Transitional Housing Programs

House of Dreams

A TEMPORARY HOUSING PROGRAM OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL AT ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE THAT PROVIDES HOMELESS WOMEN WITHOUT CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES IN A POSITIVE WAY AND WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT AGAIN.

The House of Dreams is a temporary housing program for women located in Smyrna, Georgia. We opened our doors on November 1, 2001. This holistic program strives to provide homeless women, who are willing and able to take the necessary steps to change their own lives, with the resources and support they need to become self-reliant again.

We are dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness. We believe that by aggressively addressing the factors that cause homelessness, we can change lives one person at a time through education, self-awareness, knowledge and independence.

The women are expected to attend the necessary life and work skill classes to help them obtain and maintain a job. When employed, they are expected to contribute to help pay for the rent, utilities, etc. They are also required to put money into a savings account. Volunteers provide support as mentors, employment assistants, apartment inspectors and more to ensure that our guests are complying with the house rules and making progress on their goals. If unemployed, the women are expected to aggressively look for work and to do volunteer work.

House of Dreams Program Details

WHAT WE PROVIDE

– 3-Bedroom apartment shared by up to 4 women (there is a cost of $75/week to off-set our cost for rent and utilities)
– 6 Months housing, provided the rules of the program are followed
– Food, paper products, cleaning supplies
– Computer, TV, washer & dryer
– Clothing, as needed
– Bus passes/transportation
– Financial planning education
– Mentor(s) to provide support & encouragement

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

– Women only
– 25 Years or older without dependent children
– No criminal, alcohol, or drug history
– No medical issue that prohibits them from working
– Must have been recently employed (within the last 3-6 months) or currently working
– Must be a legal US citizen or resident with valid SSN

PROCESS TO QUALIFY

– Phone interview with volunteer
– In-person interview with 2-3 volunteers
– Background check, focused on criminal history
– Duration of process is 3 to 7 business days

HOUSE OF DREAMS APPLICATION

Please be sure that ALL eligibility requirements are met before submitting an application.

House of Dreams Application

St. Michael’s House

A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL AT ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL THAT PROVIDES SINGLE-MOTHERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES IN A POSITIVE WAY AND WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT AGAIN.

St. Michael’s House provides a nurturing home-like environment for homeless women and their children 12 years of age and younger so that they can establish stability in their lives.

This is an opportunity for families to build resources needed to establish a stable and secure home-life for themselves and their families.

How their success is accomplished is through the dedication of the participants, but also through the dedication of our volunteers. The volunteer mentors provide guidance for basic life skills such as finance and budget training, nutrition and cooking, goal setting and decision making, child rearing and nurturing, other skills, as well as spiritual direction. Mentors will access the goals of each participant and standards will be set. St. Michael’s House will give them the tools, but the utlimate success is in the participant’s hands. Participants learn success through accountability.

It is our hope that we can help end the downward spiral of poverty in our community through a personal outreach and interaction between our volunteer members and the families that reside at St. Michael’s House.

The founder of St. Michael’s House likes to quote the proverb, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

It is our ultimate goal to teach the young mothers at the residence how to be self-sufficient in today’s world.

Doing more to meet today’s challenges by…

  • Providing a clean, warm place to sleep
  • Providing warm meals and all the comforts of a home
  • Providing employment assistance
  • Providing emotional support
  • Providing a viable plan with goals and objectives
  • Providing educational opportunities Goal setting and decision making class
  • Basic computer training
  • Nutrition and food shopping
  • Budgeting classes

For a family to stay at St. Michael’s House, a participant must:

  • Maintain employment throughout her stay.
  • Set and achieve short-term and long-term goals.
  • Progress towards financial stability.
  • Nurture and participate in her children’s growth.
  • Be willing to live in peaceful coexistence with other women in the program.
  • Be willing to comply with the precepts of the SVdP Transitional Housing Program.

For more information, call 770-367-0168.

Mailing address:
St. Michael the Archangel
c/o SvdP St. Michael’s House
490 Arnold Mill Rd.
Woodstock, GA 30188