The Thomas House Family Shelter
STRENGTHENING CALIFORNIA FAMILIES BY ENSURING THEY HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME
The Thomas House Family Shelter provides a rent-free home and safe environment for homeless families with children to stay as a family unit.
The shelter, located in Orange County, provides a supportive home environment plus additional resources, including an array of programs that empower the parents to become independent and self-sufficient.
The Thomas House experience reduces the chance of their becoming homeless in the future, and their success rate is impressive. Their shelter and their actions address the special circumstance of homeless children, who suffer only because their parents are simply not able to make ends meet. “The core of their mission is one of the foundational pillars of Banc of California, which is to support, enrich, and empower our local community,” says James Do, Head of Nonprofit Banking at Banc of California and a member of the Thomas House Development Committee.
Strengthening and Supporting California Families and Changing Lives
While at Thomas House, children are able to attend their school and get much needed support when they return. By supporting Thomas House through both corporate donations and volunteerism, families are able to stay together, regain stability and find a new direction for the future. These are goals that are important to us, to families and to the growth of California.
Thomas House started with a heartfelt act by one couple who long ago aided a homeless woman with a child—by bringing them into their home overnight. Realizing the desperate need to act and garnering support from others as well as grants, they established Thomas House.
Today, it is an award-winning model of success for transforming lives, having served hundreds of individuals every year. The parents attend weekly classes on parenting skills, nutrition, goal setting, communication skills, budgeting and more. In a recent year, 89% of their “graduating” residents moved into their own homes and 81% attained full-time employment.
HELPING TO ENSURE THE NEXT GENERATION OF CALIFORNIANS HAVE A HOME AND FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH
“Thomas House is laser-focused on providing a safe and supportive environment and the resources necessary for families to remain together, while helping them become self-sufficient. And particularly in these challenging times, it is even more important to support families with children as they need the most support. It’s heartening to hear of the Thomas House success stories from more than three decades of operation in Orange County. And the Organization’s success has only been made possible by the immense passion, dedication and tireless work of the entire Thomas House staff and every single donor and supporter of the Organization.”
Organizations such as Thomas House are established by people who want to make California a better place to live for everyone, regardless of their circumstances, and to create opportunities for families with children who are in jeopardy of never getting a second chance. By assisting Thomas House through corporate donations and support, we help ensure that Thomas House kids will one day have the opportunities their parents dreamt for them.
“I lived at Thomas House when I was only seven years old, and it was a life-changing experience. I was very thankful to be there, and I was glad to be there. They gave us a home and supported my parents and us so that we’d be successful in school. The staff was remarkable. The experience helped me become who I am today—independent and strong. Now I want to give back and help others.”
Ashley A.
Thomas House volunteer and former resident