Our Story

Loisann’s Hope House is the region’s oldest and largest family homeless shelter, opening its doors in 1987. Our story began on a bitterly cold night over three decades ago, when members of St. George’s Episcopal Church found an unhoused man sleeping in the church foyer. Moved by his situation, they invited him into their meeting, and by the end of that night, they made a decision that would change lives in our community for decades to come.
The house at 902 Lafayette Boulevard was for sale, and the congregation came together to purchase and renovate it with the help of volunteers and generous contributions from neighbors. The shelter was named “Hope House,” a fitting name suggested by Reverend Charles Sydnor.

In January 1987, in the middle of a snowstorm, Hope House welcomed its first families. Just a year later, with support from the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors, a $50,000 donation and a community bank loan allowed Hope House to purchase the property outright from St. George’s Church, a testament to the power of collaboration and compassion.
Over the decades, Loisann’s Hope House has grown alongside the needs of the region. A new home at 904 Lafayette Boulevard was built by local volunteers, and the adjacent property at 900 Lafayette Boulevard was purchased more than a decade ago. Today, our campus includes six homes, allowing us to shelter up to 19 families at a time.

Our mission has also expanded beyond shelter. We now operate six programs serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability across Fredericksburg City and the counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline. Guided by the vision of No Family Homeless, our work is rooted in five core principles:

Everyone deserves hope
Relentless commitment to family
Tough love without judgment
Education to support independence
Accountability with care

From a single act of compassion to a regional movement for housing stability, Loisann’s Hope House continues to stand as a place where families find safety, support, and the promise of a better tomorrow.

Hope House is honored to bear the name of a compassionate, kind social worker who began her life in Fredericksburg.

Loisann Silver Chacon was blessed with an extraordinary ability to connect with people. This gift served her well throughout her too-brief life, not only in her relationships with family and friends, but also in her career as a social worker. Over the years , she worked with mentally ill patients, young people who were homeless, abused children, and people trying to find their way.

For more than two decades, Loisann was employed by Upward Bound, a government program that helps poor and minority students pursue a college experience. She was a counselor to the teens who wanted to attend college, helping them identify loans, fill out applications, and proof their writing samples.

All who knew Loisann knew they had a true friend for life, and that she would be loyal and supportive, no matter what the circumstance. Loisann exemplified the ideals of Hope House, which strives to instill hope in and provide direction for hurting, children and their families.

Loisann was sister of Larry D. Silver, President and CEO of Silver Companies, and daughter of the company’s founder, Carl D. Silver and wife Maxine.