DC Public Library Foundation Receives Bedford Falls Foundation Grant to Expand Homeless Support Services
$227,000 expands Coffee & Conversations, care kits, basic-needs assistance and housing support navigation
(Washington, D.C.) - People experiencing homelessness or housing instability who turn to DC Public Library for information and connections to District services will see more support in 2026. A $227,000 grant from the Bedford Falls Foundation to the DC Public Library Foundation will strengthen the Library’s role in supporting the District’s efforts to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.
"This grant from the Bedford Falls Foundation allows the Library to build on the trust we've established with people experiencing homelessness or housing instability," said Jean Badalamenti, Health & Human Services Manager, DC Public Library. "By expanding services to more locations and increasing staffing, we can support individuals at a higher level with more successful engagements and referrals to shelter, housing, and mental health supports."
"The Bedford Falls Foundation's support strengthens DC Public Library's role as a trusted community space where people can connect with the District's homelessness services," said Rob Hartman, executive director, DC Public Library Foundation. "By funding a housing support coordinator and deepening the partnership with DC Central Kitchen, this grant helps the Library connect more people with the city's housing, health, and social service resources."
The grant will expand Coffee & Conversations, a monthly event that connects people with peer support specialists, social service partners, and library staff. The program will grow from 12 to 16 library locations by spring 2026. Funding will cover coffee and program supplies and support a new Housing Support Coordinator who will assist customers in navigating housing and human services systems.
In addition to expanding Coffee & Conversations, the grant will enhance the Library’s ability to provide direct support to people through care kits and basic-need supports. Staff will continue to distribute care kits, which include water, hygiene products, socks, and other essential items, during periods of heightened need.
DC Public Library will also host 12 to 15 events in 2026 that integrate mental health, addiction recovery, and educational programming led by qualified providers. These events are designed to complement Coffee & Conversations by offering additional opportunities for people to engage with supportive services. The grant builds on the Library’s Peer Outreach Program, which has served people experiencing homelessness or housing instability since 2014.
Through a complementary grant, DC Central Kitchen will provide takeaway meals for participants at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and five to six additional locations. DC Central Kitchen outreach staff will also attend selected sessions to share information about free culinary job training and other programs. These efforts are expected to reach an estimated 300 to 350 people over the course of 2026.
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About Bedford Falls Foundation
The Bedford Falls Foundation, a private foundation, and Bedford Falls Foundation – DAF, a donor advised fund advised by the foundation, were each established by Bill Conway Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of the global investment firm the Carlyle Group, and his late wife Joanne Barkett Conway. The shared mission of their nursing philanthropy is to remove financial barriers to a high-quality nursing education and supporting educational partners in addressing the critical nursing workforce shortage. In addition to nursing, the Foundation also supports health and human service initiatives in Washington, D.C. and Nashua, NH which provides pathway opportunities aimed at strengthening community well-being and access to care for our most vulnerable populations.
To learn more about Bedford Falls and the areas that it supports, please visit www.bedfordfallsfoundation.org.
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