Shelter Services and Seasons

Dual-Season Shelter Model

St. John’s Ministries’ Dual-Season Shelter Model guides how shelter operations are organized throughout the year and allows the organization to respond to changing community needs by expanding access during the Cold Weather Season and providing more intensive support and forward-movement accountability during the Warm Weather Season.

Through a combination of year-round employees, seasonal staff, volunteers, and community partnerships, St. John’s Ministries responds to the changing needs of our guests and the community while maintaining continuity of care, supporting positive outcomes, and helping individuals move toward greater stability and long-term housing.

Cold Weather Season
November through April

During the Cold Weather Season, St. John’s Ministries operates its full emergency shelter response, expanding shelter capacity and staffing to meet increased community demand and ensure access to safe shelter and support for all eligible individuals seeking refuge from the elements.

Warm Weather Season
May through October

During the Warm Weather Season, shelter services have enhanced eligibility criteria. Staff provide more intensive case management, strengthen connections to community resources, and support guests in achieving housing, employment, and recovery goals.

Cold Weather Season – November through April

In addition to safety and shelter from the harsh winter elements, guests of St. John’s Ministries emergency shelters receive:

Case management services
Peer support recovery groups
Breakfast and dinner
Empowerment programming

Showers and hygiene supplies
Access to laundry services
Basic needs fulfillment
Community partner access and referrals

St. John’s Ministries’ emergency shelters open nightly at 5:00pm and close every morning at 8:30am. Emergency shelter services are available during St. John’s Ministries’ Cold Weather Season from November through April.

General Shelter Eligibility

St. John’s Ministries serves hundreds of vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness and each person carries their own set of experiences, barriers, and trauma. We strive to be a low-barrier shelter, however, St. John’s Ministries does have several baseline eligibility requirements for all shelter services and programs:

Individuals must be 18 years of age or older.
St. John’s Ministries will not serve any person(s) with an active warrant for their arrest.
St. John’s Ministries is unable to provide shelter for any person(s) on the sex offender registry.

Individuals must be able to achieve activities of daily living (ADLs) including but not limited to: bathing | eating | continence | moving independently.
Guests in shelter will follow all shelter policies, procedures, and guidelines during their time at St. John’s Ministries.

Warm Weather Season – May through October

During the Warm Weather Season, shelter services focus on individuals with complex mental health needs, those transitioning into housing, individuals who are employed, or those actively engaged in recovery. With a smaller population and enhanced eligibility criteria, staff are able to provide more intensive case management, strengthen connections to community resources, and support guests in achieving housing, employment, and recovery goals.

Stability Shelter for Women

The Stability Shelter for Women provides safety, structure, and individualized support for women who are:

Experiencing chronic homelessness.
Transitioning to stable housing or other stability focused opportunities.
Recovering from alcohol or substance use disorders.
Maintaining employment.

While emergency shelter services meet the immediate need for safety during the coldest months, the six months of the Stability Shelter allows staff to provide more individualized support and help each woman work toward her goals.

Women seeking shelter in the Stability Shelter must meet with a case manager at Wellspring to determine eligibility and review shelter program expectations prior to admission.

Men’s Safe Sleep

Men’s Safe Sleep provides overnight shelter, comfort, and safety from the elements for men who are:

Experiencing chronic homelessness.
Transitioning to stable housing or other stability focused opportunities.

Men seeking shelter in Men’s Safe Sleep must meet with a case manager at the Micah Center to determine eligibility and review shelter program expectations prior to admission.