John Levis believed in dignity, inclusion, and the power of community — values we proudly uphold in his name. John P. Levis, Jr. (1934–2005) was a devoted community leader whose legacy lives on in the mission that Windy Hill upholds each day.
Through Windy Hill, John established deep connections with the Middleburg community. He knew everybody from the Safeway checkout women to the Chief of Police. Once a week he and the Chief would have lunch together, said his daughter Margot Thompson. “I loved just walking down the street with my dad,” said Margot. “He was just a people person,” she continued. “He put children through private tutoring. He just was a special guy. He had a philanthropic heart.” To honor his contributions, Windy Hill Foundation named one of its most impactful projects after him: Levis Hill House, a home for elderly members of our community. Immediately upon being told of the concept, “John was the first person,” Judy Washburn wrote a friend, “to pledge sponsorship of a unit. He was very excited about it.”
This 20-unit development was built to meet the critical and often invisible housing needs of elderly residents in our region. At the time of its development, local data showed over 50 senior households within 10 miles of Middleburg living on less than $10,000 per year — some without even basic plumbing.
Thanks to a coalition of partners and nearly $800,000 in local donations, Levis Hill House became a reality. Today, many of its residents live on as little as $900 a month in Social Security benefits. Windy Hill Foundation subsidizes nearly every unit, allocating $80,000–$90,000 each year to ensure no elderly applicant is turned away due to financial need.
According to Kim Hart, “John was the go to guy, whatever you needed. If you needed his truck to pick-up a trash can, if you needed him to go pick up somebody from school, if a kid needed a little financial help, you called John.” Judy Washburn agreed. “He was always there behind you. He was always there. That was his real strength. He really liked doing things for individuals.”
About Windy Hill: Windy Hill Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing safe, decent, and affordable housing to low- and lower- income individuals and families, including older adults, in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, while also encouraging self-improvement and self-sufficiency among its residents. Windy Hill currently provides 310 housing units across both counties. In addition to housing, Windy Hill provides no-cost, onsite programs and services that support the well-being and success of all residents.
Specific resident programs include afterschool academic and social programs for children, including family programming, and personal enrichment, social, and health programs for both younger and older adult residents. Windy Hill Foundation commits more than $250,000 annually to these programs, with help from many generous individual and organizational donors and grantors from Middleburg, Marshall, and The Plains communities, as well as the greater Washington, DC area.
For more information about Windy Hill Foundation, Inc. and its mission to provide affordable housing and support services in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, please visit www.windyhillfoundation.org or contact Eloise Repeczky, Executive Director, at eloise@windyhillfoundation.org or 540.687.3997. For more information about our Board, please visit Our Board of Directors.
