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.
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 in our society
The Sophia Way Forward, a 360-degree approach, focuses on creating partnerships to drive solutions to support those experiencing homelessness; think beyond shelter to provide a continuum of care; and build capacity and resources leveraging the expertise of the community and staff.
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
We Provide
Every day needs – a place to rest and sleep, nourishing food, and access to necessities such as a shower, laundry, clothing, toiletries.
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.
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 Approach
Staff and case managers partner with women, using the six guiding principles of trauma-informed approach – Safety, Trustworthiness & Transparency, Peer Support, Collaboration & Mutuality, Empowerment Voice & Choice, and Cultural, Historical, & Gender Issues – to build a caring relationship with them.
The approach focuses on a woman’s lived experiences: “What may have happened to her?” instead of an assumption: “What is wrong with her?” The trauma-informed approach reduces further trauma and retraumatization, emphasizes healing and encourages them to develop stronger coping skills.
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.
Our Journey
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.