Transitions Programs
Miryam's House
Miryam's House provides a nurturing homelike environment for women recovering from crisis in their lives such as abuse, domestic violence, addiction and the results of poverty. Through fostering the values of community and relationship and teaching life-skills, women are assisted in moving toward wholeness and continued growth leading to greater self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
Transitional Living Center
The Transitional Living Center provides transitional housing and supportive services for homeless women with children. TLC promotes the growth and development of those it serves by helping them break the cycle of poverty and homelessness in their lives. The EduCare licensed childcare program is offered in conjunction with TLC. EduCare provides stability, nourishing meals, nurturing and developmental opportunities for TLC's children and supportive services that benefit their moms.
Women's Hearth
The Women's Hearth, a day center in downtown Spokane, is a safe, welcoming community that promotes growth and well being in body, mind and spirit for women challenged with homelessness, mental illness, poverty, addiction, and fleeing abuse. The Hearth fosters nurturing relationships, encourages self-determination, and advocates for change in systems which oppress women.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Last year, Transitions implemented an innovative new social enterprise, the New Leaf Bakery Cafe Job Training program to help low-income women with unique barriers to mainstream employment learn jobs skills in the food service industry. The program is partially self-supporting through food-to-go catering and a café kiosk serving the public. Women continue to receive support for the first few months after employment to help them succeed in the workplace.
Funding to eliminate homelessness is currently directed toward creating affordable housing while cutting funds for outreach, referral and case management. Healing is often a lengthy process for many of the women we see who deal with mental illness, addictions, abuse and neglect. Transitions specifically needs funding to support housing, intensive case management, education, and compassionate support needed to help women in crisis heal and build skills to transition into affordable housing.