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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Woodley House

Woodley House is an innovative, community-based organization dedicated to people with mental illness live full and healthy lives with dignity and respect.

Founded in 1958, Woodley House is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to helping people with mental illness live full and healthy lives in the community with dignity and respect with family-like housing and support services on their path to recovery. Since 1958, Woodley House has served as a pathway to recovery for thousands of Washington, DC area residents by offering safe, secure housing optio

ns and a comprehensive range of services and support. We are committed to empowering our clients - on an individual basis - to achieve productive, independent living.

08/05/2026

August is National Make-A-Will Month, a great time to craft or update your will or estate plan. It's estimated that three-quarters of Americans don't have a will. Without one, your loved ones won't know how to honor your legacy.

At Woodley House, we've been honoring the legacy of our founder, Joan Doniger, for 68 years. When a supporter designates a bequest to Woodley House in their will, that's ensuring a legacy of support for the D.C. community. Legacy gifts help Woodley House continue Joan's work, providing dignified housing and critical services for Washingtonians who face serious mental illness.

This month, take time to speak with your estate attorney or financial advisor, to make sure your will reflects your wishes for the future. Your loved ones and neighbors will thank you!

(And we hope you'll watch our short video, "Planned Giving: How you can make a difference for Woodley House," to hear more from our supporters about ways to give: https://youtu.be/aD5kkKa83Xs?si=l56kkJQuGCdfdipu)

07/14/2026

Yesterday, Woodley House staff gathered with our terrific Board of Directors to discuss the present and future of our organization. It was an incredibly productive and enlightening session.

Woodley House is deeply fortunate to have such an engaged and generous Board. Their wisdom and insights immensely benefit our frontline staff and clients, including some of DC's most vulnerable residents. Thank you, Woodley House Directors!

Yavar Moghimi, Linda Parisi, Dina Moussa, Jeanine Boyle, Dave Joseph, Jr., Diane Murray, Matthew Hoffman, Norm Schneider, Jeremiah Watts, Isabel Jasinowski

Not pictured: Shannon Attanasio, Kelley Barnaby, Debra Barrett, Candace Crooks, Jillian Fielder, Vincent Keane

07/09/2026

At Woodley House, the safety and comfort of our residents is paramount. Especially when the temperatures in D.C. soar above 100 degrees, like they did last week. That's why our Facilities Manager Delvin Anderson is such a critical part of the Woodley House team, during summer and year-round.

In addition to keeping our air conditioning running, Delvin and his team perform maintenance and repairs on all of Woodley House's 11 properties. "There's always something to do," he says.

Delvin grew up in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood and is a lifelong Washingtonian. He's had two stints working at Woodley House; after leaving for an engineering role at Marriott International, he returned six years ago to lead our Facilities team.

Along with his fellow team members Duncan and Malik, Delvin does an incredible job maintaining our beautiful, dignified and historic residences. Delvin says he's proudest of the work they did last winter to repaint and reface the facade of Valenti House, our group home in Woodley Park.

Like many families, Delvin's has been touched by mental illness. So he especially appreciates the housing and support services we provide for vulnerable community members. He also finds it deeply rewarding to support and interact with our residents on a daily basis.

"I believe in Woodley House," Delvin says. "I can honestly say it's a job I like coming to."

06/25/2026

We’re pleased to share that the advocacy efforts by Woodley House and our partners at SOME (So Others Might Eat) have had their desired effect. In enacting the 2027 District of Columbia budget, The Council of the District of Columbia voted this week to maintain funding for our psychiatric crisis beds that had been threatened with elimination.

These are challenging times for community nonprofits, as government funding and programs remain at high risk. We’re thankful for the staff, board members, partners and friends who stepped up this spring as champions of Woodley House. You help sustain our dignified, community-based crisis care for the most vulnerable Washingtonians.

06/16/2026

Earlier this month, we were fortunate to have Thom Wolf Photo & Video capture joyful images of Woodley House residents and staff at our group home in Woodley Park. It was a beautiful day for a photo session, and our residents were enjoying karaoke and games out on the patio.

Thom has more than 30 years' experience creating photos and video for networks, theaters, individuals, nonprofits, and corporate clients. Many thanks to Thom for bringing his talented eye to Woodley House. (All photos by Thom Wolf)

06/04/2026

We're pleased to present Woodley House's 2025 Annual Report.

Last year, Woodley House stepped up to meet rising demand, serving 600+ Washingtonians across our programs. This was our most ever in a single year, and double the number we served just three years ago!

One of our 2025 highlights was being featured as a CNN “Champion for Change.” What a thrill to be able to share our story nationally, about how Woodley House champions mental health and dignified housing in D.C. every day.

We hope you'll read our Annual Report to learn about all that our awesome team accomplished in 2025. During these challenging times, thank you for being a champion and supporter of Woodley House.

https://woodleyhouse.org/woodley-updates/ -report

05/28/2026

SAVE THE DATE! Our 30th Annual Movie Benefit is Sunday, November 8, at the beautiful AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Sponsorship opportunities are now available — be part of Woodley House history and make a real difference for some of DC's most vulnerable residents.

For more info, visit our event page: https://woodleyhouse.org/movie-benefit-2026/

05/19/2026

This is what democracy looks like! Yesterday, staff and board members from Woodley House and SOME (So Others Might Eat) visited with DC Councilmember offices to advocate for restoring funding for our community-based psychiatric crisis beds in next year's budget.

And we brought receipts: Our staff members shared hard data on how Woodley House's Crossing Place and SOME's Jordan House crisis stabilization programs effectively serve hundreds of vulnerable D.C. residents each year, making good use of taxpayer dollars. Our teams also told personal stories of what it means for an individual, who may be emerging from a period of homelessness or substance use, to be treated with kindness and compassion in a home-like environment.

Thank you to The Council of the District of Columbia for giving us your time and attention, and to all our friends who've testified and spoken out against the ill-advised proposed cuts to community-based crisis beds. In these challenging times, Woodley House is stepping up to meet the community need, and we're heartened to see our fellow Washingtonians doing the same.

05/14/2026

Yesterday, Woodley House Executive Director Ann Chauvin testified to the The Council of the District of Columbia about a proposed funding cut to our crisis stabilization program, Crossing Place. Ann shared that, if the DC Department of Behavioral Health is allowed to eliminate its contract with Woodley House for Crossing Place, it would mean higher healthcare costs and worse care for some of DC's most vulnerable residents.

Ann testified alongside Betty Gentle, Senior Director of Advocacy & Public Policy at SOME (So Others Might Eat), who voiced similar concerns about the proposed cut to SOME's Jordan House program. Thank you to Councilmember Christina Henderson, Councilmember Zachary Parker, Councilmember Matt Frumin, and the rest of the DC Council for considering our testimonies and understanding the urgent need to restore funding for community-based crisis beds in fiscal 2027.

We are not done fighting!

05/12/2026

Louis is one of the longest-serving team members of Woodley House’s Food Pantry. For years, Louis has played a central role in ensuring that residents and neighbors alike have access to essential food, in a city where food insecurity remains all too prevalent.

Louis’s journey began nearly 20 years ago when he was experiencing homelessness, and entered a local program through Green Door (now MBI Health Services). There, he was able to access healthcare and therapy, and got connected with Woodley House for housing. From that point on, Woodley House became a constant in his life.

When Woodley House opened our Food Pantry in 2011, Louis became deeply involved as a volunteer team member. Over the past 15 years, our small pantry has grown from a small initiative into a vital resource for both Woodley House residents and the broader community.

For Louis, the pantry was never just about distributing food—it’s about building relationships. “Once you have clients coming into the pantry, you get to know people’s names, faces, what they like and what they don’t like—as friends,” he says. His approach is rooted in dignity and compassion. Even when people arrive after closing time, he makes sure they feel welcomed: “I would let them know that the pantry closes, but we will never turn people away. Everybody has or should have the right to get some food.”

In recent months, Louis has stepped back from his work in the pantry due to health concerns. Still, his connection to the Woodley House community remains strong, and he looks forward to the simple joys of spending time with fellow residents in our Supported Independent Living program. “We have a group of men that know each other, love each other, and talk to each other,” he says.

Looking back, Louis is clear about what Woodley House has meant to him: “Woodley House is an amazing place—I love it.” Now, he’s ready for the next chapter at the Food Pantry and in his own life. “I’m 68 years old—it’s time for someone else to do it, to pass the torch.”

Interview conducted by Elizabeth Reed

Address

Washington D.C., DC

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12028303508

Website

http://www.woodleyhouse.org/

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