Spring is Here
April 5, 2026 Staff ContributionFrom Sonja Allen Mari, Executive DirectorSpring has arrived in Alexandria, and with it, the energy of possibility that has…
So Much to Celebrate: December, January & February at Guest House
March 3, 2026 Staff ContributionFrom Sonja Allen Mari, Executive DirectorAs we wrap up 2025 and move through the first months of the new…
The Power of New Experiences: How Field Trips Enrich Lives
May 30, 2025 Staff ContributionAt Friends of Guest House, healing and reintegration don’t just happen within our walls—they happen out in the world,…
Goodbye to 2024
December 20, 2024 Staff ContributionAs 2024 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on this year’s incredible milestones…
Guest House Receives $2 Million from Mackenzie Scott Yield Giving Open Call
March 19, 2024 Staff ContributionWe are beyond thrilled to announce a monumental milestone in our 50th-anniversary journey. Friends of Guest House has been…
Happy New Year’s Eve – from Sonja
December 31, 2023 Staff ContributionAs we approach the close of 2023, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we've undertaken together this…
4 Key Challenges of Reentry
February 28, 2023 Staff ContributionLet's explore 4 key challenges and the solutions that Guest House provides to those challenges:Reentry refers to the movement…
Letter from Sonja – End of 2022
December 30, 2022 Staff ContributionWow! What a year this has been. Once again, as I write this note, Guest House is welcoming a…
Resident Thank You Letter
December 18, 2022 Client Stories Staff ContributionA letter came across my desk today that warmed my heart. I thought you might enjoy reading it as…
Getting to Know Sonja – Q & A
July 8, 2022 Staff ContributionWhat brought you to Friends of Guest House? Simply stated - The mission. The Guest House mission to me is…
Kari’s Farewell Message
June 29, 2022 Staff ContributionThere are so many things to write about my 17 plus years at Guest House. As I was synthesizing…
Sonja Allen – New Executive Director
June 3, 2022 Staff ContributionFriends of Guest House, a leading nonprofit that helps women successfully reenter the community after incarceration, announced today that…
Aleyda: “I Was Able to Finally Be a Parent”
April 6, 2022 Client Stories Staff ContributionAleyda's story is one of survival, surmounting enormous (sometimes Kafka-esque) barriers and -- above all -- persistent motherhood. It…
Jane Hess Collins & Heard: Telling the “Silent Stories”
April 6, 2022 Staff ContributionEvery week, Monday through Friday 9-5, Guest House Residential clients participate in our Workforce & Life Development (WLD) Program.…
Honoring Black Criminal Justice System Reform Activists
February 23, 2021 Staff ContributionBlack History Month is a celebration of the achievements and leadership of Black people throughout history. This month, we…
A Promising Future for Criminal Justice Reform?
February 16, 2021 Staff ContributionAs part of our observation of Black History Month, we reviewed President Biden’s statement on Racial Equity: “The promise of our…
VOTE
October 25, 2020 Staff ContributionAs of this writing, more than 61 million Americans have already cast their ballot in the 2020 election and…
Lifting Women up Through Meaningful Employment
August 12, 2020 Staff ContributionLife changing employment for women who are determined to change their lives.
Friends of Guest House and Racial Inequity
June 5, 2020 Staff ContributionNationwide, a conversation on racial equity is intensifying. You may already know or be learning more about ways in…
Guest House Presents at Victim Assistance Conference
October 18, 2018 Staff ContributionAs Clinical Director, I was honored to have the opportunity to represent Friends of Guest House, and the women…