Maternity Homes

The program provides a long-term shelter for homeless, pregnant women 18 years and older in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. Pregnant women with a child 2 years or younger are eligible. They are able to take women who are in any stage of pregnancy and they may stay up to four weeks after the birth of their baby. Women who are not pregnant and pregnant women who are undocumented cannot be accepted. The program cannot accommodate people who use wheelchairs. There are no geographic restrictions.

The shelter has 8 bedrooms, each of which can accommodate one pregnant women, or a pregnant woman with one child. Bedding, linen and one meal per day are provided. Residents must assist with chores on a daily basis, obey the house rules and observe the 7:00am wake-up time and the 4:00pm curfew. The women are required to leave the shelter for the day. The women are also required to save any income they receive for the establishment of a residence of their own. Women who have Medi-Cal can have their babies at St. Francis Medical Center; arrangements can be made at St. Francis for women who do not have any kind of health insurance. There are no televisions at the shelter.