The Calvary Connection
July 2021
"At Calvary, I learned that I matter."
“When I first arrived at Calvary, I didn’t think my voice was worth hearing because I didn’t think that I mattered.”

This is how Casie felt when she arrived at Calvary Women's Services. Now, Casie has the confidence to know that she matters and to know that she is ready to move forward with her life. "At Calvary, I learned that I matter."

Calvary provided a space for Casie to heal and to learn that her life mattered. “I knew I would not be successful if I didn’t do the hard work to fix past traumas.” When reflecting on her time at Calvary, Casie believes that while becoming homeless was the worst thing that ever happened to her, finding Calvary was one of the best.

Read Casie's full story to learn more about the skills she developed while at Calvary, and how she is moving forward now.
Your Support Makes this Possible
Calvary provides women with basic services and nutritious meals allowing them to focus on healing, building their skills, and building their futures. Your support makes this possible with over 235 volunteers donating meals so far this year!

If you would like to volunteer to donate a meal, contact Stacia Frederick at [email protected]. We have dates available in July and August for volunteers to sign up.
Calvary Staff Highlight: Meet Carrie
If you have called Calvary Women’s Services or dropped off donations or a meal, chances are you have spoken with Carrie. Carrie is the Operations Coordinator at Calvary, and in her role, she is often the first person people interact with when they contact Calvary. We sat down with Carrie to learn a little more about her and her role at Calvary.

What brought you to Calvary, and when did you join the team?

After returning from serving in Lesotho with the Peace Corps, I looked for ways to get involved and do good work in my home community. I joined the Calvary team in spring 2020 as a Residential Assistant at the Reach Up program site. Last fall, I took on the role of Operations Coordinator. Starting a new job during the height of the pandemic was stressful at times, but it was gratifying joining a team where everyone was working together to ensure the safety of the clients at Calvary. From Residential Assistants to Kris, the CEO, it was really one team working together to navigate such uncertain times. Calvary is my first job after returning from the Peace Corps and jumping in and learning on the job during COVID-19 made it feel like I was doing something to help.

Read the rest of our interview with Carrie to learn more about her role with Calvary and how you can help.
Channeling the Brood X Cicadas for Art Class
image of four watercolor paintings of cicadas.
Art classes that are part of the Life Skills, Education, and Arts Program (LEAP) provide a creative opportunity for the women at Calvary to express themselves. As part of the last watercolor class, women painted cicadas after seeing them in the Calvary garden. LEAP volunteer Heather Duncan always puts together activities that enable participants to try out new art skills while having fun and connecting with each other.
Join us in connection with A Community Thrives
Blue image with people putting their hands together in the middle of a circle. Text reads, "Join Us! July 19th - August 13th 2021." Calvary logo and A Community Thrives logo on the bottom.
Help us reach our goal of raising $6,000 from July 19th through August 13th in partnership with A Community Thrives. A Community Thrives is a grantmaking and crowdfunding program from the USA TODAY NETWORK. The initiative is part of the Gannett Foundation and supports nonprofit organizations with projects focused on community building. Since 2017, the program has helped to distribute more than $12.2 million from donations and grants across the nation.
Thank You Partners for Tomorrow!
A recurring donation to Calvary Women's Services is an investment in women who are working to make lasting changes in their lives and achieve independence.

  • $30 can provides a night of safe housing for one woman
  • $50 can provide a woman with a week of nutritious, home-cooked meals
  • $125 can provide a woman with one month of job placement services.
  • $500 can provide a new bed and mattress for a new client who walks through Calvary's doors.

[Image description: Text on a blue background that reads "Partners for Tomorrow is a caring community that supports Calvary Women's Services with monthly or quarterly donations. This dedicated, consistent support ensures Calvary is always ready to respond to women's needs. As a member of Partners for Tomorrow, you make it possible for women to change their lives and end their homelessness throughout the year."]
Calvary Women's Services
202-678-2341