OUR Place is a low-barrier emergency shelter unlike any other campus in the nation. It is specifically designed to provide a warm, safe, and home-like environment where guests feel welcomed and wanted. This “Person First” approach is meant to remove the stigma of poverty and provide a conducive space for healing and growth.
Through almost a decade of working with our neighbors who live outside, we have found that they are capable, resourceful, creative, and resilient people. Life is about living, not just surviving and we recognize that when individuals are trusted and invested in, they thrive. Our Guests tend to meet and exceed their goals by building trusting relationships, investing time and energy, and learning to advocate for themselves.
Moving indoors can be an isolating and lonely experience, this is why RISE and Washoe County offer wrap-around services in order to assist those facing daunting transitions. We are not just providers, we are a team of individuals who walk the path with our Guests. Staff, peers, volunteers, and the client’s support network all bring healing and unity to achieve hope. Our model is a collaboration with peer-led services. We are compassion driven, and outcome-based with a focus on long-term housing solutions that fit the needs of individuals. We recognize that diversity makes us stronger and embrace human uniqueness. Rather than seeking to build a program that pushes people to adapt, we collaborate to build responsive interventions.
Our Place is more than a bed; it is a second home. Guests find themselves in an environment where they and their families have a therapeutic place to heal.
In our first year of operation, we were able to permanently house:
133 single women
58 families
In our first year of operation, we provided emergency shelter to:
626 women
86 families
142 children
151 pets