This facility and the people who run it are anything but what the term "good samaritan" implies…read more Women, mostly "minorities," come to this program seeking temporary shelter/refuge from homelessness. The staff are welcoming and inviting during initial intake over the phone and in person. However, after arriving, you find out very quickly that the staff are condescending, immoral, desensitized, show favoritism, display heavy contempt, disdain, and a lack of trust or empathy towards people of color or anyone who stands up for themselves. This homeless shelter for women & children is run more like a halfway house. The staff showed no true desire to help any of the women. The "rules" are all geared towards catering to the building itself, and adhering to rules that conflict with what needs to be done to get out of the program and successfully into your own home or to another place of temporary housing. Actions taken towards getting your own home or even going to work are looked down upon as staff attempt to shove the programs "rules" down guests' throats daily. Examples: staff trying to encourage a guest to work fewer hours in order to be back for a 5 p.m. curfew, and I use "encourage" loosely. A child crying because they couldn't start eating their breakfast before staff barked at the mother that the kitchen was about to close. The kitchen is only open for 6 hours a day, for two hours at a time. Somehow, staff think that makes sense with 10 mothers and 20+ children in the facility. You don't have access to your own food that you buy with your own money. Countless guests were written up for handling business that involved their work, picking up their children, or meetings with landlords to interview for their own home. All of those things were not only frowned upon if it was outside of the 5 p.m. daily curfew, but staff were also verbally rude about it. The manager, hailee fortner, a former heavy drug shooter and addict, who resided in a homeless shelter herself, seemed proud to display the nastiest energy of all the staff, as she attempted to recreate her own shelter experience which she referred to as "that place", but this time exacting vindictiveness and abusing her role as a shelter manager. Intake coordinator katie, a 50+ year old former skate rink employee, felt the need to suck up to her bosses and her new position by trying to have rude confrontational conversations very loudly and disrespectfully in hallways and in front of her bosses offices. Her daily desperate attention seeking behavior became a nuisance to many of the women there. Staff member Ashley, a docile, but active drug user, often showed up to work inebriated, slurring words, sleeping at the desk constantly, sometimes for hours and nodding off at the desk so hard that her body would bang and slam up against it in a very concerning way as she'd lose control of her movements. Grievances did no good, as the very people that you report to are the same people doing the wrong and turning a blind eye towards staff behavior. Staff here take advantage of women and children in vulnerable states while daring them to speak up and stand up for themselves. Of all the homeless shelters in this region of Southeren Illinois and across the river in St. Louis, MO, this shelter is the only one that's ever available. It is because they have a bad rep, with a lot of quests leaving after only one night, because the rules are immoral and the staff are horrible. Staff fail to realize that guests are there because of no housing and extremely hard times..not because we don't have brains. The director angela shows no interest in guests whatsoever, completely ignoring the women's existence, grievances, and complaints. There's so much more to be said. Though, I'll leave it here. For any one who has absolutely no where else to go, and chooses to seek shelter here, do so with a strong mind, a peaceful heart, and with fire within you to get yourself and your children to a safe, happy, healthy, and peaceful home and surroundings and out of this shelter as quickly as humanely possible.

HavenHouse was truly our safe haven when visiting St Louis for a medical appointment. From the…read morestart, they were the best. Easy to make the reservation. Answered all questions when I called (and called back and back and back again!). They even called a couple of days before to confirm the reservation. Not only did they provide an affordable room, they treated one adult per room and children under 12 to the buffet breakfast and also gave us, free of charge, one meal (which we had as lunch) and snacks and drinks. To top it off, they allowed us to borrow a microwave and use their freezer! It truly was a saving grace and we wish they were in all states we visit for medical appointments as they made us feel cared for, like we had friends we could ask for help. Cannot thank them or recommend them enough.

Haven House is one of those places doing IMPORTANT work. It is one of my favorite local places to…read moredeliver boxes of goods. The Haven House has a donation wish list on their website. They also have volunteer opportunities for individuals or groups. Need a local charity to support...look no further than the Haven House. The Haven House is a hospital hospitality house. The mission to provide the comfort of home to patients and their families visiting St. Louis for medical treatments. Lodging, transportaion to area Hospitals, support, and meals are some of the amenities the Haven House provides guests. Visit their Facebook Page or Website for more details.