Our Impact
Since 1970, Cornerstones has worked purposefully with a diverse network of faith-based organizations, corporate partners, donors, advocates, and volunteers who are deeply committed to strengthening families living and working along the Dulles Corridor.
Our caring and generous community enables us to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach that helps people rebuild their self-sufficiency, resiliency, and hope for a better future.
1800
Individual
Donors
2,500 +
Volunteers & Advocates
100+
Faith Based
Groups
75
Corporate and
Community Partners
Thanks to their generous support, Cornerstones annually serve 16,000 families and individuals,
and 5,000 children
and 5,000 children
Established in 1970 to address the need for affordable housing, Cornerstones has grown to become a significant human services provider and advocate for those struggling to make ends meet in Northern Virginia. In this otherwise wealthy and well-resourced region, the number of community residents coming to Cornerstones for one or more services continues to be alarmingly high.
Stability, Empowerment, and Hope
Stability: life-changing help and support in times of crisis
Stability is about meeting critical human need when it is on your doorstep — shelter, hunger, eviction, utilities shut-off, illness, unemployment, and abuse. Cornerstones offers swift triage and vital support to our most vulnerable neighbors in times of crisis.
Empowerment: sustaining after the crisis
Empowerment is support after the crisis. Cornerstones provides a choice of wrap-around resources including job search and readiness support programs, financial counseling, affordable childcare, and other opportunities to ensure that everyone thrives in our community.
Hope: building resilience across generations
Hope is about taking a leadership role in creating meaningful, enduring change that benefits our entire community. Cornerstones rallies corporate and individual allies, diverse nonprofit cohorts, and local/state/national policy advisors and decision-makers to advocate and drive innovative, scalable solutions.
Stability in Fiscal Year 2021
Embry Rucker Community Shelter
850 Households Total
(71 families, 138 children, and 675 singles) served through all our homeless service programs last year - ERCS, QPID, HYPO, Outreach, and Motel Programs.
96 Households (20 families and 76 singles) moved into permanent affordable housing.
Quarantine, Protection, Isolation, and Decompression Hotel (QPID)
May 2020 – March 2022
532 Households Total (75 families, 175 children, and 336 singles) were guests at our QPID Hotels.
111 Households (31 families, 80 singles) transitioned from our QPID Hotels into affordable housing.
Eviction Prevention Program (CARES and Community Block Grants)
$4.7M Housing and Utilities to 1,230 Households.
$1.8M CARES to 581 Households – Award spent in only 7 months .
$985K Community Development Block Grants to 330 Households.
Eviction Prevention Program (Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Emergency Rental Assistance, and Care Management)
$125K Emergency Food and Shelter Program Grants to 85 Households.
$1.7M ERA1 to 96 Households – Award spent in only 4 months.
$1.2M ERA2 to 138 Households
285 Households with 242 children received care management support.
850 Households Total
(71 families, 138 children, and 675 singles) served through all our homeless service programs last year - ERCS, QPID, HYPO, Outreach, and Motel Programs.
96 Households (20 families and 76 singles) moved into permanent affordable housing.
Quarantine, Protection, Isolation, and Decompression Hotel (QPID)
May 2020 – March 2022
532 Households Total (75 families, 175 children, and 336 singles) were guests at our QPID Hotels.
111 Households (31 families, 80 singles) transitioned from our QPID Hotels into affordable housing.
Eviction Prevention Program (CARES and Community Block Grants)
$4.7M Housing and Utilities to 1,230 Households.
$1.8M CARES to 581 Households – Award spent in only 7 months .
$985K Community Development Block Grants to 330 Households.
Eviction Prevention Program (Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Emergency Rental Assistance, and Care Management)
$125K Emergency Food and Shelter Program Grants to 85 Households.
$1.7M ERA1 to 96 Households – Award spent in only 4 months.
$1.2M ERA2 to 138 Households
285 Households with 242 children received care management support.
Empowerment in Fiscal Year 2021
Laurel Learning Center
82 children enrolled.
11 preschoolers tracking on or above benchmarks (write their first name, know alphabet and colors, recognize peer’s written first name).
4 special education children receiving educational support with dedicated teachers.
Youth Enrichment
66 students received 600 hours of youth enrichment and school educational support virtually due to CV-19 and school closures.
55 parents from 33 households participated in family engagement events.
89% of students improved their grades.
85% of parents helped their children achieve academic success and access post-second education resources.
Community and Neighborhood Centers
2,400 Instances of Quick Information and 1,000 Instances of Services connecting people to County partners or Cornerstones programs for help.
300 Programming Events including food distributions, ESL, and after-school programs.
Self-Sufficiency Employment
168 Individuals received job skills training.
28 Adults participated in the 30-hour Job S.M.A.R.T. Employment-Readiness Course.
82% Graduated with 20 securing jobs and remaining employed for 90 days or more.
Cornerstones Housing Corporation (CHC)
314 Individuals secured affordable CHC housing units Most are single mothers with children under age 18. 25% are elderly or disabled.
4 Families/households transitioned from ERCS to CHC affordable units.
2 Families graduated from the program.
Integrated Care Management (ICM)
245 Individuals including 148 children.
70 Households, 61 family households, and 9 single residents were connected to resources for jobs/employment, food assistance, education and financial literacy classes through our ICM program.
Housing Counseling
108 People completed group education workshops.
118 Families received one-on-one support.
28 Households in danger of homelessness / foreclosure secured housing, avoided eviction or resolved mortgage defaults.
104 Households improved their financial capacity.
82 children enrolled.
11 preschoolers tracking on or above benchmarks (write their first name, know alphabet and colors, recognize peer’s written first name).
4 special education children receiving educational support with dedicated teachers.
Youth Enrichment
66 students received 600 hours of youth enrichment and school educational support virtually due to CV-19 and school closures.
55 parents from 33 households participated in family engagement events.
89% of students improved their grades.
85% of parents helped their children achieve academic success and access post-second education resources.
Community and Neighborhood Centers
2,400 Instances of Quick Information and 1,000 Instances of Services connecting people to County partners or Cornerstones programs for help.
300 Programming Events including food distributions, ESL, and after-school programs.
Self-Sufficiency Employment
168 Individuals received job skills training.
28 Adults participated in the 30-hour Job S.M.A.R.T. Employment-Readiness Course.
82% Graduated with 20 securing jobs and remaining employed for 90 days or more.
Cornerstones Housing Corporation (CHC)
314 Individuals secured affordable CHC housing units Most are single mothers with children under age 18. 25% are elderly or disabled.
4 Families/households transitioned from ERCS to CHC affordable units.
2 Families graduated from the program.
Integrated Care Management (ICM)
245 Individuals including 148 children.
70 Households, 61 family households, and 9 single residents were connected to resources for jobs/employment, food assistance, education and financial literacy classes through our ICM program.
Housing Counseling
108 People completed group education workshops.
118 Families received one-on-one support.
28 Households in danger of homelessness / foreclosure secured housing, avoided eviction or resolved mortgage defaults.
104 Households improved their financial capacity.
Hope in Fiscal Year 2021
Opportunity Neighborhood - Reston and Herndon
7 new Neighborhood Ambassadors recruited and trained serving 1,767 hours and conducting 4,585 engagement opportunities with their communities.
556 new residents learned about Opportunity Neighborhood programs and gained access to critical information on Cornerstones’ programs and services as well as resource through our community Fairfax County.
Worked in partnership with Fairfax County, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s office to host virtually community conversations to dispel CV-19 myths, connect school social workers with parents in need, develop a safe-space for young women to engage, share concerns, and seek assistance, and identify the urgent needs/discuss concerns of the community.
7 new Neighborhood Ambassadors recruited and trained serving 1,767 hours and conducting 4,585 engagement opportunities with their communities.
556 new residents learned about Opportunity Neighborhood programs and gained access to critical information on Cornerstones’ programs and services as well as resource through our community Fairfax County.
Worked in partnership with Fairfax County, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Supervisor Walter Alcorn’s office to host virtually community conversations to dispel CV-19 myths, connect school social workers with parents in need, develop a safe-space for young women to engage, share concerns, and seek assistance, and identify the urgent needs/discuss concerns of the community.
Building Stability, Empowerment, and Hope through Affordable Housing
1. Building New Affordable Housing Units – in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties
- Fair Ridge at West Ox (Fairfax) – In a joint partnership with Joseph Browne Development Associates, LLC, Cornerstones Housing Corporation is developing a 3-unit service-rich, fully independent complex specifically designed for people needing permanent, secure, well-designed, and sustainable housing. Future tenants will include seniors and people with disabilities, earning 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less. Vulnerable neighbors who have experienced chronic homelessness will benefit from this new, stable housing development with onsite care management and other resident services that support independent living and self-sufficiency. Cornerstones will provide care management services and programs to residents.
Apartments at Tuscarora Crossing (Loudoun) – In a joint partnership with Wellington Development, Cornerstones Housing Corporation will build 180 units – 1,2, and 3-bedroom apartments – in two phases, with 18 units designated to provide permanent supportive housing for eligible individuals or families. Cornerstones will provide onsite care management and programs and services to residents.
Fairfax Government Center II – Childcare and Community Center – Working in partnership with Fairfax County, this new development will offer 279 affordable housing units for residents earning 30-70% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and include a childcare and community center operated by Cornerstones. The center will provide 100-125 childcare slots for infants to school-age children and offer a range of youth and family enrichment services, including housing and employment counseling, job training, life skills workshops, language classes, telehealth, and other resident-identified programs.
- Arcola School Development (Loudoun County) – In partnership with Loudoun County, CLI, Wellington Development, and Cornerstones is planning a mixed-income affordable housing community with 250-300 units on 31.6 acres at the Old Arcola School site. The development includes 176-226 single-family homes, 74 multi-family rental units (1-3 bedrooms) for residents earning 30-60% of the AMI, eight units for Permanent Supportive Housing, and eight handicapped-accessible units. Amenities include a large community room, garden space, upgraded ballfields, and a cricket pitch. Cornerstones will provide residential services and case management support.
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