Health and Wellness
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Families experiencing homelessness often face serious barriers to health and wellness. Many lack consistent access to nutritious food and regular medical care. Untreated conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic stress, and poor nutrition can make it harder for parents to maintain employment, care for their children, and secure permanent housing.
Children are especially vulnerable. Poor nutrition, stress, and instability can affect development, school performance, sleep, behavior, and overall well-being.
At Family Supportive Housing, we know that housing stability depends on health stability. Our Healthy Family Program, or HFP, is a core part of the support system for families in our San José Family Shelter and Bridges AfterCare Program. Through HFP, families receive practical, hands-on support that helps them build healthier routines, manage health challenges, and strengthen long-term resilience.
Our program model
HFP is not a standalone service. It is integrated into our shelter and aftercare work because health, housing, employment, parenting, and long-term stability are connected.
The program supports families through:
Health education and individualized wellness planning
Access to nutritious meals, healthy food resources, and nutrition education
Support for managing chronic health conditions
Stress reduction, parenting support, and self-care resources
Physical activity and nutrition programs for children and youth
Referrals and connections to community health partners
Services are delivered through our onsite Health & Wellness Case Manager and in collaboration with local health and wellness partners.
Nutrition
Good nutrition is central to family stability. At the San José Family Shelter, families receive three meals and two snacks each day, 365 days a year. This consistent access to nutritious food helps children grow, learn, and stay engaged in school, while helping parents maintain the energy and health needed to focus on employment, housing, and family goals.
HFP also helps families build practical nutrition skills they can carry with them after they leave shelter. Through education, healthy food resources, and simple meal planning support, families learn how to make healthier choices even when time, money, and kitchen access are limited.
When available, families also participate in hands-on learning through our garden, cooking resources, and food education activities.
Preventative Health AND WELLNESS
Many families arrive at the shelter with health concerns that have gone untreated because of cost, lack of access, transportation barriers, or the daily stress of homelessness. HFP helps families identify health needs early and connect with care before problems become more serious.
Our Health & Wellness Case Manager works with families to create individualized wellness plans, support chronic illness management, encourage preventive care, and connect families to no- or low-cost community health resources.
The program also focuses on stress reduction, self-care, parenting support, and physical activity. These supports help parents and children stabilize emotionally and physically while they work toward permanent housing.
Health stability supports housing stability
Families cannot focus on housing alone when they are hungry, exhausted, stressed, or managing untreated health conditions. HFP helps families build the health habits, support networks, and confidence they need to move forward.
Because HFP is deeply integrated into our Shelter and Bridges AfterCare programs, it strengthens the overall success of our work. Families who actively participate are better positioned to transition into permanent housing and maintain stability after they leave shelter.