Resource Type: Community Resource

New Life Center Emergency Shelter

New Life Center, located in Opelousas, provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and supportive services for up to 52 homeless women and their children each night. New Life Center also provides emergency and transitional housing for homeless female veterans, with or without children.

Residents are provided with shelter and services while working towards self-sufficiency. All residents participate in case management where they are assisted with applying for mainstream benefits, entering school, obtaining employment and permanent housing.

Acadiana Outreach Lighthouse for Women and Children

The Outreach Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 as a day shelter providing basic need services to the poor and homeless.  Today we serve the eight parish region of Acadiana and our purpose is to assist struggling families transform their lives to reach their highest potential and maximize their quality of life.  To achieve our mission of ending homelessness our organization is fully committed to delivering a comprehensive and coordinated system of transitional housing and support services for the prevention, reduction, and eventual end of homelessness.

We have services that address the unique needs of homeless women and their children.  These services include long-term case management, life skills training, job skills training, job placement assistance, substance abuse counseling, and access to health care, education, child care, and transportation.

SMILE Community Action Agency Homeless Shelter

What is SMILE?
GET TO KNOW US BETTER

Many people don’t realize that the word “SMILE” stands for the three parishes – St. Martin, Iberia and Lafayette – that the Community Action Agency serves in south central Louisiana. The “E” is added to make the acronym that has served as a symbol of hope to those in need.

 

The St. Martin, Iberia, Lafayette Community Action Agency – or SMILE Community Action Agency – or just SMILE – is part of a legacy that dates back to the 1960s. That’s when President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society programs were enacted, resulting in the creation of community action agencies nationwide.

 

The Agency’s community action motto, “People Helping People,” rings across the land, just like it does here in the heart of a region known internationally for its rich culture and traditions. While its spicy cuisine and zydeco music are popular ingredients that draw in tourists, the tri-parish region has had its woes of economic hardships and socioeconomic ills. And yet, SMILE remains the tri-parish’s leading anti-poverty agency – dedicated to making a difference – dedicated to making people “smile” in St. Martin, Iberia and Lafayette Parishes.

 

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary Aids and Services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

St. Marguerite Home for Pregnant Women

Our home welcomes homeless pregnant women.  In some situations we will allow women with small children.  Each individual situation is unique.

We provide each resident with a peaceful, secure setting while helping to process her needs, her emotions, her choices.

We offer spiritual guidance, and women of all faiths are welcome.

We provide her with a place for reflection and re-direction, and each resident looks to the future with renewed hope.

We rely on the donations of individuals, families, churches, and organizations

$70 houses a single pregnant mother and provides much more than food, clothing, and shelter.  It also provides counseling, educational classes, parenting skills, vocational training, health care information, budgeting assistance, and more, all in an affirming Christian environment.

$35 provides formula, diapers, baby wipes, and other essentials to keep a d’Youville-Home baby healthy and happy for one week.

Average length of stay is six months.

You can be a Room Sponsor.  With a $5000 donation, your family’s name will be enshrined on a plaque in the home.

Thank you for any support you can give as we offer our services to help those women that Our Lord sends to our doors.

Please check our Volunteering page for other areas you can help.

After 10 years of helping women and saving babies, the DesOrmeaux Foundation, Inc.  opened the doors to a new project that started as a dream and in 2009 became a reality. Re-modeling began on the St. Marguerite d’Youville Home in January of 2009 to turn what was once a private residence into a home for homeless, pregnant women.  On September 7 of the same year, the doors opened to our fully-licensed home and is capable of housing up to six pregnant women.

Services Provided Include:

  • Spiritual Guidance
  • GED Prep Classes
  • Tutoring; Computer skills
  • Career Development
  • Character Building
  • Parenting Program
  • Abstinence Education
  • STD Education
  • Social Skills
  • Nutrition
  • Budgeting
  • Job opportunities
  • Faith Building

“We help them to understand they can reach their dreams and give their baby life too!”

In the Love of Life,
Brenda DesOrmeaux, President
The DesOrmeaux  Foundation, Inc.
Lafayette, Louisiana

Faith House

Faith House is a domestic violence crisis center and shelter, based in Lafayette, Louisiana and serving seven parishes throughout Central and South Louisiana, including Lafayette, Vermilion, Acadia, St. Landry, Evangeline, Rapides and Avoyelles.

HOUSING & SHELTER / EMERGENCY SHELTER

Emergency shelter is available in Lafayette for victims of domestic violence and their children needing a safe, temporary place to live. As a resident of Faith House, we provide you with physical necessities, DV counseling, advocacy and referrals.

Faith House´s shelter has nine bedrooms, each has five beds and a bathroom that adjoins two bedrooms, a shared dining room and living room. The kitchen aide cooks dinner three days a week for the residents. Survivors also have access to the pantry and refrigerator to cook meals for their families. Laundry facilities are available onsite for residents.

A playroom is available for children to enjoy. The playroom is staffed with children’s advocates to oversee the children while playing and provide advocacy. Special events are planned to enhance the child’s experience.

Faith House has three survivor advocates and a legal advocate available to speak with survivors on a daily basis and to help set and work on their goals.  Our advocates are trained in many areas of domestic violence including: safety planning, lethality assessments, the dynamics of domestic violence and the effects of trauma.

Support groups are offered Tuesdays at 6:30 pm and Thursdays at 5:30 pm.

•    Transitional Housing
Through the transitional housing program, individuals will have the opportunity to complete their education or enhance their work skills which will enable them to escape from poverty and obtain permanent housing.

•    Case management
Case Management will be provided for all residents of the transitional housing program. This service will comprise goal planning sessions, goal plan review sessions, referral services, assisting residents with accessing mainstream programs and safety planning. Case managers will meet with survivors 2-3 times each week.

Economic empowerment classes are available in finance and budgeting to assist survivors.

•    Permanent Supportive Housing
The Permanent Supportive Housing Program provides rental assistance to survivors with disabilities in Lafayette parish. Twelve units are currently supported in this program.