About Us

Our Mission

Sojourner Place is sponsored by the Sisters of Providence and exists to provide housing and support for homeless, economically or emotionally oppressed women in transition who are motivated to grow toward self responsible, independent living.

Since 1987 our Mission is accomplished by providing:

1. Shelter and food
2. Long-term transitional housing
3. Personalized social service case management
4. Coaching in such life skills as opening a bank account, making a budget, dressing for an interview, setting boundaries, and interacting with others.
5. Advocacy and referral service.
6. A safe and supportive environment
7. Enhanced self-esteem through self-discovery and the sisterhood that develops between the women
8. Reality checks:  residents are held accountable, financially and personally
9. Follow-up and reciprocal networking for alumnae.

The goal for each woman who enters Sojourner Place is that she leaves with the skills she needs to live a successful and independent life.

Who We Are

The stories of our women do not end when they leave Sojourner Place -- There is much more work ahead for each of them. It is a pleasure to keep in touch with the alumni to hear of their struggles and accomplishments.

• Yuyun, 2000 graduate of the program, received her nursing degree from Skagit Valley College in June and became a US citizen in November. She now works at Providence Everett Medical Center and is planning to buy a home for herself and her son, Liam. Liam is a graduate of Sojourner Place too, since he was born while Yuyun lived at Sojourner Place. Congratulations, Yuyun!
• Virginia, also a 2000 alumna, bought a house this year! For someone whose financial difficulties brought her to Sojourner Place, this is remarkable. As she said when she called to tell us, "Can you believe it? With the shape my finances were in that I now own a house?" Way to go, Virginia. Enjoy your new home.
• Another graduate who bought a condominium a few years ago was able to take a cruise vacation with her daughter. When she was at Sojourner Place, she was not allowed unsupervised visits with her daughter but now she not only has custody, she is able to provide a special vacation as well as the essentials.

It is encouraging for us to know we have helped these women on their way. Their stories persuade us to continue the mission and give the residents hope they can also experience success. None of our graduates have it easy and many go through rough times, relapsing into alcoholism and addiction, returning to abusive relationships or struggling to make ends meet. What helps is that many women will keep in touch through both good times and bad. We hope we can continue to support these and others like them through the rough places in the road so they can achieve their goals.

Sisters of Providence

The Sisters of Providence are Catholic women of faith who respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable through education, parish ministry, health care, community service and support, housing, prison ministry, pastoral care, spiritual direction and retreats, and foreign missions.

Mother Joseph Province encompasses Alaska, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana and Washington in the United States, as well as El Salvador. For more information about the Sisters of Providence please visit The Sisters of Providence Website.

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Place is named in honor of Sojourner Truth a woman of great courage and faith. Sojourner Truth survived slavery and the sale of her children, to become a free woman. She befriended many, including President Abraham Lincoln, with her powerful message of freedom, and was a prominent and powerful speaker in the movement to abolish slavery. She was not afraid to speak the truth to any audience and is famous for her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech which she gave at a womens' rights convention at Akron, Ohio in 1851.

Although Truth never learned to read or write, she dictated her memoirs to Olive Gilbert and they were published in 1850 as The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave.

For a brief biography of Sojourner Truth, read her Wikipedia page.