We are committed to ending homelessness for women in King County
Mission
Our mission is to end homelessness for women in King County by providing shelter, supportive services, and permanent housing with support.
Our purpose is to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time.
Values
We believe every person has the right to housing.
We embrace cultural diversity, supporting individuality and personal growth.
We believe in empowering women to achieve their personal objectives.
We partner with women by asking how we can best support them in their journey.
We invite participation and advocacy from within the entire community.
Race & Social Justice
We commit to speaking up and taking action to fight inequity, discrimination, and injustice.
We commit to listening to people with lived experiences.
We commit to understanding and learning from their stories.
We commit to amplifying their voices.
We commit to disrupting systemic racism that create inequities throughout our society.
We continue to use our voice and platform to make progress.
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. We wish her the very best!
Approach
“Housing First” is an evidence-based practice that views housing as the foundation for life improvement and enables access to permanent housing without prerequisites or conditions beyond those of a typical renter.
Why Housing First? The four biggest needs that we see in women experiencing homelessness are “Where can I sleep tonight?” “Where can I eat?” “Where can I have a shower and wash my clothes?” “Where can I find a place to store my belongings safely”?
When women are thinking only about “where”, they cannot focus on the future. We believe that once they are in a stable, safe home, they can set personal goals and overcome barriers to sustaining permanent housing.
Your support can help women experiencing homelessness find a place to call home.
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.
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 warm secure space at night at the shelter. I am confident that with your support, one day, I will get my own home. - Alysia