Last week, we celebrated the incredible work done by the staff and volunteers of our Dorothy Day House. The program is ending after 37 years of serving some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Dorothy Day House (DDH) has been a safe haven for homeless women and children since 1981.
The decision to close the shelter was a difficult choice made in concert with community partners. It was determined that the need for homeless shelters services for women and children has declined significantly in recent years, and that the County’s resources were best utilized supporting a larger shelter that serves this population. DDH residents were successfully transitioned out of the facility earlier this fall. Shelter staff members (some shown in the photo below) have been integrated into other agency programs which are sure to benefit from their valuable experience.
DDH has a legacy of being responsive to the needs of women and children, and we as an agency are indebted to the efforts of the staff and to the support of the community. Because of these efforts, the call for these services has decreased, and of that positive change, we can only be proud.
As our community changes, our agency adapts. What remains consistent is our commitment to pursue and address the challenges of those who are most vulnerable and in greatest need, and it is through these efforts that the spirit of Dorothy Day House lives on. 