Calvary opened in 1983 in the basement of Calvary Baptist Church as a temporary overnight shelter for homeless women. In response to the ongoing needs of the community, Calvary Women’s Shelter was incorporated and later became the Calvary Transitional Housing Program. Calvary’s capacity and support services have grown consistently over the last 30 years.

Sister Circle, a permanent housing program for women in recovery from substance addiction, began in 1997. The program provides permanent housing and support services for women who live independently.

Calvary opened the Pathways transitional housing program in 2003. Pathways offers stability and support to chronically homeless women.

In November 2012, Calvary completed a large-scale expansion project and relocated its transitional housing programs and staff to a newly renovated building in Washington, DC’s Ward 8. This relocation doubled Calvary’s program space and expanded its capacity and support services, empowering more women to end their homelessness.

In September 2014, Calvary launched Step Up DC, a job placement program that connects women to stable employment in the DC area.

In November 2019, Calvary opened Reach Up Housing program. This program will allow Calvary to have an even greater impact in working to end the homelessness epidemic in the DC area by adding 31 transitional housing beds.  Fifteen of the beds at Reach Up will be designated specifically to survivors of violence.