Our Mission: to provide housing, education and a supportive community so homeless families can regain their independence and transform their lives.
My Father’s House Community Shelter is a family shelter located in East Multnomah County, Oregon. We provide a safe environment for 30 families, a place families can stay together as they address their spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational issues and needs.
Since more than half of our residents are children, our family shelter provides a home-style atmosphere that encourages change, structure, and accountability, as well as life changing classes and services that are suited for the entire family. For many of these parents it is their only opportunity for a chance to get back on their feet.
All of our programs stress responsible living and decision making. We never do anything for residents they are able to do for themselves, but we are available with assistance, encouragement, support, training and prayer. We are a community-based and completely privately funded family shelter – supported by hundreds of local churches, businesses and individuals.
FAST FACTS:
My Father’s House…
- Turns away an average of 100 families every week
- Is the largest privately funded family shelter of its kind in the United States.
- Has an incredible success rate of 85%
- Shelters over 130 families each year
OTHER FACTS:
- There are over 3,000 homeless families on any given night in Multnomah County
- The average age of a homeless person is “9-years old”
- Homelessness is growing exponentially at a rate of 37% each year
- There are more homeless families than there are homeless singles
NATIONAL DATA ON FAMILY HOMELESSNESS (from the Institute for Children & Poverty)
Today over 1.35 million children, from 600,000 families, are homeless in America.
* An additional 3.8 million adults and children are residing in doubled-up, overcrowded, or otherwise precarious housing situations.
Available shelter and housing for homeless families is decreasing.
* In 2007, the nationwide average shelter stay (usually in 3 or more shelters) for a homeless family was 5.7 months.
* In a nationwide survey, 87% of homeless families cited a lack of affordable housing as the primary cause of their homelessness.
* Although most homeless families are headed by a single parent, families in 36 of the 50 states must work at least two full-time jobs in order to afford Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.
Overcoming homelessness is almost impossible without steady employment.
* Over two-thirds of homeless parents are unemployed.
* 53% of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma.
* In 17 of 50 states, households must earn over $16/hour to afford the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit.
Homeless children have less of a chance of succeeding in school.
* Homeless children are more likely than housed children to be held back a grade.
* Homeless children have higher rates of school mobility and grade retention than low-income housed children.
* Frequent school transfers are the most significant barrier to the academic success of homeless students.
Homeless families are more vulnerable to serious health issues.
* Among youth aging out of foster care, those who subsequently experience homelessness are more likely to be uninsured and have worse health care access than those who maintain housing.
* Over 50% of all homeless mothers have a lifelong mental health problem.
* Homeless adults in family shelters, when compared to the general adult population, have three times the rate of tuberculosis and eight times more HIV diagnoses.
Homeless parents and their children are more likely to have experienced violence.
* Domestic violence is the second most frequently stated cause of homelessness for families.
* One out of three homeless teens have witnessed a stabbing, shooting, rape, or murder in their communities.
* On a given day in 2007, there were 1,740 survivors of domestic abuse in the U.S. who could not be provided emergency shelter, and 1,422 who could not be provided transitional shelter.
Homeless parents and their children are more likely to be separated from each other.
* Homelessness is the most important predictor of the separation of mothers from their children.
* 34% of school-aged homeless children have lived apart from their families.
* 37% of children involved with child welfare services have mothers who have been homeless at least once.
* 62% of children placed in foster care come from formerly homeless families.
