Welcome to Stepping Stones Shelter!

Stepping Stones Shelter is healing homelessness step by step by providing the opportunity for homeless men, women and children to regain their independence. By offering food and shelter in an atmosphere of dignity and respect, Stepping Stones Provides Hope for the Future, Strengthens Family Values and Enables Self-sufficiency. By focusing on these three broad areas, Stepping Stones attempts to heal the underlying problems that brought the family to our doors.

We invite you to learn more about Stepping Stones Shelter by browsing our web site and reading our newsletter. Continue reading this page, then use the menu above to read more About Us, our Shelter program, Hope Housing, and how you can Help us take the next step. Please feel free to Contact Us for more information about our programs and how you can help.

Hope for the Future
"Where do I start?" This is the question most asked by the parents at the shelter. They are often so overwhelmed by the long road ahead, that they feel immobilized; not knowing which action to take first, they often take none and become stuck; once they are stuck, they begin to lose hope. As the name implies, Stepping Stones is a place where families can get their start and take their first steps towards independence. We instill hope in families by telling them about others who have made it; by supporting them; by holding their hands; by complimenting them on a job well done; and by telling them every day that they are competent and capable of making a better life for their children! We show the father who grew up without the support of a family that he can provide for and become a true role model for his family. We show the teen mother that with an education she is still capable of a bright future. We show the mother of three who grew up dependent on the Welfare System that there is a better way of life.

Strengthening Family Values
Stepping Stones Shelter attempts to strengthen family values, by focusing on the family unit, promoting effective parenting, providing family focused activities, and through positive reinforcement. Strengthening family values is inherent in all that we do, from our family style dining to our Parent Education classes.

Enabling Self-sufficiency
Everything that we do is designed to encourage and make possible a future of greater self-sufficiency for each family. We have a case manager who works individually with each family to design a goal plan specific to their circumstances. This individualized approach makes it possible to address underlying problems that are specific to that family. Whether it be poor budgeting, domestic violence, health issues or something else that led the family into homelessness, the case manager can work with the family to address the underlying problem, rather than just taking a "quick-fix" approach and sending them on their way. We want to heal homelessness permanently for each family. A primary way in which we facilitate this is through our on-site education programs that all families attend. Educational seminars focus around three broad areas: Financial Issues, Healthy families, and Job Readiness.