What We Do Downtown Day Services Center
The Downtown Day Services Center (“The Center”) offers downtown day services to individuals experiencing homelessness. The Center utilizes Pathways to Housing DC’s Housing First method to move individuals into housing by connecting them with supportive services. The Center is operated by the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) with support from the District of Columbia Department of Human Services and services from Pathways to Housing DC and HIPS.
The Center offers on-site support for individuals experiencing homelessness by providing a multitude of services within a single point of access, including: food and beverages, restroom facilities, showers, laundry, housing services, non-driver, identification, employment assistance, case management, legal services, vital records, healthcare ,disability application
harm reduction service, computer access, and social activities/entertainment.
The Center is also supported by partnerships with agencies and organizations such as the District Department of Employment Services, the District Department of Health, the District Department of Motor Vehicles, the Economic Security Administration, Unity Health Care and the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.
The Center, which opened in February 2019, is located in the completely renovated bottom floor of the historic New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (1313 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005). The Center is currently open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm (the hours that homeless shelters are closed).
How Pathways Helped Restore David's Eyesight and Hope
David was homeless in and around Bethesda for almost 30 years, living in the woods for most of that time. Constantly on the move, David survived by panhandling, dumpster diving, and selling scrap metal. David’s untreated cataracts finally caught up with him and he completely lost his eyesight. David felt his way, mostly by memory, to the panhandling and dumpster-diving spots that he knew before going blind. A homeless outreach worker connected David to a Pathways case worker, who took him to a doctor who offered to operate to restore David’s sight, for free! David was able to see again for the first time in years. In October, David moved into his own apartment. Having his sight back and a home of his own has made all the difference in David’s life.