Who We Are

Women & Children Building Futures

We serve very low-income women and their children experiencing homelessness in the Austin, TX area. Our residents come from diverse backgrounds but share a common strength — the determination to build better futures for their families.

As Austin housing has become increasingly unaffordable, the hidden homeless crisis has grown. Afraid of losing their children should their homeless status be discovered, single mothers and their children often bounce from one temporary situation to the next, sleeping in shelters, on friends' sofas or floors, and in cars or hotels. As these mothers spend their days figuring out where they are going to sleep each night and what they are going to eat, they can focus on little else.

These physically and emotionally precarious living situations contribute to these families' instability by keeping them in a constant state of crisis, putting them at an increased risk of victimization, sexual abuse, illness, and despair. Children experiencing homelessness are more likely than their housing-stable peers to suffer from developmental delays; chronic and acute health problems; and behavioral, emotional, and mental health issues. Further, the longer the duration of homelessness, the more severe the negative impact on child health and development.

The link between a stable home and good health are inextricable. Without safe, stable and affordable housing, a mother cannot focus on her family's physical and mental health, or on any of the other components that are foundational to living healthy and self-sufficient lives. Saint Louise House is deeply committed to supporting these women-led families as they move from crisis to long-lasting stability.