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By Erin Pittman
For pregnant women facing homelessness, uncertainty can feel relentless. Without stable housing, reliable income, or consistent support, preparing for childbirth — and parenthood — becomes an uphill climb. In Prince William, a Haymarket-based nonprofit has spent years addressing that reality with a model built not on quick fixes, but on time, trust, and transformation.
Formerly known as Carried to Full Term, the Virginia Women & Family Support Center provides long-term
housing, mentorship, and comprehensive support services to pregnant women and mothers experiencing
homelessness. The organization allows families to remain in its residential program for up to two years — a critical distinction in a system where most emergency housing options last only weeks or months.
A Clear Purpose
Virginia Women and Family Support Center provides stable housing in their Haymarket and Gainesville homes for up to two years, along with comprehensive wraparound support. According to Frances Robin, the Center’s Executive Director, research has proven that 18 to 24 months in a program makes a large
difference in improving outcomes and building routines.
Frances Robin
To support this transformation, VAWFSC offers classes each week at their homes to help mothers become self-sufficient. Their services include maternal health coordination, educational opportunities such as GED classes and vocational training, mental health services including therapy and trauma counseling, and life skills training in parenting and job readiness. With personalized case management and childcare support, the Center helps women not just survive, but thrive.
The organization opened Manassas House last year, which provides up to another two years for mothers to establish a good foundation.
The center’s mission is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: stable housing is the foundation for healthy mothers, healthy babies, and long-term family success. By addressing housing insecurity during pregnancy and the early years of parenting, the organization helps mothers avoid crisis-driven decisions and focus instead on building sustainable futures.
Extensive Support Services
Residents receive far more than a safe place to sleep. The program pairs housing with wraparound services designed to promote independence, including parenting education, job training, financial management classes, counseling, transportation support, and individualized case management. Each woman works alongside staff to set personal and professional goals, with progress reviewed regularly.
A cornerstone of the organization’s work is its Cycle Breakers program, which focuses on interrupting generational cycles of homelessness and poverty. Through structured mentorship and skill-building, women gain the confidence and tools needed to support their families past the end of the program. Many
participants leave with stable employment, savings, and a clear plan for permanent housing.
The nonprofit also engages the broader community through StrongHer Generation, its mission-driven thrift store. Operated as both a fundraising initiative and a volunteer hub, the store provides affordable goods while helping sustain the organization’s programs. Community volunteers, donors, and partners all play a vital role in ensuring the center’s success.
Maternal Health Workshop
As the organization has grown, so has its scope. The transition from Carried to Full Term to the Virginia Women & Family Support Center reflects an expanded, family-centered approach that supports mothers well beyond childbirth while honoring the organization’s original focus on pregnancy and maternal care.
That evolution is reflected in one of the organization’s most significant initiatives this year: the Maternal Health Workshop, titled What We’ve Seen. The workshop brings together healthcare professionals, social service providers, advocates, students, and community members to explore how housing stability directly
affects maternal and infant health outcomes.
The conference will be held on Saturday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Verizon Auditorium on the Manassas campus of George Mason University. To register, visit vawfsc.org/mhw.
Rather than a traditional conference, What We’ve Seen centers on lived experience. Drawing from years of data and firsthand stories, the workshop highlights what staff and partners have observed while supporting pregnant women and mothers through housing instability. Sessions will address trauma-informed care, maternal mental health, policy barriers, and the critical intersection of healthcare and housing.
Maternal health professionals, counselors, and advocates who work directly with families navigating crisis will lead and facilitate sessions. Breakout sessions and “Ask the Experts” panels are designed to encourage dialogue and collaboration, reinforcing the idea that meaningful solutions require coordinated community effort.
Looking Ahead
“We’re becoming a one-stop shop for women in our community—housing hundreds more women and their children while offering sonograms, mammograms, maternal health services, dental care, meals, and more,” said Frances Robin. “We are here to support women and their families in Virginia, and we won’t stop until all women are connected to the resources and support they need.”
Even as its programs expand, the Virginia Women & Family Support Center remains deeply connected to Prince William and its original purpose. Its work reflects a growing understanding that supporting mothers during pregnancy and early parenting years has ripple effects — strengthening families, improving health outcomes, and reducing long-term reliance on emergency services.
For the women who walk through its doors, the center offers more than assistance. It offers time to breathe, space to grow, and the confidence to imagine a stable future for themselves and their children.
Erin Pittman is a project manager and freelance writer. She can be reached at epittman@princewilliamliving.com.
