Serving survivors for over 40 years

Faith House was founded in 1980 by Sister Mary Thomas as a shelter for homeless women. After the oil field bust of 1987, the influx of homeless women was astounding and Sister Mary Thomas assessed the need for emergency housing in Acadiana.

As the calls from abused women increased, Faith House began to shelter them as well as the homeless. In 1987, strict confidentiality policies, security measures, and a counseling component were added to address their needs and in 1992, the Board designated Faith House as a battered women’s program, exclusively.

That first shelter had only 28 beds and was reluctant to turn anyone in need away. Luckily, an eager board member, as well as a fundraising volunteer, took on the project. The board member located the perfect spot for a shelter and the land was purchased, an architect was hired and blueprints were drawn up. The volunteer called 10 friends, who called 10 more friends, and so on, and “Women Helping Women” was formed – the namesake for our yearly luncheon. With the $300,000 raised, new ground was broken in 1998 on the new shelter, with it opening on Christmas Eve that year

The shelter now includes 45 beds, with services extended to six other parishes in Central and South Louisiana through outreach offices and mobile advocacy. Since its inception, Faith House has transformed from a women’s homeless shelter to a crisis center and shelter for all survivors of domestic violence, no matter their age, race, gender, sexuality, social or economic level.

In 2016, Faith House opened the Family Justice Center of Acadiana. The Family Justice Center model is a national model that creates collaboration among local organizations to enhance and improve the local response to domestic violence cases and decrease mortality. We are excited to be able to provide such a comprehensive service to our community by providing easy access to law enforcement, legal services, counseling, and support services all under one roof.

Faith House  does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age  in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment, or on the basis of sex in its health programs and activities.

Board of Directors

The leadership of the Board of Directors has been steadfast in their intense dedication to upholding the mission statement. The greatest success is that the program continues to grow and the services offered to all survivors of domestic violence have surpassed all expectations.

Faith House’s Board of Directors consists of community members who proudly serve as volunteers and oversee the accountability of the organization.