OUR MISSION

To lead in ending the cycle of homelessness or violence by providing safe housing, compassionate support, and opportunities for self-sufficiency through outreach, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Shelter Outreach Plus fosters the belief that family support services coupled with emergency shelter and transitional housing programs are vital steps to help individuals and families make the progression to a stable and independent lifestyle.

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION

Shelter Outreach Plus plays a significant role in Monterey County’s Continuum of Care for the homeless and victims of domestic violence through its programs of outreach, emergency shelter, and transitional housing. For 30 years, our agency has shown remarkable success in helping people move forward with their lives in a positive and safe manner.

Our agency serves men, women and children through several distinct programs. Last year, we served 1,785 adults, 296 children and made 7,483 referrals through the Family Helpline.

We collaborate with several local agencies to provide comprehensive services to homeless individuals and families as well as families dealing with domestic violence. We work with local organizations, coalitions, leaders, and volunteers to educate and inform the general public and help shape policies affecting victims of domestic violence and those experiencing homelessness.

Shelter Outreach Plus’ programs provide a single-point of entry for people in crisis into a total continuum of care where education, recovery, and employment are viewed as key steps to a safe and self-sufficient life. It is through Shelter Outreach Plus that individuals and families can find safe haven and resolve and begin their rehabilitative process in order to transform their life of homelessness into a life of peace and independence.

OUR HISTORY

Shelter Outreach Plus has a long and successful history of service in Monterey County. Shelter Outreach Plus was formed when two Monterey county nonprofit organizations, Shelter Plus and Peninsula Outreach, merged in 1998.

Shelter Plus began services in 1978 in response to a need within the county for a safe and economically viable program to shelter and support people in crisis. Prior to 1978, Monterey County did not have an emergency shelter to meet the needs of the growing homeless population. By partnering with the Department of Social and Employment Services, Shelter Plus was able to open the county’s first emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence in Salinas.

Peninsula Outreach began in 1984 in Seaside as a food service program for the homeless that included a soup kitchen and food pantry. In 1989 the agency expanded its services to include housing and opened the first emergency shelter on the Monterey Peninsula for homeless women and children.

The merger between Shelter Plus and Peninsula Outreach has allowed the new agency, Shelter Outreach Plus, to eliminate duplicative efforts and better provide more efficient, cost effective programs for people in crisis within Monterey County. Since its inception, S.O.P has been the primary provider of supportive housing and services for domestic violence victims and homeless individuals and families within the county's Continuum of Care. The agency serves as single-point of entry for people in crisis into an in-house continuum where education, recovery, and employment are viewed as key steps to a safe and self-sufficient lifestyle.