Children's Shelter/The history

2000 - present: Despite growing attention and commitment to supporting women and girls to escape abuse, many countries do not have adequate coverage of shelters or safe accommodation spaces.

She was also a close friend of Nancy K. Perry and began work with the Shelter many years ago and in her current position in 2002.

Playtime was founded in 2003 by a coalition of concerned community members, led by social worker and child advocate Jamila Larson and lawyer Regina “Gina” Kline.

2006 Expanded beyond emergency shelters to include transitional housing programs, starting Playtime at the Salvation Army’s Turning Point Center, which continues as a Playtime site to this day.

2009 Hired its first regular staff members: a full-time executive director and part-time program associate, and applied for grants to build on individual donations that made their founding and early growth possible.

2010 Phased out operations at Hope Apartments and moved to the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH)’s new Cornerstone Building, a new transitional housing program for domestic violence survivors and their children.

2011 Established a weekly Teen Program at D.C. General, along with monthly field trips, and began piloting a play-based curriculum to provide volunteers with more tools for leading educational and therapeutic activities.

2012 Moved back across the river when NCFN closed for renovations, bringing play programs to the newly opened Griffin House, operated by So Others Might Eat, and created a new playroom at Valley Place in Anacostia.

2014 Reestablished a partnership with Community of Hope Apartments, and began offering parenting classes at D.C. General that provide an evidence-based curriculum giving parents the opportunity to learn practical parenting skills.

2015 Renovated the former waiting room of D.C. General, giving teens and preteens a dedicated bright and fun space of their own to play, connect with friends, and study.

2016 Hired its first Volunteer Coordinator, recognizing the critical component of volunteers to the model (valued at over half a million dollars each year).

2017 Hope Apartments and New Beginning sites became Playtime “affiliate partners” run by volunteer leaders.

2018 Playtime transitioned out of D.C. General Emergency Family Shelter and added two more hotel shelters, ending the year at three overflow shelter hotels and two transitional housing sites.

The campus, which sits on High Ridge Circle in the Medical Center, opened in February of 2019 to provide temporary residential care for children and young adults.

In September 2020, the Whataburger Center was placed on probation and it was no longer allowed to accept children.

Atlanta Children’s Shelter to host annual Women’s Giving Luncheon virtually on May 5 February 17, 2021