Columbia Women's Shelter

Women's Shelter. Housing.

Programs

Primary Housing
The Primary shelter offers temporary housing for a maximum of 11 women. In addition to housing the program provides comprehensive services that include food, clothing, transportation, counseling, educational programs and dental health services.
Residents are interviewed to determine their readiness for this structured program. Once a woman is accepted her primary focus is to obtain a job that allows her to work at least 25 hours each week while meeting a 5:00pm curfew. Residents enjoy dinner together as a family and attend nightly programs. While participating in this twelve week program, residents are required to deposit the majority of their wages into a savings account. Residents begin to develop a positive routine while saving money and addressing the issues that led them to this program. Successful participation in this program allows a woman to progress into our Transitional Housing Program.

Transitional Housing
The Transitional Housing Program began in 1986 with the rental of one foreclosed HUD home. Today, The Womens Shelter Transitional program owns 17 fully furnished housing units all located within six blocks of the primary shelter. This program provides women gradual "re-entry" into the community as totally self-sufficient members. In this program residents still attend regular meetings while working with the Transitional Housing Director to begin addressing additional issues. Residents may participate in this program for up to two years while they work to repair their credit, rebuild relationships with their children and family, acquire a GED and other educational goals, and obtain stable careers.
Our newest undertaking is assisting former residents with home ownership opportunities. To date we have sold three houses to former residents.
 
Dental Services
The Dental Clinic facility was developed in 1989. It wasnt until 1999, with a large grant from HUD and a collaborative partnership with another non-profit, that the clinic was able to provide a full-time, paid staff offering comprehensive dental care. Over the past 9 years we have seen over 4,000 individuals, pulled over 8,000 teeth, and made over 500 sets of dentures with a total of over 44,000 procedures. This valuable program brought smiles and self esteem back to many deserving adults.
In April of 2008, another phase of our dental center began. Our collaborative partner of many years, the Columbia Oral Health Clinic, became the sole manager of the Dental Clinic. They will remain, ministering to specialized populations and will also assist the residents of The Womens Shelter with their dental needs.
 
On Site Counseling
The Womens Shelter provides comprehensive programs as a means for residents to obtain the life skills and educational tools necessary to become a healthy, productive member of the community.
These programs include group therapy, relapse prevention, parenting classes, assertiveness training, health education, stress reduction, Bible study, various arts and crafts projects and more. Staff, volunteers and licensed professionals from the community conduct these programs.