Shelter for Women & Children

Offering Hope & Refuge

In June 2002 the Rich Fleming Family Hope Center opened its doors to homeless women and women with children.  The facility provides shelter on an emergency basis for forty-five days.  Families who are closely working with our case worker and require a longer length of stay to maintain educational goals, to obtain employment and/or who exhibit a strong commitment to the program are granted longer lengths of stays.

The Lehgh Valley Salvation Army emergency shelter is designed to provide food and emergency housing to women in need. Underlying this program is a motivation to identify the causes of homelessness and work to alleviate or eliminate homelessness at its source.

During a stay at a Salvation Army shelter, clients will participate in programs and life-skill classes developed to promote self-sufficiency and personal development. The Salvation Army also works with clients to help them transition into a more permanent housing situation.

On-site case workers develop, in cooperation with clients, an extensive goal-oriented program. Case workers continually motivate clients to meet these goals. In turn, clients are given responsibilities around the center, including cleaning details and other applicable tasks.

Who is Eligible?

Any woman with a self-declaration of need of homlessness is eligible to enter the Rich Fleming Family Hope Center.  A women is considered homeless by the criteria described below:

• In places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings (on the street).
• In an emergency shelter.
• In transitional or supportive housing for homeless persons who originally came from the streets or emergency shelters.
• In any of the above places but is spending a short time (up to 30 consecutive days) in a hospital or other institution.
• Is being evicted within a week from a private dwelling unit and no subsequent residence has been identified and lacks resources and support networks needed to obtain housing.
• Is being discharged within a week from an institution, such as a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility or a jail/prison, in which the person has been a resident for more than 30 consecutive days and no subsequent residence has been identified and the person lacks the resources and support networks needed to obtain housing.
• For example, a person being discharged from prison after more than 30 days is eligible ONLY IF no subsequent residence has been identified and the person does not have money, family or friends to provide housing.
• Is fleeing a domestic violence housing situation and no subsequent residence has been identified and lacks the resources and support networks needed to obtain housing.