EMERGENCY FAMILY SHELTER

Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen opened its Emergency Family Shelter to house families on a temporary basis in May 1991. We provide emergency shelter for up to 10 families, for up to three weeks at a time. The short term crisis relief for these families includes private rooms, cafeteria style meals, parenting classes, life skills classes, counseling, clothing vouchers, haircuts, diapers, items for personal hygiene, transportation for house hunting and referrals to supporting agencies, as well as referrals to our own Transitional Housing Program.  The shelter also offers over night stays for single females, depending on availability.

Our shelter has a full time, professional social worker who does individual case management on the families, which includes specific self-sufficiency plans that the families follow to assist them in their efforts toward stability.  House Managers are on duty 24 hours per day to accept new guest and monitor and assist families with their needs and in reaching their goals. Our staff is invaluable in supporting, encouraging and assisting families who are under extreme stress and trying to make important decisions regarding the future of their family.

Each family is given intensive social work with regard to goal planning, financial planning, employment skills, educational opportunities, counseling and parenting. Additionally, the program can offer limited assistance with medical care, transportation, clothing vouchers, and referrals to appropriate community resources. Families are also ministered to spiritually in terms of their Church affiliation. Visiting church representatives from Churches who support this program offer our program families much needed support.