New Orleans Women's Shelter (NOWS)

New Orleans Women's Shelter (NOWS) provides transitional housing for homeless women and children in the New Orleans area and allow them to stabilize their lives while assisting them in establishing an independent, self-supporting and productive lifestyle.

 

 

NOWS Programs

NOWS operates as a grassroots family-style transitional women and children's home with a focus on helping women stabilize and move on to successful independent living.  

 

The NOWS staff helps residents sign up for public programs such state sponsored child support and other assistance programs. Those in need of mental health services are taken to local clinics. Women with domestic violence or substance abuse issues or other special needs are connected with appropriate resources. The residents, primarily Katrina survivors who lost their housing in the flood, are allowed to stay as long as it takes to accomplish an appropriate transition, typically three to six months. 

 

Why the need?

Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. Since Katrina the number of homeless people in New Orleans has doubled from 6,000 before the storm to 12,000 currently.  Housing prices have skyrocketed, FEMA benefits have run out, some people have lost their jobs due to unaddressed PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and others are suffering from domestic abuse resulting from the stress of post-Katrina life. Families who have nowhere else to go are living in cars, gutted homes they can't afford to rebuild, and abandoned buildings.

 How Team Efforts Translate to Impact

All funds raised will support NOWS services to women and children. This support will allow NOWS to reach more women and children, there by making a larger impact on the New Orleans community.

 

How NOWS Creates Sustainable Global Change

NOWS is improving the community and lives of women by assisting in the process of transitioning back into independent living situations.

  Once stabilized, participants will be better equip to accomplish life goals which they have set for themselves.  

 

*Photo courtesy of NOWS