News

Some issues faced by young people today are the same issues they’ve been facing for decades – conflict with their parents and mental health issues, for example – and some issues could have hardly been imagined when our shelter was founded, like cyber bullying and the pressures of social media. We believe it’s essential, then, that we adapt our approach to meet this evolving set of needs.  [Continue reading]

Nandred Navarro, Vice President of Community Based Services, accepted the Director's Community Leadership Award from the FBI on Behalf of Second Story!   [Continue reading]

A new report found that in the past three school years (from 2014-2015 to 2016-2017) the number of identified school-aged youth experiencing homelessness at any point during the year increased by 7%, from a little over 1.2 million to a little over 1.3 million homeless youth. Virginia had an even more drastic increase -- more than 14%.  [Continue reading]

Second Story has a podcast called Second Stories! Second Stories is dedicated to telling stories of people who had first stories full of hardship and hopelessness, yet were able to change the narrative and write a new one.   [Continue reading]

Your donations helped make the holidays brighter for the young people in our programs this year. Hear about the holidays from program manager Michelle Stitt and the young people in our programs!  [Continue reading]

For the eighth 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]

Another school year has arrived! A new year is a huge milestone for youth in all of our programs, but can be especially challenging for homeless youth.   [Continue reading]

Introducing our new Therapeutic Counselor/Case Manager, Sara Miller, and Rapid Re-Housing Case Manager, Johnny Xavier! Both of them are moving from previous roles on the Second Story team.   [Continue reading]

Summer is over and young people in our community based and residential programs are back at school. Meanwhile, we’re reflecting on a sweet summer made even more special by the generosity of community partners through some pretty amazing field trips.  [Continue reading]

Every year with your help we give away backpacks filled with school supplies to youth in our community based programs at our back to school fair. Watch the video and get a peek into our amazing day!   [Continue reading]

We could not be more proud of the young people in our programs graduating from high school! This year 100% of seniors in Second Story's programs are graduating -- 17 total. We can't wait to see what they do next, and we're eager to highlight just a few of Second Story's 2018 graduating seniors!  [Continue reading]

June is pride month, and this year we're talking about LGBTQ youth and homelessness. LGBTQ youth are 120% more at risk to be homeless, and face unique challenges. Learn more about how Second Story works with LGBTQ youth.   [Continue reading]

A recently released study found that 1 in 5 homeless youth were victims of human trafficking. Learn more about why homeless youth are so vulnerable and what Second Story is doing to help.  [Continue reading]

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]