A Syracuse shelter for women and children experiencing housing insecurity recently turned ten. Residents at Joseph’s House come for a variety of reasons. Some, more than once. Like Mariah — we’ve been asked not to use her full name as she separates from an abusive partner. She says Joseph’s House is different from other shelters.
"It felt more like a home and away. Just because, everybody's so welcoming. Everybody was immediately to your attention, asking you if you needed anything, just giving you the space to heal and get situated."
Mariah says she’s especially grateful for the on-site daycare and other support services to help her "stay on track."
"It definitely helped me with just like getting my mind right and getting my life together," Mariah said. "I can have my case management once a week where I bring things that I want to focus on or something that I want to try and accomplish and get done and they like help me navigate through that."
Executive director Bronson Kopp says other support includes therapy and life skills classes, from cooking to parenting and financial literacy, all without judgement.
"We may be one of the only encounters in their lives that looks at them and just cares for them because of who they are because they're and deserving of our care and our love and our attention," Kopp said. "We look at them where they are and say you're here. We're glad you're here and we're here to help you."
Mariah says she's incredibly grateful for the support and love she and her children have received.
"I didn't feel like I could ever find good people. And just being here and connecting with those good people have good intentions, it's just it's a relief," Mariah said. "It feels like you do have family outside of your actual family."
Joseph’s House is currently home to some 30 women and children, and Kopp says they don’t have to join the religious services that the Catholic organization offers. Nor is there a specific limit to their stay. He says the average is 12 to 14 months, but can stay up to two years. Kopp says it’s up to the women to decide when they’re ready to leave.
Joseph's House is 100 percent privately funded. They don't accept program fees or government funding.
