Our Mission Statement

bread
The Christian Help Center is considered the last safety net for the homeless.

History: Founded in 1983, the Christian'Help Center has helped over 14,000 guests
since that time.

Capacity: The shelter has 65 beds divided into separate accommodations for men,
single women, and women with children or teenagers. It is filled to
capacity most of the time. If people find the shelter full when they arrive,
they are referred to other area shelters, unless they have temporary
housing available. In that case, he or she is asked to return each day until a
bed is available. The demographics of the shelter population have changed
over time. When the shelter first opened, guests were primarily men, but
now there are more women with children and people in their 70's or 80's.
Guests are provided with a bed, meals, haircuts, showers, and laundry
facilities. Each day 180 meals are served. Staff is composed primarily of
former guests ofthe Christian Help Center.

Program: Each guest is assigned a case manager who evaluates the guest's needs
and works with the individual to set and reach their goals. When a guest
first arrives, he or she attends job readiness classes for two weeks. Classes
include resume preparation and basic computer skills. Additionally,
guests attend sessions on developing and maintaining healthy
relationships, anger management, money management, and credit repair.
When needed, guests join support groups on substance abuse. Counselors
from Catholic Social Services provide weekly counseling. Ifguests cannot
work, they are counseled by representatives from the county social
services agencies, and those who qualifY are referred to the SSI program.
Employed guests are required to save a percentage of their wages, so as to
accumulate enough funds to pay for permanent housing and related
expenses. Move-in assistance, such as donated furniture and household
items, is also provided.