Sanctuary Women's Development Centers
The Sanctuary Women’s Development Center supports basic human rights by offering homeless and low-income women and children resources, providing support and advocacy to alleviate the effects of poverty within the community and providing tools to overcome homelessness.
About Sanctuary Women’s Development Center
In 2009, Catholic Charities expanded its homeless services programs when it founded a home at Our Lady of Guadalupe mission church in southwest Oklahoma City. The new program, Sanctuary, reflects both the program’s physical environment as well as its philosophy.
The program provides social services to homeless and at-risk women and their children including resource referral and assistance accessing services such as vocational and employment development, and life skills classes.
The church’s former parish hall, now called “Mary’s House,” serves as a classroom and gathering space for large group activities. This space also serves as a food and hygiene pantry.
Trained social workers assess the personal strengths and needs of participants including health and nutritional status, income and benefits, mental health status, and vocational/employment concerns. The assessment also identifies legal, domestic violence, and child abuse issues or concerns.
With this assessment, a proactive plan of support is developed to assist the family in overcoming homelessness and poverty as quickly as possible. Other community agencies partner with Sanctuary staff and offer on-site services to reach established goals. Volunteers, program staff, and University of Oklahoma School of Social Work students also offer on site skill development classes including job search, resume writing, mock interviewing, and vocational rehabilitation. The nearby Baptist Mission Center hosts a daily lunch for participants in the program and offers access to basic medical and dental services, and prescriptions.
Although the Sanctuary program focuses on the needs of women who live in shelters, services are available to people who are at risk of becoming homeless. As an outreach to low-income families living in the neighborhood, Sanctuary participants maintain a community garden and all are welcome to tend the garden and pick the produce.
Case management referrals
Computer lab
Phones with personal voicemail
Job and life skills development services
Employment resources and resume building
Health education
Linkage to community resources
Trauma counseling
Community garden
Safe place to rest and refocus
Linkage to mental health resources
Art activities
Nutritious beverages and snacks
Limited financial assistance
Community food and hygiene pantry