Sanctuary for Life Helps Homeless Mothers Have Hope for the Future

Editorial Note: Lent is an opportune time to support ministries that are engaged in corporal works of mercy all year long. This article features Sanctuary for Life, a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge that assists homeless women who are pregnant.

When homeless women discover they are pregnant they are often scared and don’t know where to go for help. The structured and supportive environment at Sanctuary for Life allows these women to set and achieve personal goals in work, school, and life. Their fears are then replaced with hope.

Sanctuary for Life, a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (CCDBR), provides free  case management  services, housing, and emotional support for pregnant women ages 18 years or older.

If the women still need assistance after birth, they are transitioned to St. Patrick House for up to six months.

The women are often referred to Sanctuary for Life from CCDBR, Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, word of mouth, and clients who know other women experiencing something similar to themselves.
The residents’ first needs are basic essentials, such as food, clothing, feminine and hygiene products, according to Adriane Honore, Sanctuary for Life Program Supervisor.

Daily support is also given by house managers while residents transition to independent living. 

“The clients are only responsible for feeding themselves,” said Honore.

She helps the women fill out forms for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

 “We offer transportation to work, interviews, parenting classes, and doctor’s appointments. We help them build resumes and prepare for interviews. We help them find jobs,” Honore said.

Through partnering with the LSU Ag Center, the women learn about the importance of good nutrition and how to cook healthy meals. Those wanting to obtain their G.E.D.S. can do so through Southern University and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library.

If the women are experiencing mental or emotional challenges, Sanctuary for Life will refer them to appropriate community resources.

Sanctuary for Life partners with the YWCA to provide free early childhood education for the residents’ children after their birth.

The women who are staying at Sanctuary for Life during the Christmas season are also signed up to for CCDBR's “Community Christmas.”

When women are ready to move into an apartment, Sanctuary for Life assists them with donated items, such as bed linens, kitchen items, and furniture.

Once the women leave Sanctuary for Life, the staff provides follow-up care to see if the women need anything.

Seeing women succeed, better equipped to care for their children, and filled with confidence is satisfying for Honore and the staff at Sanctuary for Life. 

 “A lot of women don’t want to go to a shelter, especially during pregnancy,” said Honore. “Once they get there and they understand it’s a safe environment and they’re with caring people, they feel a lot better. Having nowhere to go on top of a pregnancy is a hard thing to deal with mentally.

“Seeing the burden lifted off them is satisfying for me,” Honore said.

For more information on Sanctuary for Life, visit CatholicCharitiesBR.org