Exciting News to Start the New Year!
We are excited to start the new year with the announcement of the award of a HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) grant! MSP is proud to announce that HUD will invest $1,094,778 in our transitional housing program , RISE. With this funding MSP will be able to serve an additional 33 families! To help these families, and all the families we support through our transitional housing program, MSP has launched our Fresh Start Fund. It is wonderful to provide safe housing for our clients, however they often have little to no furnishings to transform their housing into a home. Fresh Start will help families create the homes they so deserve.

Survivors are often forced to flee with only what they can carry. The Fresh Start Fund will help clients furnish their homes, help with moving expenses, and help cover unplanned or unexpected costs. Our New Years' challenge to our supporters, is to consider making an inaugural gift to the Fresh Start Fund so that MSP can continue to support families as they work to stabilize their lives. We thank you for your support and for joining us in this exciting new program.
Is this really my room?!
Marie found herself sleeping on the street with her young daughter to escape the violence of her husband. She desperately wanted a safe place to call home for her daughter. She remembered receiving a brochure about MSP’s services and knew it was a resource for families fleeing domestic violence. After a short stay at the MSP shelter, Marie was able to work with her caseworker to find an apartment she would be comfortable living in. Unfortunately, she came across a major hurdle – the apartment complex she wanted to live in denied her application. The apartment complex was using a discriminatory practice of not accepting vouchers as part of an applicant’s income, this is illegal. MSP staff connected Marie with The Equal Rights Center (ERC) – which has the mission to identify and seek to eliminate unlawful and unfair discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Advocates at the ERC wrote a letter to the management company advocating on Marie's behalf. Marie also wrote to the Mayor’s Office, and directly to the management company, to shine a light on this unfair practice.Through Marie’s self-determination and the support of advocates, Marie and her daughter moved into their very first home!

As she prepared to move-in, Marie was told that she would be the first client of another new MSP initiative. Marie, like most clients, came to the shelter with little more than the clothes she was wearing. MSP's new Move-In program meant that staff and volunteers would be there, on move-in day, with donated furniture, kitchen ware, bathroom supplies, curtains, framed art, and more! Everything she and her daughter needed to make a home. Staff and volunteers were excited to pitch-in, helping to decorate, organize, and make their apartment beautiful and welcoming. As folks started to leave, Marie's daughter also started to put her shoes on to leave. She was overwhelmed when she found out "We aren't leaving, this is your home. This is your room!" Marie is now looking forward to completing school and serving as an ambassador for other mothers who are trying to escape domestic violence. Way to go, Marie! 
See Your Impact in Action
While this year marks forty-one years since My Sister’s Place opened the doors to our Sanctuary Plus Shelter, there are many new updates and initiatives we are eager to share with you.  Please join us for a tour of the shelter on Saturday, January 25th from 10am to Noon.  Sanctuary Plus provides families with counseling, case management, daily coaching, and referrals to aid them in successfully transitioning to permanent housing and independence, making it possible for survivors to take the critical first step on their path to healing, and living a life free from violence. During the tour you will get an overview of our programs and meet our Executive Director. Please feel free to bring a friend who you think might share your support of our mission. Space is limited but we will have other tours in the spring. We look forward to seeing you!

Please RSVP by responding to this email or call Quincy Inman, our Development Manager at 202- 540-1062.
  • Make a one-time or recurring donation to support our mission, including the Fresh Start Fund to provide safe housing for survivors of domestic abuse.

  • Provide basic necessities such as diapers, wipes, blankets, and feminine products via our Amazon Wish List.

  • Volunteer with us! We have many flexible volunteer opportunities allowing you or your group to support survivors during the holiday season, and throughout the year.