Artemis House

Shelter House, Inc. is a community-based, non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention, safe housing, and supportive services to neighbors experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence in our community.

Our organization was formed in 1981, as a grassroots responder to the homelessness crisis in Fairfax County. Community volunteers from several ecumenical groups joined together to help address the needs of their homeless neighbors. They started by providing direct emergency assistance - items such as blankets, food, and warm clothing were distributed from the trunks of their cars.

The tragic hypothermia death of a homeless man on Christmas day in 1983 in the Bailey’s Crossroads area galvanized the community to do more. Churches opened winter shelters, and Shelter House volunteers and other advocated to Fairfax County Government to devote more public resources to the homeless.

As a result of this advocacy, Shelter House secured a County contract in 1985 to open one of the first charter shelters in Fairfax County. Since then, Shelter House has continued to grow as an organization in order to accommodate the growing needs in our community, by also expanding into Loudoun County. Today, Shelter House operates five shelter facilities and several housing programs