Homeless Persons’ Advocacy

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“…these things become the norm: that some homeless people die of cold on the streets is not news. In contrast, a ten point drop on the stock markets of some cities, is a tragedy. A person dying is not news, but if the stock markets drop ten points it is a tragedy! Thus people are disposed of, as if they were trash.” – Pope Francis, General Audience on UN World Environment Day, June 2013

‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:35-36

OVERVIEW

Housing is a basic human right, along with food, work, education, health care, freedom of expression and religious freedom. When one lacks housing, the other basic human rights usually are marginalized to limit a person’s participation in the social, cultural and economic sectors of society.  Yet each
day over 600,000 Americans are homeless, with 36 percent being families. Thirty-eight percent have no shelter. Twenty-two percent of the homeless population lives in California.1  In Orange County almost 13,000  people lack adequate housing, due to economic challenges, mental illness, addictions, discrimination or lack of affordable housing.2 Three and one-half percent of Orange County school children are homeless, live in shelters,  double up with other families, reside in motels or campgrounds.3  Shelters and transitional housing programs accommodate and attempt to meet the needs of the sizable homeless population, but thousands live each day without the security of a key to enter the front door of a dwelling to call home.

1The State of Homelessness in America 2013, National Alliance to End Homelessness
2Orange County Register, September 24, 2013
3Orange County Department of Education, 2011 Statistics

RESOURCES

TAKING ACTION

PASTORAL CARE

  • Take the time to talk to and LISTEN to those in need
  • Be sure you have a system in place at your parish to make referrals to the right agencies, given particular situations of individuals
  • Consider how you can be more welcoming to the homeless in your community and how you can help get
    people off the streets
  • Agencies by Deanery:

DEANERY 1

SANTA ANA MERCY HOUSE TRANSITIONAL LIVING Serves Orange County 
P.O. Box
1905 Santa Ana, CA 92702
(714) 836-7188
Operates 4 transitional living centers in Santa Ana. Joseph House serves single, employable men.  Regina House serves single employable mothers and their children, ages 10 yrs and under; Emmanuel House serves single adults living with HIV or AIDS.  Offers Bethany House which serves pregnant women over 18 yrs.  Also offers rental
assist, cold weather shelters (Fullerton and Santa Ana) during winter months. (714) 836-7188.
VETERANS FIRST Serves Orange County 
1540 E. Edinger Avenue, Suite D
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(714) 547-0615
Services provided exclusively to homeless and/or disabled veterans.  Employment and education, counseling, job board, resume assist, computers, fax machine, 24-hr message center.  Veteran benefits counseling, housing and legal referrals. 

WISE PLACE Serves Orange County 
1411 N. Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92706
(714) 542-3577
One time, 6-month, 3-phase “steps to independence” program for single employed or immediately employable homeless women (no children).  Must work full time or work part-time and go to school.  Accepts homeless due to financial difficulties, women completing domestic violence or chemical dependency inpatient programs who are active in a 12-Step program.  Group and case management meetings, psychological and employment counseling, chores and drug screens; no mental health or medical services on site.  Single women ages 18 yrs+ with no children, clean and sober a minimum of 90 days.  Fees $65 per week.

DEANERY 2

ORANGE CASA TERESA Serves Orange County 
1660 W. Broadway Anaheim, CA 92802
(714) 538-4860
Provides a transformational, comprehensive program for homeless, pregnant women 18 yrs. of age and older who are alone.  Casa Teresa offers three separate residential programs:  the Parenting Program, the Adoption Program “Hannah’s House”, and the Transition Program for single mothers.

PLACENTIA H.I.S. HOUSE Serves California 
P.O. Box 1293
Placentia, CA 92871
(714) 993-5774
Transitional living center, offers no cost shelter to homeless individuals and families for 120-180 days while they develop permanent income, save money and locate permanent housing.  Residents receive transportation and child care assist, personal support and job counseling.  Interviews when space is available.

DEANERY 3

ANAHEIM  PATHWAYS OF HOPE: ANAHEIM INTERFAITH SHELTER Serves Orange County 
P.O. Box 528
Anaheim, CA 92815
(714) 680-3691
Transitional shelter for families with dependent children.  Families must be working full-time. Supplemental food, referral and counseling services.  Wait – Varies.  Call for info. Program fee required,  $200 a month for a small family (up to 4) and $250 a month for a large family (5+) 

BUENA PARK FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH Serves Orange County 
6801 Western Avenue
Buena Park, CA 90621
(714) 522-7201
Shelter for families.  Showers, clothing, medical, dental, drug counseling.

FULLERTON PATHWAYS OF HOPE: INTERFAITH SHELTER NETWORK ISN Serves Orange County 
611 S. Ford Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 680-3691
Assistance provided to single, employable adults to help them become self-reliant.  Transitional shelter, meals, life skills training, job coaching and monitoring available. 

PATHWAYS OF HOPE: NEW VISTA TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER Serves Orange County 
Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service
P.O. Box 6326
Fullerton,CA 92834
(714) 680-3691
Transitional shelter for homeless families with children ages 17 yrs or younger.  Assists families to regain independence with everyday living skills, savings program, practical and financial counseling, 90-120 day program.  Spanish spoken.  Must bring child to apply and have photo ID, proof of address.

DEANERY 4

GARDEN GROVE * THOMAS HOUSE TEMPORARY SHELTER Serves Orange County P.O.
Box 2737 Garden Grove, CA 92842-2737 (714) 554-0357 and (714) 647-7534 – Hotline Transitional shelter
for homeless families located in Garden Grove.  Families seek employment, save money and locate
permanent housing.  Supportive services include: budgeting, life skills, case management, ESL
classes, tutoring, family counseling, social service referrals and job counseling.  Length of stay
is 3-6 mos.  Spanish spoken.
LOS ALAMITOS: PRECIOUS LIFE
SHELTER Serves Orange County P.O. Box 414 Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (562)
431-5025 Three phase residential program provides supportive services for homeless, pregnant adult women
ages 18 yrs +.  6 bed emergency program provides 1-30 day shelter on a first come, first served
basis at no cost.  12 bed transitional program provides lodging up to 2 months after birth of
baby.  Single Parent Efficiency Program allows stays of up to 24 months after the birth providing
resident is working or in job training program.  Resident must have completed first two phases to
be eligible. All programs are structured with house guidelines and curfew that must be followed. 
Drug/alcohol free program.  $215/per month for transitional program, plus deposit.

DEANERY 5

COSTA MESA: ORANGE COAST INTERFAITH SHELTER Serves Orange
County (Transitional Program) Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (949) 631-7213 Transitional program
(up to 6 months) for 24 families.  Provides budget counseling, mental health outreach and
referrals, employment assist.  Designed to assist qualifying families to find alternative
housing.  Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese are spoken.  Homeless families, single women,
fathers and mothers.  Free service.
SPIN (SERVING PEOPLE IN NEED) Serves Orange
County Guided Assist/Permanent Placement Housing 151 Kalmus Drive, Suite H-2 Costa
Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 751-1101 Apartment move-in assist, follow up case work and support services. 
One adult must be employed full-time and leaving a long-term shelter or transitional living
program.  SARP (Substance Abuse Rehab Program) provides financial assist for recovery for low
income and homeless substance abusers.  Wait varies.  Free services. HUNTINGTON
BEACH COLETTE’S CHILDREN’S HOME Serves Orange County 7372
Prince Drive, Suite 106 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714) 596-1380

Emergency and transitional shelter that provides housing and supportive service to women with
children and single women.  All clients are assigned a case manager who works with them to develop
an individualized service plan that addresses the issues, such as substance abuse or domestic violence
that caused them to become homeless.  Clients are required to gain employment and save 80% of their
monthly income to assist with their transition into permanent housing.  Average stay is 6
months.  Must be sober, homeless and employable.

DEANERY 6

 IRVINE FAMILIES FORWARD Serves Orange County 8 Thomas Irvine, CA
92618 (949) 552-2727 Not an emergency shelter.  14 single family homes.  Family must pay
rent.  Food and personal care items available to families by appointment only every week for
families.  Limited to once a month and up to 6 visits a year for others.  Prevention program
including limited financial assist and counseling for families on the brink of losing
housing.
LAKE FOREST SOUTH COUNTY OUTREACH Serves Saddleback Valley, Irvine to San
Clemente 26776 Vista Terrace, Suite B-12 Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 380-8144 Assists
with emergency food, transitional housing, occasional rent and utility assist and medical
prescriptions.  Serves Saddleback Valley, Irvine to San Clemente.
TUSTIN HOPE
FAMILY HOUSING Serves Orange County 1 Hope Drive Tustin, CA 92782 (714)
258-4450 2nd Step transitional housing for families with children or single parents with
children.  Large families are given preference.  Length of stay varies.  Must be referred
by O.C. Shelter.  Must be employed and willing to save 70% of income.  Rental fee. 
Serves Orange County.  Must be referred by O. C. Rescue Mission – listed below. HOUSE OF
HOPE O.C. RESCUE MISSION Serves Orange County P.O. Box 4007 Tustin, CA 92702 (714)
247-4379 12-18 month transitional residential program for women and their children (ages 11 yrs and
under) providing clients with basic education, job training, parenting classes, and one-to-one
counseling.  Intake is done through a two-step interview process.  Christian program
affiliated with the O. C. Rescue Mission in Tustin.  Facility is not an immediate emergency
shelter.
O. C. RESCUE MISSION Serves Orange County 1 Hope Drive
Tustin, CA 92782 (800) 663-3074 Long term shelter for helping homeless people who want to get back on
their feet.  Men, women, and families accepted into the program.  Also offers a Celebrate
Recovery program, case management and counseling, workforce and computer training, child development
center, recreation and transportation services.  Also offers a clinic for medical, dental, and
optical services.  Call (714) 247-0300 to make an appointment – works on a sliding fee scale,
application assist for the uninsured.  Spanish spoken.

DEANERY 7

LAGUNA BEACH COMMUNITY OUTREACH OFFICER PROGRAM Serves Orange
County Laguna Beach Police Department 505 Forest Avenue Laguna Beach, CA 92651
outreach@lagunabeachcity.net (949) 497-0366 Department position created to directly respond to community
concerns regarding the homeless.  Works close with social services agencies in an effort to place
homeless individuals in short-term shelters and long term housing.  Also helps provide basic needs
to help end the cycle of homelessness. FRIENDSHIP SHELTER Serves Orange
County P.O. Box 4252 Laguna Beach, CA 92652-4252 (949) 494-6928 Shelter and a
comprehensive program to assist homeless single men and women get back on their feet.  Case
management, individual and group counseling, life skills training, housing and special service for
individual with mental health disabilities.  Transitional housing.  Maximum stay is 60
days.  New intake individuals must call Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.  Must be clean and
sober.
SAN CLEMENTE FAMILY ASSISTANCE MINISTRIES Serves Parts of Orange
County 1030 Calle Negocio, Suite G San Clemente, CA 92673 (949) 492-8477 Provides a 26
bed homeless shelter for women and women with children under the age of 10 yrs.  Offers
rent/utility assist, bus passes, gas vouchers, info and referral.
GILCHRIST HOUSE Serves Orange
County (Family Assistance Ministries) 1030 Calle Negocio, Suite G San Clemente, CA
92673 (949) 492-8477 Shelter service for women with children  ages 10 yrs. or younger.  Case
management, support groups, resource referrals, parenting skills, budgeting.  Must be employed, in
job training or seeking full-time employment.  Clean and sober 120 days.  Sliding fee
scale.  No one turned away due to lack of funds. * Previously received grants from Catholic
Campaign for Human Development: *
AMERICAN FAMILY HOUSING Serves West Orange
County 15161 Jackson Street Midway City, CA 92655-1432 (714) 887-3221 330 units of
emergency, transitional, and permanent housing.  Counseling and case management.  Financial,
personal, and communication information  Ages 18 yrs+.  Drug free.  S.H.I.P. (Self-help
Interfaith Housing) is an ecumenical venture of volunteers from 19 churches which provides a four month
residential program designed to lead program guests to permanent self-sufficiency.  The area served
with this program is West Orange County bordered by Lincoln Avenue to the north, Interstate 5 to the
east, the 55 Freeway to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. *
MICAH’S
WAY Serves Orange County 1913 E. 17th #O Santa Ana, CA
91705 (714) 667-7110 Help to support homeless and impoverished while they work through their issues by
stabilizing and improving their living, working, financial and educational
opportunities.= *
THOMAS HOUSE TEMPORARY SHELTER Serves Orange
County P.O. Box 2737 Garden Grove, CA 92842-2737 (714) 554-0357 and (714) 647-7534 –
Hotline Transitional shelter for homeless families located in Garden Grove.  Families seek
employment, save money and locate permanent housing.  Supportive services include: budgeting, life
skills, case management, ESL classes, tutoring, family counseling, social service referrals and job
counseling.  Length of stay is 3-6 mos.  Spanish spoken.

“The lack of safe, affordable housing requires a renewed commitment to increase the supply of quality
housing and to preserve, maintain, and improve existing housing through public/private
partnerships, especially with religious groups and community
organizations.” –USCCB, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,
2011 The Church,

“sharing the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially those who are poor
or affected in any way,” feels it has a serious obligation to join with those who are working,
without self-interest and with dedication, to find concrete and urgent solutions to the housing
problem and to see that the homeless receive the necessary attention and concern on the part of
public authorities. –John Paul II, Letter to Pontifical Commission Justitia et
Pax, 1987

Church Teachings