Current Cramped Conditions

Currently, the shelter is cramped at best. 50 women and children share two kitchens, two bathrooms, and live for up to 90 days in rooms that average only 97 square feet.

This kitchen (left) and bathroom (right) are shared spaces. Only one bathtub for all 50 shelter residents is available to clients--most of whom are mothers of young children. Family meals are tough to coordinate in two kitchens shared by so many people, with cramped storage areas in fridges and cupboards. There is one sink per kitchen to wash dishes, and unfortunately, no dishwasher. Likewise, there is only one stove/oven in each kitchen.

The rooms families share are equally cramped. This bedroom (right) is a space a family of up to six might share, and is the largest the existing shelter offers for larger families. Bunk beds crowd out empty space, and clothes and toys are crammed into the tiny closet, dressers, and under the beds. There is no privacy.

This 97 square foot room (left) is the size of most rooms in the existing shelter, and can house a family of three. Regardless of family or room size, bottom line: our existing shelter provides insufficient space for families in crisis to heal.