This Is What a Fresh Start Looks Like for Kids at DC’s Oldest DV Shelter
For a six-year-old girl at My Sister’s Place, the difference between a shelter and a home came down to one thing: no one was yelling.
“No one here is yelling at me,” she said. “I feel safe here.”
She was talking about the space MSP’s Children’s Program Manager, Cris, has built for the kids living at My Sister’s Place — DC’s oldest domestic violence shelter, and one of the few in the city offering a full continuum of care for survivors of domestic violence and their families. More than half of the people MSP serves are children. For many of them, MSP is the first place in a long time that has felt safe.
This summer, as families prepare for the start of a new school year, MSP is inviting the community to be part of what comes next.
More than a shelter — a home for children in crisis
For families arriving at My Sister’s Place, the shelter is often the end of one story and the beginning of another. Behind each family is a moment of extraordinary courage — the decision to leave, to seek help, to trust that something better is possible. And behind each parent is a child (often more than one) trying to make sense of everything that’s changed.
That’s where Cris comes in.
“The kids want this to feel like a home, not a shelter,” Cris shares. “There’s real stigma attached to living in a shelter, so we create a space where they can be themselves, process their feelings, and heal.”
Cris manages MSP’s Children’s Program at Sanctuary Plus, one of MSP’s emergency housing sites. Her work is built around a simple: children experiencing domestic violence deserve joy, structure, and dignity — not just services. So the space she’s built for them is intentionally warm, playful, and consistent. It’s designed to remind them that they are, first and foremost, kids.
What a week looks like in the Children’s Program
Throughout the summer, Cris runs weekly programming that helps children build friendships, express themselves, and simply enjoy being kids.
On Tuesdays, the children participate in water play, playground time, painting, and arts and crafts. Cris also weaves in reflection activities and group discussions — small opportunities for kids to process what they’re feeling in a way that’s age-appropriate and led by them.
On Fridays, it’s Children’s Day: ice cream socials, movie afternoons, and other activities that give the kids something to look forward to. One recent Friday, the playroom was full of children laughing together over popcorn while watching Swapped.
The moments look ordinary from the outside. That’s exactly the point.
For many of the children at MSP, these are the first ordinary moments they’ve had in a long time. And for many of them, these moments offer something they’ve been missing: the chance to feel safe.
A boy, a conversation, and the confidence to speak up
Cris doesn’t just create spaces for children. She listens to them.
She recently told our team about a young boy at MSP who confided that he wanted to be a football player. Rather than treat it as a passing daydream, Cris asked him if he’d looked into joining a team. Together, they thought through concrete next steps — how he could bring it up with his mom, what questions he might ask, how he might advocate for himself.
By the end of the conversation, the boy left knowing something important: someone was in his corner. He walked away feeling empowered to bring the idea to his mom, because a trusted adult had shown him it was worth pursuing.
Small moments like these are the ones that shape a child’s sense of what’s possible. And they’re the kind of moments that only happen when children have adults around them who see them — really see them — as whole people with dreams and voices of their own.
When safety follows a child into the classroom
At My Sister’s Place, we believe safety doesn’t end at the shelter door. It follows a child into the classroom. Into a new outfit that feels like their own. Into feeling like they belong instead of feeling singled out.
That belief is what shapes our Back to School Drive.
For a child at MSP, the first day of school is more than a return to routine. It’s a chance to show up fresh, prepared, and confident — the same as any other kid in the class. And it’s one of the most visible ways safety can extend beyond our walls and into a child’s daily life.
The confidence Cris helped that young boy find — the confidence to speak up, to advocate for himself, to believe he belonged in the conversation — is the same confidence we want every child at MSP to carry into their first day of school this fall.
About the Back to School Drive
Each year, MSP runs a Back to School Drive to make sure no child in our emergency housing starts the school year feeling different from their classmates.
That means the basics — backpacks, notebooks, pencils, folders. But it also means the small things that matter more than we realize: a first-day outfit that feels like your own, a pair of new sneakers, a uniform if needed. All the things that help a child walk into their classroom feeling ready, confident, and equipped to join their peers.
Last year, thanks to our community’s support, we surpassed our goal of distributing 50 backpacks. This year, we’re going further. We’re asking our community to help us reach 50 children living in MSP’s emergency housing with everything they need for a fresh start.
How you can help
Every gift, of any size, helps a child feel ready.
- $50 can provide a school supplies bundle — notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, and the basics every child needs on day one.
- $75 can cover a pair of new sneakers — a real confidence boost for the first day.
- $100 can provide a first-day outfit — a brand new outfit so a child walks in feeling confident and ready.
- $200 can cover a complete first-day kit — outfit, sneakers, and school supplies together.
- $300 can sponsor a full fresh start for one child — a backpack, school supplies, an outfit, sneakers, and a uniform if needed.
Want to do more, or give in a different way?
Sponsor Multiple Children — Your gift can give more than one child everything they need to start the year ready.
Give Where Needed Most — Every child on our list deserves a fresh start. A gift of any amount helps us reach every family we serve.
Behind every gift is a moment: a child pulling on new sneakers for the first day, a parent watching them walk into school with confidence, a family knowing they aren’t alone in this transition.
About My Sister’s Place
My Sister’s Place is DC’s oldest domestic violence shelter and a community of staff, volunteers, and advocates committed to ending domestic violence. Since 1979, we’ve served as a cornerstone of the District’s response to this pressing public health issue — offering a full continuum of care from emergency shelter through transitional-to-permanent housing.
Our experienced team of case managers, residential counselors, and program staff provide clinical counseling, case management, and comprehensive services to empower survivors to recover and thrive.
We believe every child deserves a fresh start — and we’re grateful for every person who helps make it possible.
Support MSP’s Back to School Drive today.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and needs support, please call MSP’s 24/7 Hotline at (202) 540-1064. For immediate crisis support, you can also call the DC Victim Hotline at 1-844-443-5732.
Learn More About My Sister’s Place
Since 1979, MSP has been DC’s oldest domestic violence shelter — offering a full continuum of care for survivors and their families.
