Officials Honor Baxley's Tireless Work as Director of Community Lodgings

Community Lodgings, an Alexandria nonprofit dedicated to lifting families from homelessness to independence and self-sufficiency, said farewell to its longtime executive director Bonnie Baxley on Sunday night at the organization’s Fall Back to Comedy fundraiser at the Old Town Theater.

U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, Alexandria Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg and others paid tribute to Baxley, who joined the organization’s board in 1998 and became its executive director in 2005.

“Alexandria, even though we are a very affluent community along with all of Northern Virginia, we nevertheless have pockets in the community that are in danger or are indeed homeless,” Moran said. “This organization is not just about meeting the daily needs that families encounter, it’s about lifting a helping hand and pulling them into some self-sufficiency.”

Moran commended Baxley for her relentless advocacy, skillful direction and commitment to assisting those in need.

“The world can be good because there are some really good people in it,” Moran said. “And Bonnie is really an extraordinarily good person.”

“You create so many bonds of friendship and you help people get up on their feet and that creates a great community,” Silberberg said.

Under Baxley’s guidance, Community Lodgings has grown from a three-person staff with an annual budget of $300,000 to an 18-person team with a $1.3 million budget that oversees transition and affordable housing programs as well as youth education activities in Alexandria.

Community Lodgings is in the process of expanding its educational program into a new facility in the New Brookside Apartments in Arlandria and into the Brent Place Apartments in the West End. Earlier this year, with support from HomeAid Northern Virginia and Pulte Homes, renovations were completed on a 10-unit apartment building in Arlandria that provides transitional housing for families moving directly from shelters.  

“To make an impact and bring everyone in to help as much as they helped, I am thankful,” Baxley said. “… When I once was at a commencement, the speaker told the graduates to make sure you have a job you can dance to, that you enjoy doing. And I danced going to this job.”

The event featured a buffet dinner catered by Bittersweet and an auction led by comedian Denny More. Ticket sales and auction proceeds will all go toward supporting Community Lodgings’ programs.