How do families come to Raphael House?

The majority of our families come to us from an agency called Connecting Point, a clearing house for San Francisco homeless families. This agency screens homeless families to determine which of San Francisco’s four family shelters would best serve their needs.

How long can a family stay at Raphael House?

The length of stay depends on the needs of the family. There is no set limit, but two or three months is typical. During that time our case workers help them stabilize their lives and identify areas where they can begin to make changes in their lifestyle. Last year the average length of stay was 51.5 days.

How do they find housing at the end of the six months?

We have a fulltime Resource Coordinator whose primary responsibility is to help each family find stable housing. She also leads classes in budgeting, tenant responsibilities, job/housing searches and child development.

Do you ever have to ask a family to leave?

Yes. If a family (usually the parents) does not follow the guidelines they agreed to when they entered Raphael House, they are counseled and – if they continue to disregard the rules – are asked to leave the shelter.

Do families ever come back?

Yes, we have families who come back and have a successful stay at Raphael House.

How many bedrooms do you have?

We have 17 bedrooms with a total of 50 beds. These are configured according to the families’ needs.

How many of your families have a father with them?

89% of our families are headed by a single mother.

How old are the children?

Over half of our residents are children, and 70% of those children are under five years old.

How did your families become homeless?

The most frequent reason cited by incoming parents is domestic violence, but many other factors are connected to this cause: job loss, drug abuse, and illness.

Are you funded by the City of San Francisco?

No, Raphael House does not accept government funding of any kind – city, state or federal. We are entirely funded by private sources: individuals, corporations, foundations, churches and civic groups and income from special events and our thrift store.