One of the most serious health problems that homeless people face is insomnia. Thanks to The Gubbio Project, 225 homeless persons, on average, find a safe haven and a place to sleep every day in the sanctuary of San Francisco's St. Boniface church.
Community activists Shelly Roder and Father Louis Vitale co-founded the non-denominational Gubbio Project in 2004 as a response to the growing number of homeless people in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The center was located at St. Boniface Neighborhood Center.
"In an effort to make it easy for everyone to come in, we don't have sign-in sheets or intake papers. When people come into our churches, no one asks them anything. "Everyone is always welcome, valued, and treated with dignity," reads the project website.
The Gubbio Project occupies the rear two-thirds of the sanctuary, while the front one-third is reserved for the church's daily mass at 12:15 p.m.
"This sends a powerful message to our unhoused neighbors - they are in essence part of the community, not to be kicked out when those with homes come in to worship," according to the non-profit group. "It also sends a message to those attending mass - the community includes the tired, the poor, those with mental health issues and those who are wet, cold and dirty."
The church provides more than just a bed; they also sell hygiene packages, massages, warm blankets, and socks.
Community activists Shelly Roder and Father Louis Vitale co-founded the non-denominational Gubbio Project in 2004 as a response to the growing number of homeless people in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The center was located at St. Boniface Neighborhood Center.
"In an effort to make it easy for everyone to come in, we don't have sign-in sheets or intake papers. When people come into our churches, no one asks them anything. "Everyone is always welcome, valued, and treated with dignity," reads the project website.
The Gubbio Project occupies the rear two-thirds of the sanctuary, while the front one-third is reserved for the church's daily mass at 12:15 p.m.
"This sends a powerful message to our unhoused neighbors - they are in essence part of the community, not to be kicked out when those with homes come in to worship," according to the non-profit group. "It also sends a message to those attending mass - the community includes the tired, the poor, those with mental health issues and those who are wet, cold and dirty."
The church provides more than just a bed; they also sell hygiene packages, massages, warm blankets, and socks.
