Single women without a home are wandering our streets and neighborhoods with nowhere to go. This leaves them in a highly dangerous situation in which they become victims of sex trafficking, violence, and abusive relationships.
How big a problem is it? According to the most recently published report, 1,022 single women identified themselves as homeless when calling in to United Way of Allen County’s 211 Center over the course of a year. The majority were ages 19-39, but the 60+ age group has grown dramatically. Surprisingly, some of these women were employed part-time or even full-time, yet found themselves homeless for the first time.
Area homeless advocates confirmed that the population most in need of service among the homeless is single women. In Allen County there are few if any beds allotted to single homeless women on an emergency basis.
While our Fort Wayne community has emergency shelter options for homeless men and for homeless parents with children, sadly, no emergency shelter currently exists for single homeless women. The time to change that is now.
St. Joseph Missions Women’s Shelter, a project of St. Joseph Missions, will become Fort Wayne’s first 24/7/365 emergency shelter for single homeless women. More than just a refuge for the night, St. Joseph Missions Women’s Shelter will provide a safe, supportive, and structured environment that honors women’s dignity and empowers them to become self-sufficient.
How big a problem is it? According to the most recently published report, 1,022 single women identified themselves as homeless when calling in to United Way of Allen County’s 211 Center over the course of a year. The majority were ages 19-39, but the 60+ age group has grown dramatically. Surprisingly, some of these women were employed part-time or even full-time, yet found themselves homeless for the first time.
Area homeless advocates confirmed that the population most in need of service among the homeless is single women. In Allen County there are few if any beds allotted to single homeless women on an emergency basis.
While our Fort Wayne community has emergency shelter options for homeless men and for homeless parents with children, sadly, no emergency shelter currently exists for single homeless women. The time to change that is now.
St. Joseph Missions Women’s Shelter, a project of St. Joseph Missions, will become Fort Wayne’s first 24/7/365 emergency shelter for single homeless women. More than just a refuge for the night, St. Joseph Missions Women’s Shelter will provide a safe, supportive, and structured environment that honors women’s dignity and empowers them to become self-sufficient.