Safe to Sleep
Every Woman Deserves a Safe Place to Rest
No woman should face the darkness of night without shelter. Safe to Sleep is Southwest Missouri’s only low-barrier overnight emergency shelter dedicated exclusively to women experiencing homelessness.
Open 365 nights a year from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., we provide a safe haven where dignity is restored, barriers are removed, and pathways to stability begin. Through compassionate care and dedicated case management, we walk alongside women as they work toward permanent housing and renewed hope.
Your Support Changes Lives
Whether you donate, volunteer, or spread the word, you’re offering more than shelter — you’re offering hope, safety, and a chance at a better tomorrow.
Impact
583
Unique guests served in 2025
61%
Were first-time visitors to Safe to Sleep
50
Women secured permanent housing in 2024 and 2025
100+
Women received help obtaining IDs or birth certificates monthly
365
Nights a year we’re open—every single night
22 days
Average shelter stay, with extended support through case management
Testimonials
The Need
Women experiencing homelessness face unique and devastating challenges. Nationally, homelessness among women is increasing at a faster pace than among men, with housing challenges representing an emerging crisis. In Southwest Missouri, estimates suggest between 550 and 2,500 each year people experience homelessness in the Springfield area, with women making up a significant portion of this vulnerable population.
Women and children are among the hardest demographics to house, and women experiencing homelessness face heightened risks of violence, trauma, and exploitation, with research showing that between 22% and 57% of homeless women report domestic violence as the immediate cause of their homelessness.
Against this backdrop, Safe to Sleep stands as a critical resource, offering not just shelter but safety, dignity, and a pathway forward for women who have nowhere else to turn.
Our Approach
Safe to Sleep removes barriers that prevent women from accessing emergency shelter. We don’t require an ID. We don’t turn away women struggling with mental health challenges. We simply provide a safe place to sleep and the support needed to move forward. Our truly low-barrier model means women can call from our shelter door for a brief phone screening and gain admission that same night.
In 2023 and 2024, 50 women transitioned from Safe to Sleep into permanent housing, rebuilding their lives with dignity and independence.
What Makes Safe to Sleep Different:
Immediate Access
Walk-in admissions with same-night shelter through a simple phone screening at our door — no advance appointments or barriers to entry.
Comprehensive Case Management
Women choosing to stay longer than 30 days can create individualized action plans, with dedicated support for securing housing, obtaining documents, and accessing community resources.
Barrier Elimination
We help guests get IDs and birth certificates, provide bus passes for new employment, offer transportation to critical appointments, and assist with housing applications.
Always Available
We’re open every single night of the year, ensuring consistent emergency shelter when women need it most, with capacity available even when other shelters are full.
Get Involved
Every woman deserves safety. Your generosity, whether through time, donations, or resources, ensures that no woman faces the night alone.
