In 1887
Congress chartered the Young Woman's Christian Home to provide
housing
for women
aged 18 through 34, newly arriving in the city to work or study.
One hundred twenty residents are now housed at Thompson-Markward
Hall,
which
was built
in 1931.
The women who stay at TMH come to Washington for a variety of reasons.
Many are congressional interns and staffers, women seeking or starting
jobs, and university graduate students. They come from all over the
United States and the world, and have often been chosen to participate
in enrichment programs offered in the city.
TMH is located on Capitol Hill within walking distance of Congressional
offices, many government agencies, the Library of Congress, and the
Smithsonian museums. It is also convenient to the bus and Metro lines
and Union Station.
The
Board of Directors of the Home are volunteers, some of whom lived
at TMH when they first arrived in Washington.
The Home is a non-profit
organization, which partially subsidizes the operating costs in
order to maintain low rental fees for its residents. Residents
must agree
to abide by house rules, which include no alcohol and/or drugs
on the premises, no smoking in the building, and no male guests
beyond
the lobby level. In this way, we can fulfill the mission of providing
a secure, comfortable, attractive and affordable home for young
women needing a good place to start their future endeavors in Washington.