WHAT WE DO
Each year, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to hundreds of individuals and families who are trying to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. All of our programs serve homeless men, women and children without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, handicaps, gender or family status.
OPEN HAND KITCHEN
The Open Hand Kitchen serves free meals to our shelter clients as well as the poor and working poor in our community
We are open 365 days a year, serving two nutritious meals each day. The cafeteria-style dining room offers our guests an entrée, vegetables, salad, dessert, bread, and beverage.
In 2007, The Kitchen served almost 145,000 well-balanced meals last year to the homeless and working poor of the community.
FOLLOW UP PROGRAM
Follow Up services provides aftercare for clients leaving our shelters and moving on to permanent housing in the community.
St. Vincent de Paul Programs In Depth
HOUSING PROGRAMS
De Paul Family Apartments
Offers housing for homeless women with children.
12 two-bedroom apartments are fully furnished and equipped with all necessary kitchen supplies as well as bed and bath linens. A laundry room is located on the first floor. The grounds include a large, fenced-in playground.
10 units are designated permanent housing. Families pay 30% of their income for rent with Louisville Metro Housing and Family Services subsidizing the remainder.
The other 2 units are dedicated to families needing emergency or transitional housing. All families are required to participate in case management.
Ozanam Inn
88-bed facility provides overnight emergency shelter, transitional housing and case management for men who are fighting the effects of poverty.
Many of the clients are recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, or mental illness.
The facility is named for Frederick Ozanam, who founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
There are 41 beds for overnight guests who must check-in at 4pm. After spending the night, they must leave right after breakfast the next day. For men who are ready to address the causes of their homelessness, 16 beds are available in a separate dorm. For committing to case management, they are able to by-pass the overnight process and receive an assigned bed.
Once men have achieved some stability and have income (usually through either employment or disability benefits) they may enter the Transitional component, which has 31 private rooms. The goal is to help clients overcome barriers to permanent housing, such as addiction, physical or mental disabilities, or poor employment history.
Ozanam Inn also participates in Operation White Flag, a program of the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless, to shelter additional men during inclement weather.
Ozanam Inn clients receive clean linens, showers, free on-site laundry facilities, a job study center, free meals, clothing vouchers, a TV lounge and an exercise and weight room. Emergency and Dorm components are free of charge; Transitional clients pay a nominal weekly fee. Ozanam Inn's professional staff includes two case managers and program aides on duty 24-hours a day.
Simon Hall
A permanent housing program for 10 single, disabled and chronically homeless men.
Each resident pays 30% of his income for rent and Louisville Metro Housing and Family services subsidizes the remainder. Residents have private bedrooms and share living, computer, kitchen, and bath rooms. Case management is required to help residents determine and work towards their highest level of independence.
St. Jude Women’s Recovery Center
A 30-bed transitional program for homeless women who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Intensive case management helps them move from homelessness to self-sufficiency.
The program manager is a certified drug and alcohol counselor, and the facility is staffed 24 hours a day.
Residents are required to attend 12 Step meetings, Life Skills classes, complete assigned chores, and meet curfews. They pay 30% of their income and receive room, board, laundry facilities, and an exercise room.
Roberts Hall
Offers permanent housing for single, disabled, homeless women.
Each resident pays 30% of her income for rent and Louisville Metro Housing and Family services subsidizes the remainder. Residents have private bedrooms and share living, computer, kitchen, and bath rooms.
Case management is required to help residents determine and work towards their highest level of independence.
Tranquil House
Offers permanent housing to men and women who have a mental illness but are capable of independent living with the support of case management.
The 13 efficiency apartments are subsidized by KY HousingCorporation.
Follow Up Program
These free services are available to families and single persons leaving St. Vincent de Paul transitional and emergency shelters.
We help clients find permanent housing in the community.
Clients participate in case management, to ensure stability and prevent a return to homelessness.
“Ending homelessness, one person at a time.”
