The vast majority of the people served by New Orleans Women and Children's Shelter are children. One of the least talked about effects on families experiencing homelessness is how difficult it can be for them to stay together. One of my favorite things about the New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter is that they create a safe and comfortable space for a family to live together (including Dad), maintaining familial bonds while they search for stability. Not only do they offer help in the moment, they set the family up for success in the future, helping to give the children a chance at a better life, instead of keeping them in the cycle of homelessness. At its new facility, the shelter offers each family a private room and bathroom. For a family going through homelessness, this type of privacy and sanctuary is something they've gone without, something the rest of us take for granted.

Our mission is to enable women and children to transition from a life of homelessness and poverty to one of stability and self-sufficiency.