New Hope Housing director named Lady Fairfax

Fairfax County has honored Pam Michell, the longtime executive director of the Richmond Highway-based non-profit New Hope Housing, by naming her 2019’s “Lady Fairfax.”

Michell has led New Hope Housing since 1990, overseeing the organization’s expansion from Route 1 to areas around Northern Virginia. In awarding Michell the award, Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova cited her advocacy on behalf of homeless adults and families, as well as her involvement with other organizations dealing with issues like homelessness, housing and related human services issues.

“Under her leadership, New Hope Housing has grown from a program of three shelters in southeastern Fairfax county serving approximately 100 people a day to a continuum of services providing hope and hospitality to as many as 450 people a day in Fairfax County, Falls Church, Alexandria and Arlington County,” Michell’s citation for the award read.

New Hope Housing is headquartered on Richmond Highway and has long been a part of the local community. It was founded in 1977 as “Route One Corridor Housing,” an all-volunteer organization formed in response to homelessness in the Richmond Highway area. New Hope opened the first homeless shelter in the county in 1978.

Since then New Hope has grown to provide transitional housing programs to single adults and families, and expanded its shelters to provide a combined 134 beds year round and 47 more in the winter.

Lee and Mount Vernon awardees:

Lee District Lord and Lady Fairfax: Joseph Blackwell Jr., and Phyllis Walker Ford

Mount Vernon District Lord and Lady Fairfax: Jan and Bill Vaughan