Gift of Mary

Homeless shelter / temporary housing solutions once completed, Gift of Mary will provide temporary shelter at its primary location for up to eighteen women experiencing temporary homelessness. In order to serve as many women in need as possible, Gift of Mary will also work with other nonprofits to locate temporary housing and shelter for homeless women and may from time-to-time place homeless women in a local hotel for one-week or less. For hotel stays, Gift of Mary will contract directly with the hotel.during its organizational phase, Gift of Mary has already provided week-long hotel stays for six women and arranged shelter for more than thirty others. The organization's goal is to raise sufficient funds to complete renovations and provide necessary resources to open the shelter by january 2024.

Warming /resource centergift of Mary will operate a daily resource center for vulnerable and homeless women. During winter months, the center also serves as a space of shelter and respite from the cold. The organization has served more than one hundred (100) different vulnerable and homeless women in its temporary space since december 2021. The organization expects to move its operations from its temporary space into its permanent location by the summer of 2022.the center's full-time staff will include an executive director, a registered nurse, a mental health and licensed social worker, a case manager, a peer support specialist, sisters from the local catholic parishes and security staff.resources provided by the center will include the following:- provision of basic necessities such as food, water, clothing, and toiletries.-provision of temporary financial assistance for women in crisis to assist with such necessities as (i) costs of attaining identification; (ii) rent assistance; (iii) bus passes or other transportation costs; and (iv) medical necessity.- referral to government assistance programs.- access to and connection with other existing support organizations such as bridge outreach, bethlehem haven, light of life, catholic charities, operation safety net, genesis, and Mary's place.- introducing and reconnecting women with case workers for a variety of services.- offering prayer, dignity and sacrifice to/for those in need.gift of Mary collaborates with several local organizations to provide these resources. For example, once a week a psychiatric doctor, a registered nurse and a licensed social worker from the allegheny health network are available to women at the center. A registered nurse from pittsburgh mercy is also available bi-weekly. Twice a week, two individuals from allegheny link (an allegheny county health & human services organization) are available to assist women with housing support and locating affordable stable housing.gift of Mary may develop applications and/or procedures to establish appropriate criteria and documentation with respect to the provision of any direct financial assistance. In order to be eligible for other than emergency aid, an individual will be required to demonstrate an unexpected need which cannot be met from her available resources.