Second Story

Second story helped me a lot when I left my parents' house, they supported me a lot with the payments of my rent, my school, my mental health! It's an incredible organization! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Second Story, ������ whew where to start, I reached out to second story by a referral from the Children’s Hospital in DC my daughter was continuously running away and introduced to sex trafficking and child exploitation. I have done all that I could to advocate for her. I thought this would have been a great program to get on her track.

Long story short without writing a book
They do not have cameras and the day of my daughter’s discharge somehow her and two other teen females left thru the back door. All sorts of alarms should have been going off but, they weren’t. The staff isn’t capable of taking take of teenagers that have severe cases, possibly beginners with low level or none at all. But this isn’t the place.
Also, they treat the children as victims and seem to do everything to cater to the children not wanting anything to escalate they are understaffed for the alternative house and surveillance should at least be at all doors if not thru out the building since they’re minors. I could give tons of details but, not necessary. Please just take my advice it’s a no go.

I reached out to them to get help for my teen who is constantly running away and not attending school. She is at risk of getting put out of school. I thought this would be a good program for her to get counseling and get away from negative influences. I was told that it sounded like I was looking for a “break” from my child and it wasn’t the place for her. My child had been gone for 3 months already so a break was very far fetched. I talked to my daughter who said when she called the representative, they keep reiterating this program is voluntary and no one can force you to come. The program currently does not have anyone there so I guess this was their way of keeping the place empty.

Second Story is an amazing organization making an incredibly positive impact to our communities.

Second Story delivers exceptional support for at risk teens in a number of ways:
1) offers a variety of services efficiently, combining government, corporate, and private funding with volunteers;
2) gives pregnant teens a viable option to abortion and extensive support to them and their babies/children;
3) stands ready in emergency situations to give short term housing to teens undergoing immediate needs;
3) helps keep teens on track to graduate high school when challenged by homelessness; and
4) provides community support to youth to prevent poor choices such as gang membership.
Giving young people a chance to write their own story in lieu of having to accept the story that they were given is a great cause.

I have worked with Second Story (formerly Alternative House) for over 10 years and continue to be amazed at how effective they are. 2S helps thousands of youth in Northern Virginia every year via a shelter for teens in crisis, a multi-year program that sets young mothers up for parenting and financial success, residential programs for homeless youth, and after school programs for at risk kids. Almost every dime goes to the programs rather than overhead, and they leverage grants and community resources to expand their reach. I could not recommend them more highly.

I began working with Second Story in 2015 as an intern at the teen shelter location. I couldn't believe the stories of what our young people were going through! Situations varied from teens struggling with thoughts of self-harming to escaping violent abuse in their homes. Second Story was well equipped to handle every situation with care and support. Two years later I am still with Second Story and still amazed at what they are doing to serve their community!

I began working for Second Story shortly after I moving from Arkansas, where I worked with at-risk and underserved youth at a small nonprofit. I was eager to continue in that field in the DC area, and was grateful to find Second Story doing such meaningful work in Northern Virginia. I am honored to work with a nonprofit that puts the clients first and values integrity, passion, and service.

Alternative House transforms the lives of children and youth helping them stay safe, make positive decisions, achieve educational success, and overcome personal crises. They offer children and families hope for brighter futures by providing counseling, shelter and neighborhood-based support. I became involved with this Charity both in giving my time and donations as I was very impressed with the many different ways they help youth. All aspects of Alternative House are outstanding from the wonderful staff and volunteers, the programs, the facilities and the care and difference that they make in many people's lives.

I recently joined the board of this organization, mainly because I was so impressed with what they do for the children in our community. The organization has an outstanding exective director and staff that is dedicated to helping young people in need get back on their feet.

I have been involved with Alternative House for two years, both as a volunteer and a Board member. In my volunteer capacity, I worked with the teens being housed at the shelter and attended the facilitated groups helping to improve their coping skills. The staff is knowledgeable, compassionate and skilled. I am also a mentor for homeless teens at one of our youth homes, and found this program to be invaluable for those individuals who were dedicated to getting their high school degrees but had nowhere to live -- this gave them safe shelter, and the peace of mind to concentrate on their educations. Alternative House provides multiple fantastic programs. The administrative staff and Board of Directors is excellent, and the budgetary discipline is exemplary. I highly recommend this program.

The Alternative House is known in the Northern Virginia area as the abused and homeless children's refuge. It is the only local area emergency shelter for teens and youths. But the Alternative House does so much more. It also runs a separate program that provides housing and shelter to young mothers (its Assisting Young Mothers program). Additionally, it runs a hotline, after school programs, counseling, and numerous other community outreach efforts.

I have worked with AH for the past two years, and found it to be an extremely well-run organization providing services critical to teens in trouble. The staff is excellent and caring, the executive team knowledgeable, compassionate and efficient, and the volunteers willing and ready to help. I continue to work with them because our young people need a place to go when they're in trouble, and this one offers the help and understanding they need. I wish they had more funding to expand!

Now that my children have gotten older, I am in need of loving babies. The time that I have spent rocking babies and reading to toddlers has been very rewarding. Giving of your time and resources to charities outside of our area is great, but to give back locally is the best. I find myself thinking of these children and young mothers alot. I like to bring something little for the kids most weeks. Crayons, puzzles, and maybe matchbox cars. I don't feel like I am just putting my time in. I hope that I am giving as much as I am getting from the hour and a half every week.

It is amazing one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my life to know I have helped make a child's life different.. Be it thru cleaning, cooking or just answering a phone! It all helps! The Counselor's and Staff at Alternative House are amazing and go above and beyond to help children/teens in need! I love it here and could not think of a better place to Volunteer at! I hope everyone get's a chance to give back in life...

My experience with Alternative House began with being selected as their graphic design intern in 2006. While there, I had the opportunity to witness the everyday workings of a nonprofit group. Not only was I able to create a poster promoting their important services at local schools, I was able to interact personally with the shelter's clients and gain a broader perspective of their work. In fact, I part of my poster assignment was to incorporate a way for those interested to be able to take a physical card from the poster with the shelter's information on it. I was stumped as to how I could attach a container of business cards to my poster. After consulting with some of the shelter's clients, one young lady had the idea of making a lower portion of the poster pull tabs -- and it worked! Since graduating, I have returned home to Kansas City, but continue to service their design needs. I am so happy to be connected to the causes Alternative House promotes.

Alternative House, it's staff and it's volunteers, provides such an incredible support to homeless, runaway, abused teens in our area. I find the work done there allows these teens to stay in school, become productive, not to follow a cycle they were once in. From doing some volunteer work in the shelter, I see how hard everyone works to make this place a safe shelter. It is very hard to put into words the awe I feel of these individuals and the work that they do.

I began volunteering nearly 20 years ago and served on the Board. And as a former Board President, my experience was one of gratitude for the wonderful works that the Staff and other Volunteers do to help the many lives of the children Alternative House serves.

I have met several people, board members, the business development director(Gina), several volunteers and managers and the people they help. the people involved in this organization are incredible people with a great cause and everyone is 100% committed to helping at-risk youth. Their mission is clear from the staff that you talk to and the people they help. They do an incredible job.