A Strong Start: 80 Students Ready for Back to School

This summer, the House of Ruth community continued a meaningful tradition: coming together to make sure children in our housing programs have the backpacks, clothing, shoes and supplies they need for the first day of school.

For families rebuilding their lives, the cost of back-to-school essentials can add up quickly. This tradition helps ease that burden for parents while giving children the confidence of walking into the classroom prepared.

Our corporate partners ABS Consulting, Washington National Tax/RSM US LLP and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP sponsored grade groups with school supplies and backpacks, while volunteers from The Association of American Medical Colleges and Dominique Perkins & Friends prepared clothing bags filled with polos, shirts and shoes for every child.

Thanks to our community, more than 80 students started the year with brand-new backpacks filled with supplies, fresh clothing and new shoes.

To everyone who donated, volunteered or shared our wish list: thank you. Year after year, you help our families start the school year with one less worry and a lot more support.

Domestic violence does not stop at city, state, or national borders. It is a pervasive issue affecting individuals, families, and communities around the world. While systems and resources may differ, the need for safe, survivor-centered support is universal.

That shared challenge brought representatives from the British Embassy to House of Ruth for a conversation about trauma-informed, survivor-centered care.

House of Ruth staff shared lessons from 50 years of working alongside survivors of domestic violence, trauma, and houselessness—from creating environments rooted in safety to providing services that support long-term healing and stability.

Following the conversation, guests toured Kidspace, House of Ruth’s Child & Family Development Center, where they saw how trauma-informed care extends to children and families. Kidspace provides nurturing care and early childhood education for children ages six weeks to five years, with an environment designed to help children feel safe, supported, and able to thrive.

The visit was also an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from one another. No organization, community, or country has all the answers. Sharing experiences and approaches can strengthen how we collectively support survivors and their families.

We’re grateful to the British Embassy for joining us in this important exchange—and for their shared commitment to strengthening support for survivors here in DC and around the world.

“Congratulations, you got the job.”

For Gina, those four words changed everything.

A few months ago, Gina fled an abusive relationship and found herself without housing. Health challenges had also forced her to leave the workforce, making it difficult to imagine what came next.

Because of your support, Gina found House of Ruth’s Madison Transitional Housing Program, where she was connected to a case manager and a compassionate team who listened to her story, believed in her potential, and helped her identify the next steps toward the future she wanted.

One of those next steps was securing employment.

With her case manager’s recommendation, Gina attended Career Kickstarter, an employment bootcamp part of Deloitte’s annual impact day. Because of House of Ruth’s partnership with Deloitte, over 50 program participants have benefited from this yearly workshop.

Your generosity helps make collaborations like this possible, connecting women with community partners who expand what’s possible on their journey. Gina received a professional headshot, personalized resume feedback, interview preparation, and career guidance—practical tools that helped prepare her for her next opportunity.

With the confidence and learnings from the workshop, Gina applied what she learned. She updated her resume, landed an interview, and used her newly acquired skills and renewed confidence to successfully navigate each stage of the hiring process.

Then one day, the phone rang. “Congratulations, you got the job.”

Today, Gina is preparing to begin a new chapter. Because of you, women like Gina are surrounded by the support, opportunities, and community partnerships they need to rebuild their lives.

House of Ruth is proud to celebrate President & CEO Sandra Jackson, who was honored with the 2026 Justice Potter Stewart Award by the Council for Court Excellence during its 29th Annual Justice Potter Stewart Award Dinner.

Presented each year, the Justice Potter Stewart Award recognizes individuals and organizations whose work has made a significant contribution to the law, the legal system, the courts, or the administration of justice in the District of Columbia. Established in 1997 and named in honor of the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Potter Stewart, the award celebrates exceptional leadership and a lasting commitment to advancing justice in our nation’s capital.

Sandra accepted this distinguished honor surrounded by leaders from across Washington’s legal, judicial, nonprofit, government, and business communities—an acknowledgment of both her extraordinary leadership and the vital role House of Ruth plays in helping survivors rebuild their lives.

For more than two decades, Sandra has dedicated her career to serving the Washington, DC community. Her visionary leadership at House of Ruth has expanded critical services, strengthened community partnerships, and advanced the organization’s mission. Since joining House of Ruth in 2013, her commitment has helped ensure that thousands of women, children, and families each year have access to safe housing, trauma-informed care, and the support they need to move forward.

Congratulations, Sandra, on this well-deserved honor. We are grateful for your leadership and the hope you continue to create for so many across Washington, DC.

Each year, Deloitte employees across the country step away from their day-to-day work to participate in Deloitte Impact Day, the firm’s annual day of service dedicated to strengthening communities and supporting nonprofit organizations. Through hands-on volunteerism and skills-based service, Deloitte professionals invest their time and expertise to help organizations like House of Ruth create lasting impact.

For the fourth consecutive year, Deloitte welcomed women from House of Ruth’s housing programs for a Career Kickstarter designed to help participants take the next step toward their personal and professional goals.

The women who come to House of Ruth are rebuilding their lives after experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, and other significant challenges. Alongside securing safe housing and stability, many are working toward new careers, pursuing promotions, returning to the workforce, or exploring new opportunities that can help support themselves and their families.

This year’s Career Kickstarter provided participants with practical tools and personalized guidance to help them move forward with confidence. Deloitte volunteers offered one-on-one career coaching, resume reviews, interview preparation, and personal branding advice. Participants also received professional headshots, makeup consultations, and business attire to help them present their best selves as they pursue new opportunities.

We are deeply grateful to the Deloitte team for continuing this partnership and for sharing their time, talents, and expertise with the women we serve. Together, we’re helping participants prepare for the next interview, pursue the next promotion, land the next job, and take the next step toward long-term stability and independence.

Sometimes survivors need support more than once. Sometimes grief, trauma, loss, or life changes bring people back to counseling — and there is no shame in that.

Fern restarted her counseling journey at House of Ruth’s Domestic Violence Support Center (DVSC) last year after the loss of her father and best friend. As she navigated overwhelming grief, she noticed anger beginning to impact her relationships, work, and daily life. 

Through trauma-informed counseling, Fern learned coping skills like understanding her “window of tolerance” and practicing “urge surfing,” helping her better navigate difficult emotions instead of pushing them away.

Over time, Fern became more present with herself, more compassionate toward her feelings, and more confident responding to challenges calmly and effectively.

Recently, Fern shared that she handled a situation that once would have enraged her in a completely different way. Instead of reacting immediately, she allowed herself to feel her emotions without judgment and focused on what she had the power to control.

That kind of healing takes time. It takes support. And because of you, survivors like Fern have access to no-cost, unlimited, trauma-informed counseling.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, thank you for ensuring domestic survivors can access counseling without barriers.

* Name has been changed to protect privacy. The included photo may not picture the individuals featured in the story.

This Mother’s Day, we poured into the women who pour into everyone else.

For many of the mothers and caregivers in our programs, life is centered around healing from trauma, parenting, work, and rebuilding stability for their families. In the middle of all of that, taking time for themselves often comes last.

That’s why moments of care can mean so much.

Bozzuto, Deloitte, the Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, and Target rallied their teams to curate and donate more than 200 self-care gift bags across our single-site and family housing programs.

Screenshot
Mother and daughter posing together indoors, smiling, with pink and purple gift bags and a tablet held by the child in a cozy playroom.
Screenshot

Inside the bags were items intentionally chosen to create moments of relaxation and joy — shower steamers, bath bombs, exfoliating gloves, skincare, and beauty products that encourage women to pause and care for themselves. Target added lip glosses, mascaras, primers, eyeshadows, and other beauty items that brought an extra touch of confidence and fun.

We are deeply grateful to Bozzuto, Deloitte, the Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, and Target for helping make mothers and caregivers in our programs feel cared for on Mother’s Day.

During National Volunteer Month, we celebrate the collective impact of our community. At House of Ruth, we see your impact every single day.

When you ask, “How can I help?”—you transform your compassion into action.

We see it in sororities and fraternities, church groups, schools, companies, individuals and more who come together to meet the moment. 

Together, you make sure survivors don’t go without—and that we can focus our resources on providing service-enriched housing, counseling, childcare, and other supportive services that help families rebuild their lives.

Because of you,

  • children have a strong start to the school year with the supplies and uniforms they need
  • women feel seen and loved on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day
  • families experience the joy and normalcy of the holidays—with meals, gifts, and moments of joy.

These moments do more than meet needs, they create space for healing.

That’s the difference you make.

To everyone who has shown up—with your time, your energy, and your generosity—thank you for being part of our community.

Want to get involved? If you’re interested in supporting House of Ruth through in-kind donations or organizing a drive, read and download our In-Kind Giving Guide to get started.