Shelter Care Ministries

412 N Church St
Rockford, IL - 61103
(815) 964-5520

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Last-Modified: 2023-06-30 06:54:23

Since 1984 Shelter Care Ministries has provided temporary housing, counseling, and advocacy for the homeless population of Rockford, through 5 different programs. Their Emergency Housing Program serves homeless families that present to us with many complex issues such as addictions, mental illness, abusive relationships, insufficient or mismanaged income, and poor life skills. Their goals are to provide these families with housing for up to 6 months while developing weekly goals in employment, education, child services, and any other issue that prevent our consumers from transitioning to a more stable lifestyle. Their Transitional Housing Program operates as an extension of the emergency program. Housing is provided for up to 2 years where families with long term needs can continue to work on goals they have set in the emergency program. The Jubilee Center Program offers a safe, secure, social environment 6 days a week for adults living with mental illness through a psycho-social pro-consumerism environment. Again, case management is utilized to provide linkage and advocacy to needed services such as employment, housing, mental health, and substance abuse. MAYAS House (Mothers and Youth Attaining Stability)is a daytime drop-in center for homeless families, providing daycare, education, and food for the children while the parents can attend classes, job interviews, etc. Their final program is their Saturday soup kitchen where they offer meals to those in need. All of these programs except for the soup kitchen are the only ones in existence in the Rockford area, supporting a population of 150,000.

Mission Statement: It is the mission of Shelter Care Ministries to provide shelter, awaken hope and honor dignity in every person who seeks comfort, support or assistance through our programs. Our focus is on individuals with a chronic mental illness and families that are homeless in the Winnebago/Boone county area. We live out our mission through our direct service programs, volunteer efforts and community education. When possible, we participate in lobbying for resources for our members and residents, legislate for laws to protect marginalized people and inform policies that affect funding and regulations for programs serving very poor people.

Important Top Tips Before Applying

If you Interested in applying to Shelter Care Ministries, we recommend that you call them and find out some answers to some or all of the below questions:

What type of housing do you offer? Is it shared or private housing? Is it furnished or unfurnished?
What are the length of stay requirements? How long can I stay in the program?
What kind of support services do you offer? Do you offer job training, case management, or other support services to help me achieve permanent housing and self-sufficiency?
What are the rules and policies? Are there any rules or policies that I need to be aware of, such as curfews, visitor restrictions, or substance abuse policies?
What is the cost of the program? Is there a monthly fee? Are there any other costs associated with the program?
Is the program accredited or licensed? This will help ensure that the program meets certain standards of quality.

In addition to these general questions, you may also want to ask more specific questions about the program, such as:

What is the staff-to-resident ratio? This will give you an idea of how much support you can expect from staff.
What is the success rate of the program? How many residents have gone on to achieve permanent housing and self-sufficiency?
What are the cultural competency practices of the program? Is the program staffed by people who are culturally competent and able to meet the needs of a diverse range of residents?
How does the program ensure the safety and security of residents? What safety measures are in place?
What is the process for resolving disputes? Is there a clear and fair process for resolving disputes between residents and staff?