Houston Homeless Shelters

When I came to Star of Hope, I was looking for a company that cared about people and wanted to help those who had lost their way. That is exactly what I found. Star of Hope has invested in my career by providing leadership training, internal and external training, and a mentor.

Here you can find a friendly, family oriented group of individuals that share a genuine love for God. It has always been a delightful gift to come to work and have the ability to freely worship God.
 

Michelle Jones
Client Case Manager

 

 

Visit Careers at Star of Hope Mission
Homeless Shelters Houston

God's clear calling brought me to serve at Star of Hope near the end of 2006. In fact, God had been revealing Star of Hope to me from the early 1990s when I was an intern at Channel 26 and had helped a reporter cover a story on homelessness.

God has given me joy that comes from ministering to men, just as other men along my life's journey have ministered to me. When I see men reunite with family, God places a peace and clarity of purpose in my heart.

Ricardo Grimaldi
General Services Support
 

Visit Careers at Star of Hope Mission
Homeless Shelters Houston

I came to Star of Hope 4 years ago fresh out of college, naïve, and inexperienced. I was a recent college graduate looking to serve. I had always heard about Star of Hope, but had never volunteered and knew very little about the mission and all that it does. I sent in my application to Star of Hope and several other organizations. After my first interview at Star of Hope, I knew God had called me here.

On my drive home from that first interview, I received a call from another organization offering a position. I took a leap of faith and turned down that position stating I had another offer. I did not have another offer, and I was still several interviews away from being hired at Star of Hope. However, I knew where the Lord wanted me to be, and I wanted to be obedient to Him.

I continued the interview process at Star of Hope, and two months later my manager and director took a step of faith and added me to the children’s ministry team. I was eager to change the world! Little did I know that Star of Hope would change me.

As I reflect on my time at Star of Hope, I see over and over evidences of the Lord’s grace in my life. The Lord has used Star of Hope to grow, change, and mold me more into the image of Christ than I could ever imagine. We do not seek to meet only the physical needs of our guests, but to share the gospel of Jesus Christ so that they experience true life change. And as scripture tells us, the more we share the love of Christ, the more opposition we will meet from the enemy. Our days are filled with hardship, stress, brokenness, and pain.

Every day, however, I see more clearly the work God is doing in this sanctuary to rescue the homeless and bring them into communion with Him. Sharing scripture with two children fighting over a toy, encouraging a young mom who is struggling in sin, and leading class Bible studies gives me more joy than any other job. The Lord is at work in this place, and I am humbled to be a small part of it!

Jill Rowan
Children's Services Supervisor

Visit Careers at Star of Hope Mission
Homeless Shelters Houston

A few years ago I was offered an opportunity to work at Star of Hope as a Temp during the holiday season. The Director of Operations told me about the wonders of working for such a strong organization with it Christian values and strong family environment. He explained to me that SOH had changed his life and if I came aboard that I would never be the same… From the very first day I saw how God changed the lives of the men in the program, and it made me want to learn more about SOH. My former supervisor trained me and told me that one day, if I worked hard, I would succeed him as Warehouse Manager.

Well, today I’m the Warehouse Manager at Star of Hope. Looking back, the same values that attracted me then, are still the driving forces which keep me here. I feel compelled to serve others and help make a difference in the lives of the least and the lost. As Warehouse Manager I face may challenges that a for-profit position never faces, but each day I am rewarded with the power and mercy of God. He always makes a way, and I do not think any other job could offer me this type of fulfillment.

Floyd Clark
Storehouse Supervisor
 

Visit Careers at Star of Hope Mission
Homeless Shelters Houston

We had the Star of Hope Annual Banquet last week and it was amazing to see just some of Star of Hope’s donors attend. It was held at the Hilton Americas. As we learned more about Houston’s homeless needs, we found that:

• There are 13,500 homeless right here in Houston.
• Star of Hope, a local homeless shelter prepared and fed over 620,000 meals during the 2011.
• The number of homeless families in our city increased by 25% from 2010.

The economy is really impacting our lives!

The high point in the evening is always the testimonies from those who has been homeless in our city and have been able to experience “life change.” One such testimony was offered by a 17 year old high school student, Courtney. His mom had been taken ill and with a long term illness, she ultimately lost her job, and they were evicted. They came to Star of Hope and after a time were able to regain their stability, individually and as a family.


Through a community service volunteer group who came to Star of Hope, Courtney was able to visit the University of Houston campus, met with several top level administrators, and he was able to get a scholarship offer (he wants to be an aeronautical engineer)!

He has a ways to go (he is just now completing high school, but he looked so special as he stood there in front of 2,300 attendees and told his (and his family’s) story. It was so special to see young man in his ROTC uniform to stand and talk about the “life change” that he has experienced and the blessing that Star of Hope, a local homeless shelter in Houston, has offered to he and his family.

Star of Hope is not just a men’s shelter or an emergency family shelter but we also have a longer term program for homeless who need assistance. I hope that possibly you were able to attend the annual banquet, but if not…please be sure that you don’t miss it next year!

A few days before Christmas I was walking through the lobby at Star of Hope and saw three boxes. They looked like they contained musical instruments…I got really excited when I realized someone had donated three guitars! 

Rachel Haverkorn, a Volunteer Liaison at Star of Hope, told me this story:

The teen department let us know that the some of the kids had expressed interest in learning to play the guitar. Shortly thereafter Alex Thomas came to us wishing to volunteer. His email address referred to his love for guitar, so we asked if he might be interested in teaching the teens. He was thrilled. The only problem was we did not have guitars for the teens to use. He offered to bring some, but we would still need guitars available for the teens to practice on between lessons.

I told the teen department I could mention the need to in-kind donors and see what happened. I made myself a note to request guitars the next time a donor called asking about our needs. Then Alex Lozano stopped by and said he had 3 brand new guitars and had been trying to decide where to donate them. I told him he was answering our exact need before we had even asked.

Thanks Alex Thomas and Alex Lozano/United Music Alliance for making this happen!
 

Volunteer Jobs Houston
Homeless Shelters Houston - Star of Hope Mission

Year-End is fast approaching, but it's not too late to help Houston's homeless men, women and children with Star of Hope. Three simple ways you can help in the next three days:

1. Invite your friends to "Like" Star of Hope Mission on Facebook
2. Start making plans to volunteer in 2012
3. Give a year-end gift today

Christmas excitement builds at Star of Hope . . . thanks to you!

There are only a few days remaining until Christmas! Last-minute preparations are underway all over Star of Hope, especially making sure we’ll have enough special Christmas gifts for all the boys and girls who will spend the holiday here with their families. That’s a bigger challenge than ever this year, as we’ve seen a 25% increase in the number of homeless families in Houston.

For two hundreds families in residence with us this year, Star of Hope will be “home” for Christmas. And even the men in our men’s programs enjoy special time with their families at Christmas.

I’ll never forget what I saw last year at our Men’s Development Center downtown at their annual Family Christmas Day. We were enjoying a festive Christmas party with our men and their families, who had come for the day’s activities. I was visiting with a young man who was telling me how much the Men’s Center had meant to him, when I saw out of the corner of my eye another young man, with his three school-aged boys trailing behind him, headed for the Christmas tree near the front of the building. He joyfully took his boys to the tree, and reached down and picked up the gifts he had for each of them, which were nestled under our tree, hugging each one of them. I was moved to watch this dad sharing his love for his children, as if they were in their own home! That sight just made Christmas for me, and I believe God used the Star of Hope to bring healing to that family as they are recovering from their dad’s former addictions.

There are dozens of other stories I could share with you about Christmas at Star of Hope. We all thank you for being a part of all of it, through your prayers and gifts. May God fill your own home and holiday time with His peace, joy and the celebration of His great gift to all of us, His Son, Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas to you from the Star of Hope!

Hey guys!  I found these two photos of Thanksgiving lunch at the Star of Hope. 


The first pic is from many years ago and the second is more current!  The parallels touched my heart in that, while years have passed, there are still the less fortunate in our city, who really need our help.  Every day, Star of Hope helps over 1,000 persons, about 1/3 are children.  The more I work in this homeless Christian Ministry in Houston, the more I am concerned for the children, the next generation.  Last night the Star of Hope Women and Family Emergency Shelter on Dowling  had 63 persons sleep on a pallet on the floor because the 74  rooms were filled!  Please pray for these persons, that they will find their way in our world!  If you can help, you can donate today.  Also, you can find out how you can volunteer, and learn more about homelessness in our city! 

Thanks for your prayers.  They become the catalyst for life change!  God bless.

There are only a few weeks now until Thanksgiving and whatever plans we are making, they most certainly will include a gathering event focused on food! Fortunately for most of us, we’ve never really had to wonder where our next meal, or our Thanksgiving meal, was coming from.

Recently, a mother and her three teenage children staying at our Women and Family Emergency Shelter expressed deep gratitude for the meals provided by our generous supporters. She was moved to tears when talking about the compassionate care they were receiving at our Shelter.

She told us that before coming to Star of Hope, they were literally starving. One night, her three children shared one can of tuna fish, while she had to go without food. They decided to come for help, and she was so grateful to have good food for her kids and herself!

This Thanksgiving…when you pray the Lord’s Prayer and ask God to give you your daily bread, why not also include a prayer for families who you are helping feed during this holiday season? You can make a tremendous difference in the lives of families like this mom and her three teens, by giving what you can to provide meals to them.

Every year at this time, we are amazed and humbled to see how God uses so many of us in our community to come together to feed and care for our neighbors in need. Join us now, by making a gift and include them in your hearts and prayers during the Thanksgiving holidays.

Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time we all count our blessings, and I want you to know that hundreds of Star of Hope’s residents and graduates are thanking God for you!

In our special Thanksgiving edition of The Light, we’ve included some heartfelt thank-yous from three ladies whose lives were completely transformed by the food, shelter, spiritual support and long-term care you help provide . . . like Michelle.

Michelle arrived at Star of Hope in deep grief after the loss of her mother. For a while, she’d tried to “medicate” that grief with addiction, but she knew that could only lead to more heartbreak, so she humbly asked for help at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter downtown.

With homelessness on the rise among Houston families, we didn’t have a room for her right away, but Michelle was grateful just to sleep on a clean “overflow” mat for a few days. She knew it was the first step to stability. You won’t want to miss her inspiring words about her journey . . . or the other stories and photos of lives you’ve changed.

Thank you for being part of stories like Michelle’s through your ongoing support and prayers. These are difficult days for many in our city, and your help really matters!

In all of our lives, there have been times when we have felt like no one cares about us. We can all remember changing schools and not knowing anyone, and feeling daunted as we were surrounded by strangers. Or changing jobs, and wondering how we would fit in and who would be our friends. Or enduring a difficult family situation that left us alone.

For those who come to Star of Hope, the feeling that no one cares about them is not just focused on a new workplace or school, however. For most, there is absolutely no one they can turn to for help. Most who come to Star of Hope facilities have absolutely no other option. They are truly alone.

So what do you think JOB ONE is at Star of Hope? It is to love and to care for each one who enters, no matter what their condition or need or situation. And that love, combined with a safe place, good food, clean beds and new clothing, helps them feel like someone DOES care!

I’d like to share a short story from one of our recent adult clients at Star of Hope. Her name is Cassandra, and she found here a caring atmosphere that put her on the path to a new life!

Cassandra said recently, “I came to Star of Hope because I was on my last leg and I needed help, but I had no idea the help that I was going to get. They are awesome. There’s so much that’s here for you, and all you have to do is apply yourself a little and ask. The people really, really care. I love it. I feel God’s presence throughout the shelter and throughout me. To the donors, I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

Your continuing support is a vital as we provide meals, shelter, counseling, education and long-term solutions to more Houstonians than ever before. They come because they have no other options…but you provide, through your gifts and volunteer help, a new and wonderful second chance…and a way back into a fulfilling life once again.

Thank you for being one of the people who “really, really cares”, as we minister and serve daily here at Star of Hope!

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that every day now, we are confronted with a new, major crisis in our world. Here at home in Houston, we have all dealt with the excruciating heat and lack of rain for four or five months now. Texas wildfires are all around us, forcing hundreds from their homes and destroying their property.

For thousands in Houston, the severe weather and drought along with economic or domestic crises, have driven them to homelessness this year. Star of Hope has been here….serving already this year over 1,000 MORE men, women & children who have become homeless than we did last year.

Sometimes life’s greatest blessings rise out of tears, and for many we have served this year, God’s blessings have poured down in their lives, even though the rains for Houston have not. When we go through a period of great loss, we all tend to stop in our tracks, paralyzed and unable to move. Many of us LOOK UP in such times, to seek God’s face once again. True life change happens when we confront our past head on, confess our sins, and seek God’s help and guidance once again in our lives.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 tells us clearly God’s requirements for blessings: Humility, Prayer, Devotion, and yes, Repentance. I believe with all my heart that the miraculous life change we see every day at Star of Hope comes from true humility and repentance before the Living God, who is still in the forgiving and healing business, thankfully!

Roberto’s story is a wonderful example of this:




We invite you to Save the Date: February 2, 2012, for the 2012 Star of Hope Banquet – Above All. Plan to come and celebrate with us what God is doing in lives that were parched and dry, and have found His Blessings once again. Join us for one of the greatest Christian celebrations held in Houston each year, as we celebrate God’s great Work in the lives of so many in our city!

About two months ago, an 11 year old girl named Faith arrived at Star of Hope's downtown Women & Family Emergency Shelter with her grandmother. She was quiet, polite and read during her free time. Soon, Faith was invited to attend Summer Camp where she experienced a week of freedom from her difficult family life in the Piney Woods of East Texas. She opened up and had such a great time!

One night at dinner time, Faith shared with her counselor that she had been struggling with the idea of taking her life. When her dad died, she had tried to jump in front of a car, but it swerved just in time to spare her young life. Faith has felt so alone. Her mom abandoned her as a baby, her brother disconnected from the family, and her high school age sister has moved away.

As she shared her deep scars that night, a whole new world opened up for Faith, as our staff shared with her the truth of God’s love for her, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith placed her trust and hope in Christ that evening, and began a new journey. Today she is learning from God’s Word and about God’s Plan for her life…the future and the hope He has for her!

We thank God for his infinite wisdom and perfect timing. We also thank so many of you who provided financial resources for Faith, and over 100 other homeless children and teens who attended Summer Camp this year!

Faith and Hope are very much alive, this summer, through the Children’s Ministries of the Star of Hope Mission.

As Star of Hope is into its SECOND CENTURY of serving Houston’s homeless men, women and children, we are working hard on partnerships and new life-changing programs which will move Houston "down the field and toward the goal line" of significantly reducing homelessness in our city! Our Board, leadership and many of you in our community have developed and approved a 5 year plan, called “VISION 2015.” Its principal goal is to double the number of homeless served in our city, from 1,000 men, women and children per day, to 2,000 per day, though the Star of Hope "Family of Ministries" around Houston.

This exciting plan is set to the backdrop of ever growing homelessness in Houston. We are now experiencing as a community our 3rd year of record, serious overflow at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter at 419 Dowling, and something must be done! Our city, state, federal budgets are strapped and doing all they can, and we already work closely with over 100 health, housing, recovery, education, job training, and independent living partners in our city. VISION 2015 will take us to the next step.

It’s important to remember WHY we should serve those who have lost their way. God’s Word, in Jesus’ own words, teaches us in Matthew 25:31-40 that it is our duty and calling to love, feed, clothe and care for those in need, and in so doing, we are serving Christ himself. In our service, He changes lives! Watch this video of how a family has been restored; I know you’ll be as moved as I was:



And thanks to Bryan Bullington of the Pearland Chick-fil-A for hosting a donations drive and outdoor event at his store earlier this month.

If you want to serve on a long term basis, there is no better way than making a Legacy Gift to the Star of Hope. We all need to plan for our financial futures, and as you do, we want to invite you to consider including the Star of Hope in your estate plans. In this way, you can leave a lasting "Legacy of Hope" Gift to help accomplish the work Christ commanded us to do, for years to come.

If you’re interested in learning more, we have a new website with a WILLS PLANNER for your use. Visit sohlegacy.org. Review the various topics there, and click: “Plan Your Will” to get started. Also, we are having our 2nd Annual Planned Giving Advisory Council Luncheon coming up September 13th. Get more information and register today for this complimentary and informative luncheon. We hope to see you there!

As you can well imagine Star of Hope kids have witnessed many things children, nor adults, should ever experience.  Many of them have become early adults who have had to take care of their siblings and even their parents, which is why I am so thankful for corporations who create environments where the kid in the children is awakened…at least for a little while.

Best Buy recently had a Splash Party at Star of Hope's Women & Family Emergency Shelter with slip-n-slides as well as a HUGE blow-up water slide! Every kid had a smile on their face that made their whole little demeanor glow.  They were so happy – they were so childish --- and so perfect, exactly how God made them! Take a look at the following picture and you will totally see joy, silliness, and adventure!  God is so good!

Since we are expecting some rain this weekend and we could be couped in the house all day I thought I could share some rainy day Saturday ideas that could bring hope to the homeless in your community!

1. Write Camp Notes to Star of Hope teens who will be going to camp, so that they can experience a week of being a carefree kid! You will absolutely make their day. 

2. Clean out your couch, collect your change, and on a dry day drop it by one of our missions. (Or give the exact amount online).  After-all, it only takes $1.60 to provide a meal for the hungry at one of our shelters! 

3. Get together all your clothes you haven't worn in a year+, put them in a bag, and drop them off at any of our locations!

4. Share information like this post on your favorite social media site like Facebook, Twitter or google plus -- to spread the news on how to help the homeless from your home!

5. Of course, shelters like ours  rely on prayers! So, please keep Houston's Homeless in your prayers. Pray they will find the financial and emotional help they need at shelter's like ours! 

Recently, you might have seen Star of Hope on the news for having 141 people, 55 of which were kids, sleeping on the floor in our overflow room. Because of the deep need this Summer we have had many people feel called to take action and be HOPE! Many have volunteered in our soup kitchen, given food and clothing donations, and provided long term hope by becoming a Circle of Hope Member. We deeply thank you for being concerned about your city's homeless!

Even business like, Chick-fil-A Pearland, have  decided they were called to be HOPE and therefore, hosted a toiletry donation drive. Cookie Joe, the owner of Cookie Joe's Dance Studio, also felt called to be HOPE,  so at the donation drive she sponsored a free concert from Newberry of Second Baptist Pearland, Krush of New Hope, and Nash 3.

Many people this Summer have been HOPE. At Star of Hope I am able to see how many people answered the call to action and have actively been HOPE this summer. It has made me want to know more....like how are you HOPE...where-ever you are? Please e-mail your I AM HOPE story to koliver@sohmission.org (feel free to send videos) or just post it on the comments below!