Families become homeless for many reasons:
- low wages
- job loss
- illness or accident
- eviction
- traumatic experiences
Most of the families we serve through our Family Supportive Housing programs are not chronically homeless. Many struggle with Silicon Valley’s shortage of affordable housing and of work opportunities for people with limited education. One unexpected illness, or a landlord’s decision to sell, can spell the difference between a family’s getting by paycheck-to-paycheck and being out on the street.
From Crisis to Self-Sufficiency
When we welcome families to our San Jose Family Shelter, we see parents’ relief at having a safe and supportive place for their family to stay. We see children’s excitement to explore, learn and play. Our mission is to start a new story in those moments for the families we serve — the story of putting homelessness behind them, forever.
How do we change the story for homeless families?
First, we meet their basic needs for food, shelter and safety.
Second, we work with them from the day that they enter our Shelter to identify and address barriers to a self-reliant, stable future.
Third, we help them to improve their educational, health, and financial footing, because we know that all three impact long-term outcomes.
Our Two Phase Service Model
Phase One:
We meet families’ basic human needs and help them return to housing as quickly as possible.
Our San Jose Family Shelter is the only shelter in Santa Clara County that exclusively serves single- and two-parent families. We can accommodate up to 35 families at a time, each in a private room with bath, for up to 90 days.
From the moment they enter our Shelter, we work with each family to develop a step-by-step plan for them to become self-sufficient.
Phase Two:
We extend AfterCare support to help families eliminate barriers to maintaining stable housing.
AfterCare program. AfterCare offers families the necessary supportive services based on their own unique needs. Every family has their own story. Some need assistance for just a few weeks, while others need long term support. Taking time to carefully evaluate the family’s situation is crucial to provide them the appropriate care.
We focus our work with AfterCare families on finances, education and health, three pillars of long-term independence.
Learn More
Read about our San Jose Family Shelter and Bridges AfterCare programs, and the families we serve.