Who We Serve

There is no formal intake, but quarterly one-day counts suggest over 200 people are served daily.  This represents nearly 10 times more people than when Listening House first opened.  Research suggests the longer a person remains without shelter, the more likely they are to become entrenched in the homeless existence.  Factors contributing to shelter use are poverty, fewer work opportunities, lack of affordable housing, addiction, mental illness, traumatic brain injury, poor literacy, and a criminal past.

With a goal to promote self-sufficiency and respect for the difficulty of depending on others for basic needs, staff and volunteers encourage guests to invest in Listening House.  Many services are provided in exchange for household chores, as a way to respect autonomy.  It is equally common for guests to lend a hand simply as a show of gratitude.