Get to know us
Our Story
Our journey began in 2006 when, on a cold December night, a woman walked into a church in Redmond and asked, “Where can I sleep tonight?” There was no answer. But her question awakened the congregation to a critical gap in services and the growing need to support unhoused women. Led by our late founder, Helen Leuzzi – an ardent advocate and philanthropist – a vision emerged that quickly inspired city, civic, and community and partners.
On December 8, 2008, The Sophia Way opened its doors at Bellevue First Congregational Church with eight mats, offering safety and dignity to women experiencing homelessness. In 2012, The Sophia Way became an independent 501(c)(3) organization.
Each day, our programs serve and support more than 100 individuals who identify as women, providing shelter, safety, and pathways to stable housing.
Our name reflects our mission. Helen Leuzzi chose “Sophia,” derived from the Greek word σοφία, meaning ‘wisdom’ to embody her belief in walking alongside each woman with dignity on her journey home.
Our Vision
All women have a place to call home.
Our 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.
Our Values
Welcoming
Dignity
Supportive
Compassionate
Inclusive
Our Why
Homelessness is a harsh, traumatizing reality, caused by systemic failures – not personal choice. Lack of affordable housing, healthcare, and mental health services, job loss, rising rents, domestic violence, and medical crises push people into instability. Addiction can both result from and contribute to homelessness, yet recovery resources are scarce. The impact is profound: physical exhaustion, emotional trauma, and the constant loss of safety and dignity. People of color and other marginalized communities face disproportionate risk due to deep-rooted structural inequities.
Addressing homelessness requires more than temporary solutions. It demands comprehensive, sustained, compassionate support so people can find hope, rebuild their lives, and break the cycle of trauma.
Resources: KCRHA, WA State Dept of Health, WLIHA
Our Pillars
Shelter
Safety
Stability
Story of Hope
Jasmine’s Journey Home!
For Jasmine, 42, her car had become her home. For more than a year, she lived in her vehicle at a safe parking program in Kirkland, enduring long, cold nights, constant uncertainty, and daily struggles.
One day, she reached out to our Vehicle Outreach Coordinator who supports the safe parking program with case management. Our coordinator met her with warmth and understanding, simply asking, “What do you need?” Jasmine shared her story – she had lost her job unexpectedly, and without a steady income or savings, she could no longer afford rent. With nowhere else to go, she lived in her car.
Our coordinator connected Jasmine to critical support services – food banks, healthcare, job training programs, and housing resources. When Jasmine felt overwhelmed, our coordinator encouraged her. When she had doubts and fear, they reassured her. Step by step, Jasmine rebuilt her foundation.
Finally, Jasmine found a job and began building her savings – the first steps toward stability. Next, she focused on finding a home she could afford. Once again, with our coordinator’s help and guidance, she explored housing options and finally found a place of her own.
Jasmine is no longer living in her car; she has a home and she couldn’t be happier!
Instead of sleeping in my car, I now have my own home."
