Our History

history

2001 City of Alexandria identifies a need for mentoring and arts programs for youth in Alexandria, Virginia in Developmental Assets Survey

2002

  • Founder Linda Odell and Alice Merrill, then employed at The Art League, collaborate to build a program that would inspire and engage youth in visual arts and essential life skills lessons.
  • SOHO-Old Town is founded in a partnership between City of Alexandria’s Juvenile Court Service Unit & The Art League

2003 SOHO is featured in Washington Post and on WAMU 88.5

2004 SOHO receives Leadership Fairfax Northern Virginia Community Partnership Award for City of Alexandria Court Service Unit and The Art League

2006 SOHO leadership co-founds the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership with other programs with the shared mission of ensuring that quality mentors and mentoring program are available for Alexandria’s youth

2007

  • SOHO Sisterhood developed for program graduates to maintain circle of support during middle school years
  • The book, Healing the Inner City Child: Creative Art Therapies with At-Risk Youth, includes a chapter about Space of Her Own

2008

  • SOHO-West End program begins, volunteer run and on a shoestring budget
  • SOHO leadership consults with Visual Arts Center of Richmond to develop their own version of Space of Her Own

2009

  • SOHO wins Virginia Juvenile Justice Association Community Service Award 
  • SOHO is recognized as Coming Up Taller Award Finalist by the US President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
  • Alexandria Commission for Women’s Salute to Women Making a Difference Award goes to Alice Merrill and Linda Odell

2010

  • SOHO umbrella organization developed with support from Alexandria’s City Attorney, City Manager & Court Service Unit and The Art League: Space of Her Own, Inc. attains 501c3 status with goals to foster mentor relationships beyond the initial program year and expand to reach girls in other communities
  • Alexandria NAACP gives SOHO Community Service Award
  • SOHO earns recognition from Harvard University’s Innovations in America Government Awards Program as a “Bright Idea”
  • SOHO’s co-founders, Linda Odell & Alice Merrill, recognized as Living Legends of Alexandria

2011

  • Space of Her Own, Inc. receives Partner in Education Award from Alexandria City Public Schools
  • SOHO is featured in National Education Association Magazine as part of anti-bullying campaign
  • SOHO’s director receives scholarship to Georgetown University’s Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program

2012

  • SOHO is awarded grant from ACT for Alexandria to fund strategic planning consultant
  • SOHO wins free marketing campaign from AD2DC, including new website and marketing videos
  • SOHO is identified in City of Alexandria’s recognition as one of 100 Best Communities for Young People
  • Space of Her Own, Inc. receives second Partner in Education Award from Alexandria City Public Schools

2013

  • SOHO is accepted as an affiliate member of the Virginia Mentoring Partnership
  • SOHO is awarded three-year, full-time AmeriCorps VISTA grant via Virginia Mentoring Partnership
  • SOHO director is awarded participation in ACT’s Project LEAD to promote leadership development
  • SOHO partners with Alexandria’s Juvenile Court Service Unit and Seaport Foundation to pilot Space of His Own for boys

2014

  • SOHO partners with Arlington Public Schools to start SOHO-Arlington program
  • Amy Creed, Board President, receives Making a Difference Award from the Alexandria Commission for Women

2015

  • SOHO publishes its own life skills curriculum
  • Space of Her Own Inc. completed a Quality-Based Membership improvement process, evaluated by Boston and Portland State Universities, and received full membership with the Virginia Mentoring Partnership
  • SOHO Club, formerly known as SOHO Sisterhood, becomes its own program, serving girls in grades six through eight. 
  • New partnerships include Home Depot for carpentry instruction, PGAL architecture firm for a engineering and design lessons, and Women in Science and Engineering at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for group educational sessions

2016

  • SOHO publishes a 6-project Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math Curriculum (STEAM), funded by Business Women’s Giving Circle, of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

2017

  • A curriculum development specialist works with volunteer engineers, carpenters, teachers and architects to develop 6 new STEAM projects for SOHO, which include building and wiring a lamp that doubles as a bookend, making a bookshelf with a recycled palette, constructing a lock box for valuables, making a self-portrait with found objects, designing and building a shadow box and making a glow-in-the dark motivational wall hanging
  • Experts from Marymount University evaluated our life skills curriculum and suggested improvements to our evaluation measures. The Chicago School of Psychology evaluated and enhanced our pre and post-tests
  • An AmeriCorps VISTA staff member is awarded to SOHO by the Virginia Mentoring Partnership, supporting mentor recruitment, screening and training, and helping improve organization policies and procedures

2018

  • Sharia becomes the first SOHO girl to come full circle and return to the organization to become a mentor
  • SOHO purchases the Search Institute’s nationally recognized Developmental Assets Survey to use as pre- and post-survey for girls

2019

  • SOHO’s Cynthia Chin receives 2019 Virginia Mentoring Partnership Outstanding Community Mentor Award
  • SOHO wins 2019 NBC Universal’s Project Innovation award for introducing children to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
  • New partnerships are formed with Building Momentum and Velocity Bicycle Co-op, expanding STEM programming 

2020

  • In response to the coronavirus pandemic, SOHO pivots to provide emergency support to families, with support from the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund, Salon deZEN, Kids Helping Kids and other generous donors
  • The Art League designs engaging virtual art classes
  • Chef Charles prepares family dinners and delivers them along with essential household items, and art and STEM supplies for SOHO’s virtual meetings
  • Alice’s Kids donates books and special gifts to SOHO girls and their siblings; staff at Center for Missing and Exploited Children donate 86 holiday gifts; Running Brooke shares Move2Learn program as part of SOHO’s wellness initiative; Upcycle Creative Reuse Center developed and assembled innovative and cost-effective STEM kits
  • Best Western Trade Show and Freeman donate over 300 pieces of furniture. Essential items are donated to SOHO families. Building Momentum stores, moves, purchases and helps sell remaining furniture to support SOHO families