this remarkable season, and it excites me to think about the tremendous amount of possibility bottled up in each them. Whether they’re destined to be rocket scientists, famous authors, teachers, or loving parents, each of them is entitled to a future full of promise. Unfortunately, many of these youth are seriously disadvantaged compared to their peers.   [Continue reading]