Our purpose is to make homelessness rare and brief.
Vision
All women have a place to call home.
Mission
The Sophia Way is a place of hope and change for women. We support them on their journey from homelessness to safe and stable living.
Values
Welcoming – We create a warm, welcoming space where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
Dignity – We respect everyone, treating them with grace and honoring their lived experiences.
Supportive – We partner with women and ask how we can best support them on their journey.
Compassionate – We build and nurture relationships, being mindful and understanding that every woman has her own story to share.
Inclusive – We value and embrace diversity and experiences, giving everyone the space to be their full, authentic selves.
I want the world to know how important it is to have a safe place to sleep. Instead of sleeping in my car, I now have my own home. - Lynda
Race & Social Justice
We commit to
- speaking up and taking action to fight inequity, discrimination, and injustice
- listening to people with lived experiences
- understanding and learning from their stories
- amplifying their voices
- disrupting systemic racism that create inequities throughout our society
What We Provide
Every day needs – a place to rest and sleep, nourishing food, and access to necessities such as a shower, laundry, clothing, toiletries.
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A warm safe environment. Caring, compassionate staff. And, on-site health support that helps in healing and recovery.
24/7 shelters. Transitional, supportive and permanent housing. And, case managers who build personal connections with each woman.
Lena’s first contact with The Sophia Way was when she came to our Emergency Shelter in January. A few months later, she moved to our Extended-Stay Shelter at Sophia’s Place. There, she not only had access to immediate services, she also contributed by helping with chores and cleaning, whenever possible.
Lena invested in herself, setting goals and developing a plan to find an apartment she could afford. Her case manager guided her at every step. Nearly a year later, Lena was able to move to her own apartment. She celebrated by cooking her first meal and sharing it with her her case manager!
Lena was resilient and overcame the many challenges that come with experiencing homelessness.
Approach
Case Management
Every woman benefits from the compassionate, individualized guidance from our case managers.
Case managers partner with women, empowering them with skills and resources to help her live a life of her choice.
They support each woman’s overall well-being – physical, mental, and financial – to help her meet her needs and goals. The support includes applying for housing or completing an application; developing a payment plan for a debt; connecting with mental health services, medical providers, or legal assistance.
Trauma-informed Care
At The Sophia Way, staff and case managers use the five guiding principles of trauma-informed care – safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment – to build a compassionate relationship with each woman.
The focus is on “What may have happened to her?” instead of “What is wrong with her?”
This approach reduces further trauma and retraumatization, emphasizes healing and encourages them to develop stronger coping skills.
History
In 2006, a woman walked into a church in Redmond and asked, “Where can I sleep tonight?” There was no answer, but her question led to the formation of the services and programs that became The Sophia Way.
The Origin of Our Name
Helen Leuzzi, founder of The Sophia Way, named the organization after Sophia, a name derived from σοφία, the Greek word for “wisdom.” It is the feminine personification of God’s Wisdom and Way. Helen’s vision was that the “Way” is the path we seek to walk alongside the women in need to support them from homelessness to housing.