St. John’s mission is to support homeless women with children to advance from a point of crisis to a position of self-sufficiency.  St. John’s Shelter Program for Women and Children is the ONLY shelter program in Sacramento County focused exclusively on women with children - the most vulnerable of the homeless population.  Since 1985, the program has provided a safe and supportive haven to more than 23,000 displaced women and children.

In 2004, St. John’s dramatically expanded its role from being an emergency shelter to offering a program that strives to reintegrate homeless women with children into the community as self-sufficient and productive citizens.  The Shelter moved to a much larger facility and began providing more comprehensive services 24-hours a day to 100 women and children.  The Shelter offers a 90-day program, rooted in one-on-one case management, the development of a Progress Plan with weekly and monthly goals, required attendance at classes/workshops each week, and community service requirements (otherwise known as chores.)   Services and classes include domestic violence counseling, mental health counseling, drug and alcohol treatment programs, weekly health services from a nurse, employment services , parenting classes, fitness and nutrition classes, art therapy, budgeting and financial management class, and other self- development classes.

 The “secret” to St. John’s success in transforming the lives of homeless women and children in only 90 days is that all of the necessary services are under our roof.  To accomplish this, we collaborate with many local agencies including: The Effort, Project Teach, the Sacramento Unified School District, Sacramento County, Sacramento State University, St. Francis High School, and PRIDE Industries to name a few. 

In late Spring of 2007 the Shelter piloted its After-Care Program, developed in response to the difficulty our clients were experiencing after leaving the Shelter-- being essentially completely cut-off from our support system including our staff and our clients.  The Program was also developed out of our desire to measure the long term-effects our Program has on the women and children we serve.  

The overall goal of After-Care is to continue to assist women and children on their road to self-sufficiency.  For both women and children, After Care services include the ability to return to the Shelter for counseling and classes, transportation to continue to access these professionals and classes, regular calls from the Case Manager to see how clients are doing and what help we can provide, assistance in furnishing their new home, job training and placement services and an alumnae program to provide increased support for both graduates and current clients.  Additionally, the children receive check-in phone calls from their Children’s Program case manager to ensure they continue on their academic progress path, as well as their emotional one.  And, they are invited back for classes and field trips.  The After-Care program will further St. John’s vision for every woman and child--that they re-integrate into our community as productive and empowered contributors.

In 2006, the lives of more than 1000 women and children were transformed at St. John’s. 

RESOURCES:

• Classes: Anger Management, Parenting, Budgeting, Relapse Prevention, Job Skills, Basic Computer
• Public Health Nurse
• Mental health and substance abuse assessment and counseling

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Single women and women with children (male children up to age 14)

WHAT ARE THE HOURS?
24 hours a day; 7 days a week.

Contact St. John's Shelter Program at (916) 453-1482.