St. James Haven men's shelter marks 25th anniversary
Aug. 17—Though it has been a refuge for homeless men for 25 years, St. James Haven in Meadville still is an unknown to a lot of people, according to its executive director.
"There's still so many people out there that don't know we operate, or are in existence," Samantha Stump said at Tuesday's open house at the facility at 779 N. Main St.
This location is the shelter's second in its history, having moved into the facility five years ago.
It was started in 1997 by a group of Associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwest Pennsylvania at a smaller donated home on lower Walnut Street. But, St. James Haven is more than an overnight shelter for homeless men.
"The idea isn't to just give them a place to sleep, but to journey into a new way of living," Stump said.
The shelter doesn't refer to the men as homeless, but as "our guests," she added.
The shelter can accommodate up to 14 men each night. It provides a bed, showers and laundry service plus a meal each evening for up to 30 days.
It also connects the men with social service agencies during their stay and counseling services such as Crawford County Drug and Alcohol, if needed, Stump said.
Annually, the shelter will see about 200 to 250 individuals — which translates into about 2,500 nights of accommodations.
The goal is to get each man on the path to a stable life by first having a safe place to stay, according to Stump.
"We want them to get a job," she said. "They stay here for no charge. It's a weight off their shoulders as they don't have to worry about where they're going to sleep, where they're going to wash clothes."
Individuals, churches and local restaurants help provide meals, toiletries and even clothing.
St. James Haven is staffed and operated every day of the year. The men must depart by 8 a.m. daily and if they return, it must be by 6 p.m. There are two male managers — one on each floor — who stay overnight.
"Most stay multiple nights," Stump said. "The bed is kept for them as long as they come every night."
However, drug and alcohol use within the building or showing up at St. James under the influence is strictly prohibited, Stump said. Those who do appear to be under the influence are turned away, though they may return the next evening if they aren't impaired.
"We want them to work if they're able and save some money so they can be on their own," Stump said. "Our success rate is about 30 percent of them being able to get housing and a job.
"It is an uphill battle," she said. "A lot of our guests have substance abuse issues and if they can't deal with it successfully, then it becomes a never-ending cycle."
Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .
Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .