Our Mission
Advancing the social inclusion and empowerment of our neighbors experiencing homelessness through innovative practices of sheltering, mental health and emergency basic needs coordination.
Our Philosophy
We are dedicated to providing emergency services and support to those in need, not as charity but as an act of social justice.
The work of the Interfaith Works Shelter is rooted in empowerment, social inclusion, and community education to end the unnecessary stigmatization of the most vulnerable. |
Recorded and Edited in 2015 by Maxwell Goldsmith--Shelter Support Staff.
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The best qualities of this establishment is giving people places to be at night, especially in the winter, and in the rain.
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How We Got Here
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Our program began as an outcry from the community for the city to offer immediate relief to highly vulnerable people experiencing homelessness who were being criminalized and not having their basic needs met. In the winter of 2012 the city was set to pass a series of ordinances that would further isolate people living on the streets. Cassie Burke, Jefferson Doyle and Meg Martin (three long-term EGYHOP street outreach workers) built momentum for the city to open it’s first long term, year round low barrier shelter.
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We became connected to Interfaith Works, established in 1972 which was a great fit because they had been providing volunteer based winter shelter for 25 years and needed additional support to expand their efforts. Thanks to our vital partnership with Interfaith Works, a ton of grassroots community support and lots of perseverance… we opened our doors on November 1, 2014.
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While Interfaith Works is a non-profit, social justice coalition made up of over 30 diverse faith based communities, the principal function of the Interfaith Works Homeless Services is to serve the immediate and long term needs of our neighbors experiencing homelessness in Thurston County. We do not promote, advance, or engage in religious messaging or recruitment with any of our services. Interfaith Works will not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, race, physical ability, religion or religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to actively participate in a religious practice.
