To assist single women and women with children struggling with homelessness find their next step to health and stability.
In an average year, we serve 118 women and 51 children providing...
2,824
Loads of Laundry
7,668
Meals
4,133
Beds
4,468
Showers
How We Got Started
Stepping Stones Safe Haven opened in January of 2016 after a group of passionate community members recognized the need for dependable shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness in Rutherford County.
Doing Our Research
Dr. John Rudd, Jessica Teter, Kimberly Clarke, Darla Campbell and Ginger Scott spent a good deal of time researching shelter programs.
Communication & Understanding
After spending time with the team at Room in the Inn of Nashville, they felt this was the right program to implement in Murfreesboro.
Perfect Planning
The team worked to find churches who would adopt the model and join the plan.
The Opening
In May of 2016, The Haven opened at 720 Old Salem Rd. The organization added a case manager in 2018 to help guide guests in their journey to finding their right Next Step.
Our Progress
Since January of 2018, Stepping Stones has been open every single night, providing emergency shelter and support.
Still Going Strong
The day shelter is typically open, giving women and children several vital amenities and most importantly, the opportunity to connect with a case manager. In 2021, through a grant from THDA, we are able to help with financial assistance for Rapid Rehousing, counseling, childcare, medical needs, etc.
How Our Program Works
Our Partners |
Our ministry’s program partners with host churches as much as possible to facilitate community engagement and support.
When host churches serve for the evening, guests are transported to the church where they are fed dinner and will sleep for the night.
At 7 AM
They are then brought back to the shelter.
At 5 PM
Host churches pick them up.
we ask guests to arrive by 4pm to complete chores and prepare for pick up.
Special arrangements can be made by talking with the Case Manager.
Our Ministry's Values
Faith - Based Compassion |
Stepping Stones was founded on faith-based principles with an interest in promoting love and a sense of self-worth for every guest served.
We believe that compassion, consideration, and consistency help ensure each guest is treated equally with fairness and grace.
Our team is compelled through Christ-like compassion, being so deeply moved by a calling to minister to women and children suffering as a result of their homeless situation.
Our efforts demonstrate great consideration for both the group needs and their individual goals and dreams. Our work is to help guide them along their journey, not to prescribe actions for them to carry out.
This work is completed with every effort to maintain consistency and fairness for each and every individual or family served.
Our Ministry's Culture
Next Steps |
We believe our guests have answers within, and our Case Managers work with each guest on their own journey to determine their appropriate Next Steps.
They encorporate evidence-based tools to understand how they came to this situation and then guides them in a process to set goals.
We are sensitive to the timeline and understand some situations progress more slowly than others.
Grace and understanding weigh heavily into the work completed here.
Get Involved
Explore the ways you can help women and women with children in our community experiencing homelessness