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Gateway Homeless Services provides safe, nurturing emergency shelter that operates on a 24-hour basis for single women and families. Gateway's services help to empower homeless individuals to move into transitional and independent housing. In 2008, Gateway referred more than 300 individuals and placed 254 in transitional and permanent housing programs.
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Emergency Support Programs |
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Gateway Homeless Services is an emergency shelter for women, children and families. It is the largest such facility in Missouri with 110 beds and providing overflow shelter services during cold weather. Gateway's primary role is to "rehouse" homeless families as quickly as possible, reducing the length of stay in our facility and insuring that women and children experiencing homelessness can be placed into supported or permanent housing. All clients at Gateway are referred by the Housing Resource Center, a single point of entry for all persons seeking the support the St. Louis City Continuum of Care for Ending Homelessness. Once at Gateway, clients are provided with the support they need to organize the documentation and materials necessary to move into transitional housing. Gateway provides shelter, food, laundry, communication, transportation and referral/placement counseling services to empower women and children to move into supported housing.
Gateway Homeless Services Food Pantry distributes food donated by wholesalers, grocery stores, social groups and individuals, to homeless persons in its neighborhood. The program also focuses on feeding the elderly and working poor through a monthly distribution of food to client families.
Operation Brown Bag provides more than 100 homeless men and transients with nutritious brown bag lunches each day, made possible through the commitment of many diverse faith and civic organizations.
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Education for each child at Gateway is carefully planned with the St. Louis Public Schools and their office for addressing the needs of homeless children and families. When a family arrives at Gateway, our staff immediately calls the St. Louis Public Schools to arrange for the educational needs of a family and to insure that there is minimal or no disruption of a child's educational program. Arrangements are made to transport all older children to the school they were attending prior to experiencing homelessness and younger children go to special programming at Jefferson School in the neighborhood of the shelter.
Back to School Campaign collects school supplies and backpacks for homeless and needy children in the 5th Ward of the City of St. Louis. The campaign, done in collaboration with Dierbergs, the St Louis Science Center, St. Patrick's Center and many other organizations is supported by the 5th Ward Service Providers. During the summer of each year, a carnival at De Soto Park is the focus of Gateway's "Back to School" activities. The organization promotes health screenings through its relationship with Barnes Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine. In addition, the organization sponsors a spelling bee and provides school supplies to over 1,000 children and their families.
Educational programming of many kinds is provided for youth and adults through volunteer events and activities. For example, children from the Ladue School District come weekly to share time and attention with children in the shelter. Financial and health literacy classes are scheduled monthly for clients.
St. Louis Science Center Summertime Science program introduces valuable math and science skills to children who live in the shelter and to children who live in the immediate neighborhood of the shelter. The Downtown YMCA works with Gateway to make summer and other services available to the shelter's clients.
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Ask the Dr. Thursday's is a innovative program conducted by BJH and Washington University Medical School Department of Internal Medicine. Residents from BJH provide health literacy classes to clients to empower client efforts to improve health while enhancing their economic stability and potential for stable, long-term housing.
Gracehill Healthcare Services is a program that provides nursing care to people at Gateway. Gracehill provides a visiting nurse that is available to shelter residents one day each week and is on call for specific needs. The Grace Hill Health Clinic is very close to Gateway (2 blks away) and provides our residents with access to a primary care physician.
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Life Skills Training and Support Programs |
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Career Realities-Investing in Homeless Women is a set of motivational and financial literacy programs for women residing in the shelter. These opportunities focus on inspiring women to pursue their dreams and to work toward important work and life goals. Financial literacy classes form the core of this work. In addition, career attire is provided to residents. Professional women conduct sessions detailing personal, first-hand accounts of how they were able to achieve their career goals and have a strong impact on our community. |
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Continuum of Care (CoC) Partnerships and Work |
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The St. Louis City/County Continuum of Care (CoC) for Ending Homelessness is a collaboration of 55 St. Louis organizations who share a collaboration to end homelessness in our community. Martin Rafanan, Gateway's Director, was elected Chair of the organization's advocacy committee and works with other CoC leaders to address legislative and funding issues that relate to the CoC's work. In addition, the advocacy committee works with clients and consumers to assess what is needed to improve services and attract greater support. If you are interested in the work of the Continuum of Care, please contact:
Martin Rafanan, Executive Director
Gateway Homeless Services
314-231-1515 x12 or
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The Continuum of Care to End Homelessness is an expression of a 10-year Plan to End Homelessness in St. Louis and is directed by the Division of Homeless Services of the Department of Human Services of the City of St. Louis. The CoC works to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless, moving them into stable housing and maximum self-sufficiency. |
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