All Are Welcome at Catholic Charities

Experiencing Homelessness as a Member of the LGBTQ+ Community

James had navigated his way through more challenges than the average person. He was only 47 years old but had battled chronic illness for a long time. He required the use of a cane to walk and had struggled with addiction in the past, too. But James worked hard to build towards the life he wanted, and he wore his identities proudly. Disabled. Sober. Gay. Survivor.

When James fled from an abusive relationship in another state, he packed what he could and bought a one-way Amtrak ticket to Minnesota.

“I knew I needed to move somewhere far away,” James explained. “It cost me money that I didn’t have but there was no other choice.” James arrived at Union Depot in St. Paul in poor health. He had recently sustained domestic violence injuries and hadn’t been able to manage his other chronic conditions, so he checked himself into Regions Hospital. It was there that he learned about Catholic Charities.

Moving to Safety

“When I came out of the hospital, I went to Dorothy Day Place and reserved a bunk in the overnight shelter,” James said. “One of the first things I saw was a sticker that said, ‘all are welcome here.’ It made me feel like I had finally found place where I belong — the intake worker here uses a cane like I do, and when I asked the staff about being a member of the LGBTQ community, they told me that they accept everybody for who they are.”

Due to James’ past trauma, being able to establish trust with Catholic Charities staff was essential to his progress. And the team at Dorothy Day Place showed James that he could count on them. “People here have been there for me when I needed it the most – they showed me compassion and went above and beyond for me,” said James.

Help people like James

A Place to Heal

James had his basic needs met at Dorothy Day Place. But aside from things like shelter, food, and safety, he found resources that helped him heal physically and mentally. Over 4,000 people volunteer in different ways with Catholic Charities each year, and some simply provide companionship to people receiving services. “Every Wednesday and Friday, I meet with a Volunteer Listener,” explained James. “It makes such a difference to have someone to talk to.” James also accessed mental health care from Radias Health at Dorothy Day Place.

Above all else, James emphasized how he found a sense of trust and community with Catholic Charities. And while he has made friends at the shelter, he is currently working to find a permanent place to live. “I’ve dealt with more discrimination and hate than you can imagine,” stated James, “But I don’t know that I’ve ever been helped like this before — I’m ready to move on, but I’m so thankful for this place.”

Homelessness Among Vulnerable Populations

Across the country, statistics show that people who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to experience housing instability, housing discrimination, and homelessness than their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, LGBTQ+ individuals experiencing homelessness “face difficulty in trying to find support services, especially since they may be harassed in shelters by peers or staff and therefore feel uncomfortable and unsafe seeking help.”

LGBTQ+ people report higher rates of being turned away from shelters, along with other traumatic experiences. Per data from Wilder Research, Minnesotans experiencing homelessness who identify as LGBTQ+ “were more likely to report each type of violence, abuse, and sexual exploitation measured on the survey. This violence is both a cause of homelessness and can be a result of the unsafe situations in which homeless people often need to stay.”